Hot Rod Charlie (foaled April 11, 2018) is an American

Thoroughbred The Thoroughbred is a horse breed best known for its use in horse racing. Although the word ''thoroughbred'' is sometimes used to refer to any breed of purebred horse, it technically refers only to the Thoroughbred breed. Thoroughbreds are ...

racehorse who won the 2021

Pennsylvania Derby The Pennsylvania Derby is a race for thoroughbred horses run at Parx Racing and Casino (formerly known as Keystone Race Track, then from 1986 through 2010 as Philadelphia Park) each year. The track's premiere event is open to horses, age three, ...

and

Louisiana Derby The Louisiana Derby is a Grade II American Thoroughbred horse race run annually at the Fair Grounds Race Course in New Orleans, Louisiana. Run in late March, the race is open to horses, age three, willing to race miles on the dirt. It currently o ...

. He also came second in the 2020

Breeders' Cup Juvenile The Breeders' Cup Juvenile is a Thoroughbred horse race for 2-year-old colts and geldings raced on dirt. It is held annually in late October or early November at a different racetrack in the United States or Canada as part of the Breeders' Cup W ...

and 2021 Kentucky Derby and Belmont Stakes, and fourth in the 2021

Breeders' Cup Classic The Breeders' Cup Classic is a Grade I Weight for Age thoroughbred horse race for 3-year-olds and older run at a distance of on dirt. It is held annually at a different racetrack as part of the Breeders' Cup World Championships in late October ...

. He was voted the winner of the 2021

Secretariat Vox Populi Award The Secretariat Vox Populi Award, also known as the "Voice of the People" award, was established in 2010 by Penny Chenery Helen Bates "Penny" Chenery (January 27, 1922 – September 16, 2017) (married names: Penny Tweedy until 1974 and later Penn ...

Background

Hot Rod Charlie is a dark bay colt bred in

Kentucky Kentucky ( , ), officially the Commonwealth of Kentucky, is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States and one of the states of the Upper South. It borders Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio to the north; West Virginia and Virginia ...

. Charlie is by

Oxbow __NOTOC__ An oxbow is a U-shaped metal pole (or larger wooden frame) that fits the underside and the sides of the neck of an ox or bullock. A bow pin holds it in place. The term " oxbow" is widely used to refer to a U-shaped meander in a rive ...

and out of Indian Miss who is a daughter of

Awesome Again Awesome Again (March 29, 1994December 15, 2020) was a Canadian Thoroughbred horse racing, racehorse and stallion. As a three-year-old, he won the Queen's Plate in Canada and the Jim Dandy Stakes in the United States. He was undefeated at age four ...

. Oxbow is the 2013

Preakness Stakes The Preakness Stakes is an American thoroughbred horse race held on Armed Forces Day which is also the third Saturday in May each year at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Maryland. It is a Grade I race run over a distance of 9.5 furlongs () o ...

winner, for whom Charlie is his leading performer to date. His half-brother is Eclipse winner

Mitole Mitole (foaled March 23, 2015) is a retired American Thoroughbred racehorse who was foaled and raised at Hermitage Farm in Oldham County, Kentucky. He was named the American Champion Male Sprint Horse of 2019 after winning six of seven starts th ...

. Both Hot Rod Charlie and Mitole were bred by the late Edward Cox Jr. Trained by

Doug O'Neill Douglas F. O'Neill (born May 24, 1968) is an American Thoroughbred horse trainer. He was born in Dearborn, Michigan, and resides in California, where he trained the 2012 Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes winner, I'll Have Another, and 2016 Kent ...

, he was purchased for $110,000 by Roadrunner Racing (50%), William Strauss (25%) and Boat Racing LLC (25%). In October 2019 at the same venue Hot Rod Charlie was purchased for $110,000 by Dennis O'Neill for Roadrunner Racing (50%), William Strauss (25%) and Boat Racing LLC (25%). Boat Racing LLC partners include five former members of the Brown University football team: Reiley Higgins, Patrick O'Neill, Alex Quoyeser, Eric Armagost, and Dan Giovacchini. They consider the horse their sixth member. Patrick O'Neil is a nephew of trainer Doug O'Neil and, as he was born into a Thoroughbred racing family, he acted as a guide for the other Boat Racing LLC partners as they debuted as horse owners in the sport.

