Belmont 2021: Hot Rod Charlie, Rock Your World arrive

ELMONT, N.Y. - Hot Rod Charlie and Rock Your World both arrived in New York on Saturday night from California and seemed to be settling in their respective barns on the backstretch at Belmont Park on Sunday morning as they head for a meeting in the $1.5 million Belmont Stakes next Saturday.

Both were part of a six-horse contingent - including the now 20-year-old pony Lava Man - that flew on a Federal Express flight from Los Angeles International to Newark, N.J., and was then vanned to Belmont Park.

“With Fed Ex, it’s like shipping a piano, sometimes when they get from point A to point B they can be a little banged up” Doug O’Neill, the trainer of Hot Rod Charlie, said at Belmont barn 36 Sunday morning. “Knock on wood, they all look in good shape. That’s a big hurdle to clear.”

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Horsemen in California have had to ship via Federal Express in the wake of an issue with the regular horse shipper, Tex Sutton, which is in the process of leasing a new plane from a new carrier after its lease was not renewed by its previous carrier earlier this month.

Hot Rod Charlie, who finished third in the Kentucky Derby, had his last serious workout for the Belmont on Friday, going five furlongs in 1:00.48 about an hour before first post at Santa Anita.

O’Neill said Hot Rod Charlie would likely jog Monday and have three gallop days and jog on Friday leading into the race.

O’Neill also shipped in Stubbins for Saturday’s Grade 1 Jaipur, and Lava Man, the former multiple Grade 1 winner who is now a stable pony and will accompany Hot Rod Charlie to post for the Belmont.

Meanwhile, across the backstretch in barn 58, Rock Your World and two stablemates trained by John Sadler had walk days after their cross-country trip.

Enrique Miranda, a foreman for Sadler, said Rock Your World, along with Flagstaff (True North) and Campaign (Brooklyn), shipped well and would most likely go to the track Monday for a light training session.

On Friday, at Santa Anita, Rock Your World worked five furlongs in 58.40 seconds.

Rock Your World, the Santa Anita Derby winner, will try to rebound from a 17th-place finish in the Kentucky Derby, a race in which he bumped with Essential Quality out of the gate and was out of position.

Sunday was a fairly quiet morning for Belmont Stakes horses already here as both the main track and training track remained sloppy following rain Saturday and Sunday.

Essential Quality is the only Belmont starter not yet on the grounds. He is expected to ship by van from Churchill Downs on Monday.

As of Sunday, two days before entries were to be drawn, the Belmont field stood at nine - Bourbonic, Essential Quality, France Go de Ina, Hot Rod Charlie, Known Agenda, Overtook, Rebel’s Romance, Rock Your World, and Rombauer are considered definite. Keepmeinmind remained a possibility with a potential workout Monday morning at Belmont expected to determine whether he runs in the Belmont or awaits the Ohio Derby on June 26.