Hot Rod Charlie Preps for Dubai World Cup

An American invasion led by trainer Doug O'Neill and featuring Hot Rod Charlie  takes center stage at Meydan Racecourse Feb. 4 as the Dubai World Cup Carnival reaches its halfway point.

O'Neill has eight horses at the Carnival. Half of them are in action on the Feb. 4 card with Hot Rod Charlie and Go On  set to contest the Maktoum Challenge Round 2 Presented by the Longines Record (G2), a prep for the $12 million Dubai World Cup Sponsored by Emirates Airline (G1) on March 26.

Round 2 is run at 1,900 meters (about 1 3/16 miles) on the Meydan dirt course and will be the first overseas start for Hot Rod Charlie. The Oxbow   colt was last seen finishing second, a nose short of Express Train , in the San Antonio Stakes (G2) at Santa Anita Park Dec. 26.

Before that, he finished fourth in the Longines Breeders' Cup Classic (G1) at Del Mar and won the Pennsylvania Derby (G1) at Parx Racing—the only official grade 1 win of his career. He finished first in the TVG.com Haskell Stakes (G1) at Monmouth Park but was disqualified to last for cutting in front of Midnight Bourbon  at midstretch.

He was third in the Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (G1) and second in the Belmont Stakes Presented by NYRA Bets (G1).

"Hot Rod Charlie galloped as good as we'd wish," assistant trainer Leandro Mora said after watching the colt perform Feb. 1, "and he seems to be very happy in this country. Loves the surroundings. He's floating on the track and we're hoping that will be a nice race for him on Friday."

William Buick, set to sub for regular jockey Flavien Prat in Round 2, told BloodHorse after his first Meydan work aboard the colt that Hot Rod Charlie "looks great and obviously shipped and settled in well. He's a fit horse and came across this dirt very well."

Buick could be a good luck charm in these circumstances. He breezed Mystic Guide  for trainer Mike Stidham before that colt went on to win the 2021 Dubai World Cup under Luis Saez.

Go On , a Reddam Racing homebred colt by Nyquist  , exits a fourth-place finish in the San Antonio and has only a single win from seven starts, all in California.

The opposition isn't likely to concede anything to the American newcomers in Round 2.

Everfast , the 2019 Preakness Stakes (G1) runner-up, arrived in Dubai with only two wins from 24 starts but won at first asking in the desert on Dec. 2—his first start in more than 11 months. He's a 6-year-old Take Charge Indy   gelding now conditioned by Doug Watson.

"We weren't sure where to go with him (after Dec. 2)," Watson said. "We were thinking this race or the Firebreak, but then (owner) Frankie O'Connor came into town and that helped make up our minds.

"He was second in the Preakness over this trip, so I don't think it will be a problem."

Kafoo , a Curlin   colt trained by Bhupat Seemar, won the first two starts of his career late in 2021 at Meydan, then finished third Jan. 14 in the Al Maktoum Challenge R1 Presented By Nakheel (G2) behind Golden Goal  and Secret Ambition , neither of whom return for this heat.

Oddly, Godolphin does not have a spot in the 12-horse field.

Co-featured on the seven-race program is the Balanchine Presented by Longines Evidenza (G2) for fillies and mares at 1,800 meters (about 1 1/8 miles) on the turf, a potential preview for the Jebbel Hatta (G1) on Super Saturday and the Dubai Turf (G1) on World Cup night, both at the same conditions.

Sheikh Mohammed's blue-clad crew makes up for its absence in the Maktoum Challenge, fielding six of the 10 entrants in the Balanchine.

William Buick takes the white cap aboard Creative Flair , a 4-year-old Dubawi  filly whose summer 2021 New York raid resulted in a third-place finish in the Saratoga Oaks Invitational (G3T) and a fourth in the Jockey Club Oaks Invitational (G1T) at Belmont Park. Frankie Dettori remains loyal to Soft Whisper , another Dubawi filly, who has struggled since winning the 2021 UAE One Thousand Guineas Presented by Longines by seven lengths.

"She has always had the Balanchine as her long-term target," said Creative Flair's trainer, Charlie Appleby, who won the last two editions of the Balanchine with Summer Romance  and Magic Lily . "Her preparation has gone well."

Pevensey Bay , trained in France by Hiroo Shimizu, looks to follow up her victory in the Cape Verdi (G2) at one mile last time out. 

Three-year-olds also tackle 1,800 meters on the green course in the Jumeirah Classic Presented by Longines Elegant, a listed event with the same potential targets. Seven are set for that race, three from the Godolphin yards. The highest-rated are New Science  and Island Falcon, with Buick and Dettori named, respectively.

The aforementioned Firebreak Stakes Presented by Longines Conquest (G3) is 1,600 meters on the dirt. O'Neill has Strongconstitution , with Buick up, in a competitive field of eight. O'Neill also saddles Get Back Goldie , a Goldencents   colt, in the Oud Metha Stakes Presented by Longines Master Collection in the evening's first Thoroughbred race.