Racing career

2020: Two-year-old season

Hot Rod Charlie started his career with a fourth, third, and fifth place finish in three maiden special weight races at

Del Mar Racetrack The Del Mar Fairgrounds is a event venue in Del Mar, California. The annual San Diego County Fair is held here, which was called the Del Mar Fair from 1984 to 2001. In 1936, the Del Mar Racetrack was built by the Thoroughbred Club with foundi ...

. In his second race, he finished behind future

Grade One Grade 1 may refer to: *First grade, the first school year of primary education. *A Grade 1 Graded stakes race horse race * ''Grade One'' (TV series), a 2014 Chinese TV variety show *Grade 1 listed building In the United Kingdom, a listed b ...

winner Get Her Number. He finally broke his maiden in another Del Mar maiden special weight on October 2. Hot Rod Charlie went straight to the

, where he nearly pulled a huge upset after coming second at odds of 94-1 behind the winner and 2020 Champion Two-Year-Old

Essential Quality Essential Quality (foaled April 9, 2018) is a champion American Thoroughbred racehorse who won the 2021 Belmont Stakes and Travers Stakes, and the 2020 Breeders' Cup Juvenile. He was named the 2020 Champion Two-Year-Old and the 2021 Champion Th ...

2021: Three-year-old season

Hot Rod Charlie made his first start as a three-year-old in the Robert B. Lewis Stakes at

Santa Anita Park Santa Anita Park is a Thoroughbred racetrack in Arcadia, California, United States. It offers some of the prominent horse racing events in the United States during early fall, winter and in spring. The track is home to numerous prestigious races ...

, where he came in third in a blanket finish won by future Kentucky Derby winner

Medina Spirit Medina Spirit (April 5, 2018 – December 6, 2021) was an American Thoroughbred racehorse who finished first in the 2021 Kentucky Derby before being disqualified. He came second in the 2021 Breeders' Cup Classic and third in the 2021 Preakness ...

. On March 20, Hot Rod Charlie won the 2021

over

Lecomte Stakes The Lecomte Stakes is a Grade III American Thoroughbred horse race for three-year-old horses at a distance of one and one-sixteenths miles on the dirt run annually in mid-January, at Fair Grounds Race Course in New Orleans, Louisiana. The event ...

winner Midnight Bourbon and

Risen Star Stakes The Risen Star Stakes is a Grade II American Thoroughbred horse race for three-year-old horses at a distance of one and one-eighth miles on the dirt run annually in February, usually during the President's Day weekend at Fair Grounds Race Course ...

winner Mandaloun. He broke the track record for the 1 & 3/16 mile course with a time of 1:55:06. He won by over two lengths and took home a purse of $1 million. This victory secured him a spot in the 2021 Kentucky Derby field. Hot Rod Charlie ran a big race under jockey

Flavien Prat Flavien Prat (born August 4, 1992, in Melun, Seine-et-Marne, France) is a jockey in Thoroughbred racing who was a Champion Apprentice Jockey and Group 1 race winner in France before moving full-time to the United States in 2015 where he has won ...

to come in third in the Kentucky Derby behind

and Mandaloun, with

fourth. Hot Rod Charlie bypassed the

2021 Preakness Stakes The 2021 Preakness Stakes was the 146th Preakness Stakes, a Grade I stakes race for three-year-old Thoroughbreds at a distance of miles (1.9 km). The race is one leg of the American Triple Crown and is held annually at Pimlico Race Course in Ba ...

, the second leg of

Triple Crown Triple Crown may refer to: Sports Horse racing * Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing * Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing (United States) ** Triple Crown Trophy ** Triple Crown Productions * Canadian Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing * Tri ...

, and he made his next start in the

2021 Belmont Stakes The 2021 Belmont Stakes was the 153rd running of the Belmont Stakes and the 110th time the event took place at Belmont Park. The race, known as the "test of the champion", is the final leg in the American Triple Crown, open to three-year-old ...

