Hot Rod Charlie Aimed Next at Monmouth's Salvator Mile

Hot Rod Charlie  recorded his fourth breeze June 5 at Santa Anita Park since his runner-up finish in the March 26 Dubai World Cup Sponsored by Emirates Airline (G1). 

Trainer Doug O'Neill says the 4-year-old colt has returned in strong form and feels ready for his next start.

"(He's) fantastic. The owners gave him a few weeks of a whole lot of nothing, did a lot of diagnostics on him, and everything checked out perfectly," O'Neill said. "After a little bit of freshening, we got him back going.

"The last few weeks we've asked him for some stronger exercises and he's put in some really nice works, and today was no exception. He put in a really good work this morning, we're very happy with the way he's doing and he's really close to a race."

Next up for the son of Oxbow   will likely be a start in the June 18 Salvator Mile Stakes (G3) at Monmouth Park.  

"These last few works have been so strong and he's bouncing out of them so well," O'Neill said. "We just think the timing on the Salvator Mile and the mile distance is more appealing to us as well after a little bit of freshening."

O'Neill said Hot Rod Charlie's regular rider, Flavien Prat, is already committed to ride in New York the day of the Salvator and that Mike Smith will take the mount instead. 

Looking toward the end of the year, O'Neill said the ultimate goal is a return to the Breeders' Cup, which would be Hot Rod Charlie's third appearance at the World Championships.

"The long-term goal is the Breeders' Cup Classic, so we have that as our ideal, dream date circled as long as he stays injury free," O'Neill said.

"We're kind of one race at a time... Hopefully, the Salvator Mile is our race and hopefully he runs well and comes out of it good. There's tons of options between there and the Breeders' Cup Classic."

In his only previous race at Monmouth, Hot Rod Charlie crossed the wire in first in the 2021 TVG.com Haskell Invitational Stakes (G1) only to be placed last for interference with Midnight Bourbon  in midstretch.  

Bred in Kentucky by Edward Cox Jr., Hot Rod Charlie finished second in the TVG Breeders' Cup Juvenile presented by Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance (G1) at Keeneland in 2020, which was only his fifth appearance on the track. He came fourth in the Longines Breeders' Cup Classic (G1) in 2021 at Del Mar. Owned in partnership by Roadrunner Racing, Boat Racing, Strauss Bros Racing, and Gainesway Thoroughbreds, the colt is 4-4-3 out of 15 starts with earnings of $5,121,200.