Hot Rod Charlie back to the work tab on January 8 at Santa Anita . Park, the watch rises four hands in: 48.52 and gallops up five tracks in 1:02.15 under regular racer Flavien Prat.
Intern Doug O’Neill, one of the top sophomores in his class last season, worked just before noon at the Southern California track. Along with Hall of Famer Lava Man, Hot Rod Charlie arrives on the main track via a quarter-mile slide at 11:48 a.m. PT, gallops across the ramp, exiting Lava Man towards column 4 1/ 2-furlong, and was set down half a mile by Prat.
Hugging the track into the ramp, Hot Rod Charlie reached the first quarter of a mile with: 24.48 and went to the rope with his ear.
Watch Hot Rod Charlie on the track this morning @santaanitapark as Vox winner Populi worked half a mile in 48.52 under Flavien Prat after being led on the track by @ DougONeill1 stable pony Lava Man!
See close-up here with @tvgmike @christinablackr! pic.twitter.com/RieiclRHM1
– TVG (@TVG) January 8, 2022
“Charlie” went very well, O’Neill said. “The important thing is, Flavien was very happy with him. Flavien said he made it very easy.”
Hot Rod Charlie is scheduled to fly to Dubai on January 17 and will aim for Round 2 of the Al Maktoum Challenge on February 4 ahead of the Dubai World Championships (G1) on March 26, both at Meydan .
In his final start, the winner of the Pennsylvania Derby (G1) finished second first Express train December 26 at San Antonio Stakes (G2) for Boat Racing, Gainesway Stable, Roadrunner Racing and Bill Strauss.
This winter, he was the recipient of the 2021 Vox Populi Award, an honor awarded through fan voting.