, the third leg of the Triple Crown. He was sent off at odds of 9-2, and was ridden by

. After setting the fastest early fractions in the history of the race, Hot Rod Charlie came an ultra-game second after a furious stretch battle with

. It was another 11 lengths back for

winner Rombauer in third. In the Belmont Stakes he was ridden once again by jockey Flavien Prat who in the intermittency between the Kentucky Derby and the Belmont rode Rombauer to victory in the 2021 Preakness Stakes, a race in which Hot Rod Charlie did not compete. When Hot Rod Charlie was entered into the Belmont, Prat honored his prior commitment to ride him rather than to mount Rombauer who also ran the race. On July 17 in the Haskell Stakes at

Monmouth Park Racetrack Monmouth Park Racetrack is an American race track for thoroughbred horse racing in Oceanport, New Jersey, United States. It is owned by the New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority and is operated under a five-year lease as a partnership with ...

Oceanport, New Jersey Oceanport is a borough in Monmouth County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2010 United States census, the borough's population was 5,832,Paco Lopez was dislodged. Subsequently Mandaloun, who had crossed second in a

photo finish A photo finish occurs in a sporting race when multiple competitors cross the finishing line at nearly the same time. As the naked eye may not be able to determine which of the competitors crossed the line first, a photo or video taken at the finis ...

, was declared the winner. The 2021 Haskell Stakes was the first major race in the United States where jockeys were unable to use a whip in anything but an emergency situation as per a relatively new

New Jersey New Jersey is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York; on the east, southeast, and south by the Atlantic Ocean; on the west by the Delaware ...

state law. When asked if this affected the race's outcome and the accident, Charlie's jockey Flavien Prat said ..."Yes, the lack of a

crop A crop is a plant that can be grown and harvested extensively for profit or subsistence. When the plants of the same kind are cultivated at one place on a large scale, it is called a crop. Most crops are cultivated in agriculture or hydropon ...

came into play. I was trying to correct him as much as I could. If I could have hit him just one time left-handed, we would have been just fine, but it is what it is..." On September 25, in the

, at

Parx Racing Parx Casino and Racing (formerly Philadelphia Park Racetrack and Casino) is a thoroughbred horse racing venue and the largest casino gaming complex in Pennsylvania. Parx is located in Bensalem Township in Bucks County, northeast of the city of ...

, in

Bensalem, Pennsylvania Bensalem Township is a township in Bucks County, Pennsylvania. The township borders the northeastern section of Philadelphia and includes the communities of Andalusia, Bensalem, Bridgewater, Cornwells Heights, Eddington, Flushing, Oakford, S ...

, Hot Rod Charlie crossed the finish line first, winning the $1 million Grade I race by lengths in front of Midnight Bourbon. His time for this mile race for 3-year-olds was 1:48.63. Again, his race was overshadowed by another inquiry and a rider's claim of foul and these again for the same horse, Midnight Bourbon as his last race, the Haskell Stakes. These went also went to the stewards to resolve. This time, however, the stewards did not see enough conclusive proof that would warrant disqualification, so the result stood, and the race order stayed in Charlie's favor. Hot Rod Charlie's trainer, Doug O'Neill, saw no foul, but Midnight Bourbon's trainer, Steve Ausmussen, clearly did not share his view, saying,""Flavien Prat almost drops Midnight Bourbon for the second time. My horse ran well. He survived,". Charlie's next step is the November 6, 2021,

(G1). In December 2021 Hot Rod Charlie was named the winner of that year's "

" (created by

Secretariat Secretariat may refer to: * Secretariat (administrative office) * Secretariat (horse) Secretariat (March 30, 1970 – October 4, 1989), also known as Big Red, was a champion American thoroughbred racehorse who is the ninth winner of the Ame ...

's owner Penny Chenery), which "recognizes the horse whose popularity and racing excellence best resounded with the American public and gained recognition for Thoroughbred racing" On 26 December 2021 Hot Rod Charlie raced in the Grade II San Antonio Stakes and started as the 1/5 odds-on favorite. He was well placed in the early going, off the rail or outside a rival, bid alongside the leader on the far turn, battled down the stretch while brushing with Eight Ring, taking a short lead in the straight and was caught at the finishing line.

2022: Four-year-old season

The connections of Hot Rod Charlie entered the horse for the

Dubai World Cup The Dubai World Cup (Arabic: كأس دبي العالمي) is a Thoroughbred horse race held annually since 1996 and contested at the Meydan Racecourse (Arabic: ميدان) which in Arabic suggests a place wh ...

