Lifelong expertise within the wild funhouse that’s Thoroughbred racing has been important to surviving the loopy 12 months that Hot Rod Charlie has provided to his connections. A year ago, it was the 94-1 shot grabbing the lead late in the TVG Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Presented by Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance (G1) only to be passed for the money by the bred-in-the-purple Essential Quality .
In 2021, the Hot Rod Charlie thrill ride has gotten bumpier still. A neck defeat to Medina Spirit in the Robert B. Lewis Stakes (G3). A victory in the Twinspires.com Louisiana Derby (G2) followed by a stirring stretch drive in the Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (G1) that finished a length shy of Medina Spirit. A front-running gut check over 12 furlongs in the Belmont Stakes Presented by NYRA Bets (G1) that failed to keep only Essential Quality at bay. The disastrous heel-clip with Midnight Bourbon in the TVG.com Haskell (G1) that turned a stirring victory into a disqualification to last.
And, finally, a grade 1 triumph in the Pennsylvania Derby in which Hot Rod Charlie needed to survive another inquiry thanks to his second straight lane-changing incident.
Thankfully, Patrick O’Neill did grow up in the sport, watching his uncles Doug and Dennis run $8,000 claimers at Bay Meadows. Now, he and four best friends from Brown University own a leg of the Oxbow colt who has banked $2.1 million to date. And they will be doing it to the hilt on the Southern California coastline, watching their sophomore star tackle a daunting cast in the Longines Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) Nov. 6. Win or lose, their Airbnb might be the best place to spend World Championships week, with 250 of their friends and family due in for the festivities.
(L-R): Dan Giovacchini, Eric Armagost, Alex Quoyeser, Patrick O’Neill, Reiley Higgins comprise Boat Racing
“It has been unbelievable. I can not even put into phrases the expertise we’re having,” famous Patrick O’Neill, who along with his buds race as Boat Racing, and personal Sizzling Rod Charlie with William Strauss, Roadrunner Racing, and Gainesway Steady. “It is so cool to have the ability to share this with household and my finest buddies on this planet. It has been a outstanding journey; loopy how one horse can carry so many individuals collectively.”
Purchased privately by Patrick’s uncle Dennis and educated by uncle Doug, Sizzling Rod Charlie is offering a gratifying serving to of household triumph and tragedy. Doug and Dennis’ two older brothers, Danny and David, had been each felled at early ages by melanoma, and Dennis is a most cancers survivor as effectively. A portion of Sizzling Rod Charlie’s earnings are donated by his possession to assist struggle the illness.
Sizzling Rod Charlie was bred by Ed Cox Jr., an business big who bred or co-bred group 3 winner Woodman, grade 1 winners Shaadi, Marquetry, and Elegant Cathy. He additionally owned the final named, in addition to Kentucky Derby winner Swale. When Cox died in 2019, nearly all of his horses had been dispersed at Keeneland’s 2018 November Breeding Inventory Sale. However his Oxbow colt turned unwell, and wasn’t auctioned till he was a brief yearling at Fasig-Tipton’s 2019 February Combined Sale. There, the father-and-son group of Bob and Sean Feld landed him for $17,000.
The Felds make a behavior of shopping for good horses by off-brand sires, and this colt continued that pattern. Sean Feld known as each agent he knew because the colt progressed, imploring them to check out his strolling video and conformation shot. Simply earlier than the 2020 Breeders’ Cup, Dennis O’Neill responded, and acquired Sizzling Rod Charlie privately. After promoting 75% of the horse, Dennis gave his nephew a shot on the final quarter.
“We had purchased two different horses,” Patrick stated, referring to his Boat Racing buddies and companions Alex Quoyeser, Eric Armagost, Dan Giovacchini, and Reiley Higgins. “One was terrible, and the opposite broke even, so we had some cash from that one. I attempted to purchase a while, however Dennis advised me because the colt was a half to Mitole, the value was going to go up if Mitole received the Breeders’ Cup Dash (G1). My very own uncle was giving me the onerous promote. Everybody got here up sport to take yet another shot, and thank God we did, as a result of that is how we ended up with Sizzling Rod Charlie.”
Neither of Doug O’Neill’s basic winners (I will Have One other and Nyquist) lasted previous the Triple Crown sequence to run within the Basic, though Nyquist had taken the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile. However along with his classmates Medina Spirit and Important High quality each headed to the race, Sizzling Rod Charlie is being ready to show the tables on each them and a few robust older horses akin to Knicks Go .
“He has that blue-collar, gutsy, competitive nature,” Doug O’Neill stated of the horse his owners call Chuck. “He’s got gate speed and stamina, and he shows up every time.”
Doug O’Neill
Because of his tendency to want to run close to other horses, Chuck has been taking morning lessons designed to have him separate from the pack. For his Oct. 23 work at Santa Anita, O’Neill employed three other horses to keep his star on the ball and stop the unscheduled lane changes.
“All credit to Johnny Garcia, who gets on him every day, and to (jockey) Flavien Prat, who has done a wonderful job with him as well,” said O’Neill. “He went straight as an arrow and looked fantastic.”
Meantime, Patrick O’Neill is now fielding questions from his four twentysomething co-owners about sheets and speed figures. And they’re having a blast.
“Everyone around Doug has a smile, and I’ve learned a lot from that,” said his nephew. “You lose 80% of the time in this game, and it’s tough. So you might as well have fun in the process.”
In Hot Rod Charlie’s drama-filled race career, a tough constitution and the ability to laugh are, well, essential. But his owners have brought forth a true People’s Horse, plan to run him again next year if all goes well, and are enjoying one hell of a ride every step of the way.
“The plan is to run him next year. If all goes well and he’s healthy, we’re going to bring him back for his 4-year-old season. I don’t know if we have a goal for next year, but clearly you have to look at the Pegasus World Cup (G1). You have to look at the Dubai World Cup (G1) and Saudi Cup (G1). We’ll probably get together next week after the race and plot out a course. What do we want to do and how do we get there?” Strauss said.
“We’re all sportsmen and we’d love to see him on the track and see what he can do at 4. That’s why we’re in the game. We’re in the game for racing. Let’s have fun.”
Bob Ehalt contributed to this story.
Hot Rod Charlie in his stall at Del Mar
