Hot Rod Charlie on course for Pennsylvania Derby
DEL MAR, Calif. – Hot Rod Charlie is on schedule for a start in the Grade 1, $1 million Pennsylvania Derby at Parx Racing on Sept. 25. Hot Rod Charlie, third in the Kentucky Derby on May 1 and second in the Belmont Stakes on June 5, hasn’t raced since finishing first in the Grade 1 Haskell Invitational at Monmouth Park on July 17. He was disqualified for causing interference and placed seventh.
Trainer Doug O’Neill briefly considered running Hot Rod Charlie in the Pacific Classic at Del Mar on Aug. 21, but decided to train him into the Pennsylvania Derby.
“It was tempting, being in our backyard,” O’Neill said. “A week or 10 days after the Haskell, it was obvious it would have been more forced than what was in his best interest.”
Hot Rod Charlie has had three workouts since late August, including six furlongs in 1:13.80 on Saturday. He is scheduled to have two workouts at Santa Anita before being shipped to Pennsylvania.
“His energy seems to be what it was going into the Haskell,” O’Neill said. “He gave a good effort in the Haskell and we gave time to recover from an effort like that.”
Hot Rod Charlie has won 2 of 10 starts and earned $1,598,200. Hot Rod Charlie was beaten a length by Medina Spirit in the Kentucky Derby and by 1 1/4 lengths by Essential Quality in the Belmont.
The field for the 1 1/8-mile Pennsylvania Derby is expected to include two other Southern California-based runners in Medina Spirit and Santa Anita Derby winner Rock Your World. They were the first two finishers in the Shared Belief Stakes at Del Mar on Aug. 29.