. On 17 January the horse departed the U.S. to prepare for the event having his last workout at

going five furlongs in 1:01. Hot Rod Charlie won the Group 2 Al Maktoum Challenge, Round 2 on February 4 as a final prep for the World Cup. Hot Rod Charlie went to the lead early in the event and cleared out with a furlongs to go and easily won by . Hot Rod Charlie as expected started in the

, held on March 26 at Meydan in the

United Arab Emirates The United Arab Emirates (UAE; ar, اَلْإِمَارَات الْعَرَبِيَة الْمُتَحِدَة ), or simply the Emirates ( ar, الِْإمَارَات ), is a country in Western Asia ( The Middle East). It is located at t ...

. Country Grammer crossed the wire lengths in front of Hot Rod Charlie, who grabbed second for a United States exacta, while favorite Life Is Good finished in fourth place. Under an early drive down the backstretch, dropping back, but found another gear late with a charge along the inside. "We wanted to win but we're super proud of his effort," trainer Doug O'Neill said. Hot Rod Charlie earned US$2,000,000 for his second place finish in one of the richest races in the world. After a break of nearly three months, Hot Rod Charlie returned in the Grade III Salvator Mile at

Monmouth Park Monmouth Park Racetrack is an American race track for thoroughbred horse racing in Oceanport, New Jersey, United States. It is owned by the New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority and is operated under a five-year lease as a partnership with ...

. In a five horse field Hot Rod Charlie was made the 1/5 odds-on favorite but was upset by 2/1 Mind Control after hitting the front in the stretch run, beaten by a head. The final time was 1:35.79 on a fast track. On August 6, Hot Rod Charlie was entered in the Grade I

Whitney Stakes The Whitney Stakes (run as the Whitney Handicap through 2013 and still sometimes referred to as such) is an American Grade 1 stakes race for Thoroughbred racehorses three years of age and older run at a distance of miles. The current purse is $1, ...

Saratoga Race Course Saratoga Race Course is a Thoroughbred horse racing track located on Union Avenue in Saratoga Springs, New York, United States. Opened in 1863, it is often considered to be the oldest major sporting venue of any kind in the country, but is actu ...

. A small field of five started including Life Is Good and Happy Saver. Hot Rod Charlie, the third choice at 4/1 started well and tracked inside around the first turn, settled in second position while along the rail on the backstretch, save round early on the far turn. Hot Rod Charlie was lengths behind leader Life Is Good and was still two lengths behind after six furlongs in a quick 1:10.93. Happy Saver and Hot Rod Charlie took runs at Life Is Good in the early stretch but could not pass him with Hot Rod Charlie finishing third in a time 1:48.97. On October 1, Hot Rod Charlie faced five other horses including

Art Collector A private collection is a privately owned collection of works (usually artworks) or valuable items. In a museum or art gallery context, the term signifies that a certain work is not owned by that institution, but is on loan from an individual ...

, Happy Saver and

2022 Kentucky Derby The 2022 Kentucky Derby (officially, the 148th Running of the Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve) took place on Saturday, May 7, 2022, at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky. It was the 148th running of the Kentucky Derby, a Grade ...

winner Rich Strike in the Grade II Lukas Classic Stakes. Starting as the 6/5 favorite Hot Rod Charlie settled on the outside of leader Art Collector. As the horses rounded the turn into the stretch Hot Rod Charlie took command but Rich Strike came four wide and took the lead at the sixteenth pole. However, with Tyler Gaffalione in the reins Hot Rod Charlie battled back gamely to win by a head in a time of 1:49.77. Gaffalione said after the race, "Doug (trainer O'Neill) and his team really had him ready to run today. We broke well and he doesn't really have to be asked to get into a good spot. He really never gave up on me. (Rich Strike) ran a huge effort and my horse just kept on fighting the entire way. He really didn't want to get beat." Hot Rod Charlie finished sixth to Flightline in the 2022

at Del Mar Racecourse.

Racing statistics

''Legend:''

''Notes:''
An (*) asterisk after the odds means Hot Rod Charlie was the post-time favorite.
Source:

Pedigree

References

{{Reflist, 30em 2018 racehorse births Thoroughbred racehorses Racehorses trained in the United States Horse racing track record setters Racehorses bred in Kentucky Thoroughbred family 11-d American Grade 1 Stakes winners