After racing with out blinkers in his final two races and wandering within the stretch, Scorching Rod Charlie will once more put on the tools within the $6 million Longines Breeders’ Cup Basic (G1) Nov. 6 at Del Mar.
This summer time, Monmouth Park stewards disqualified Scorching Rod Charlie from first and positioned him final for interference within the TVG.com Haskell Stakes (G1) July 17. He drifted inward within the stretch in that race and Midnight Bourbon clipped heels and unseated his rider. Then in his subsequent start in the Pennsylvania Derby (G1) at Parx Racing Sept. 25, Scorching Rod Charlie carried out runner-up Midnight Bourbon approaching the head of the stretch. Stewards there allowed the result to stand after a claim of foul and inquiry.
Trainer Doug O’Neill took blinkers off the Oxbow 3-year-old following a runner-up finish behind Essential Quality in the June 5 Belmont Stakes Presented by NYRA Bets (G1), looking for more competitiveness. He received it, though with the side effect of the 3-year-old not staying straight under jockey Flavien Prat, who first rode Hot Rod Charlie when third aboard him in the Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (G1) at Churchill Downs.
“It is one thing that after the Pennsylvania Derby, Flavien Prat—who’s simply an incredible horseman and is aware of Scorching Rod Charlie so effectively—recommended that French cup blinkers would profit him,” O’Neill mentioned. “He is had them on previously. He can get to wandering generally and seeing issues. So these little set of blinkers will sort of assist him keep slightly bit extra targeted. He is had them on a bunch. So it should not be a problem, a technique or the one other.”
Scorching Rod Charlie, owned by Boat Racing, Gainesway Steady, Roadrunner Racing, and Invoice Strauss, made his first three begins sans blinkers earlier than including them and breaking his maiden with the tools final October. He then wore them for six consecutive races, lasting by means of the Belmont.
Saturday, he’ll put on French Cup blinkers, as he did earlier in his profession, O’Neill mentioned. French Cup blinkers have small items of plastic on either side that prohibit peripheral imaginative and prescient.
Together with Medina Spirit , Hot Rod Charlie is the 4-1 co-third choice in the Breeders’ Cup Classic behind Knicks Go (5-2) and Essential Quality (3-1).
