Hot Rod Charlie points to San Antonio Stakes
Hot Rod Charlie, one of the nation’s leading 3-year-olds and the fourth-place finisher in the Breeders’ Cup Classic on Nov. 6 at Del Mar, is scheduled to start in the Grade 2 San Antonio Stakes on Dec. 26 at Santa Anita.
The $200,000 San Antonio Stakes could be Hot Rod Charlie’s only start in California this winter. The colt is under strong consideration for the Dubai World Cup at Meydan Racecourse in the United Arab Emirates on March 26, with the possibility of a prep race in that country in advance, trainer Doug O’Neill said Sunday.
“We may send him over there early,” O’Neill said.
Hot Rod Charlie won the Grade 1 Pennsylvania Derby at Parx Racing in September for his second stakes win. In the BC Classic, Hot Rod Charlie was beaten 4 1/2 lengths by Knicks Go.
O’Neill said he is considering having a group of horses in Dubai in the early months of 2022. The stable could number “seven or eight” horses, he said.
O’Neill had a small stable in Dubai in early 2020, winning three races with 28 starters. That season was cut short because of the coronavirus pandemic, leading to the cancellation of the Dubai World Cup.
Positivity, second in the Cary Grant Stakes for California-breds at seven furlongs on Nov. 21 at Del Mar, and Strongconstitution, a restricted stakes winner in 2020 who has not raced since April, are under consideration for the Dubai team.
O’Neill has stakes plans in California in coming weeks with three 2-year-olds in his stable.
Durante and Slow Down Andy, two recent runners at Del Mar, are scheduled to run in Saturday’s Grade 2 Los Alamitos Futurity at 1 1/16 miles.
Durante won a maiden special weight race at a mile on Nov. 14 in his third start. Slow Down Andy was second as the 11-10 favorite in the $175,000 Golden State Juvenile at seven furlongs for statebreds on Nov. 5 in his second start.
The $300,000 Los Alamitos Futurity is not expected to have a large field. Trainer Bob Baffert said over the weekend that he plans to run Messier, winner of the Grade 3 Bob Hope Stakes at Del Mar on Nov. 14, and Barossa, who was ninth in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile on Nov. 5 at Del Mar.
Mackinnon, a two-time stakes winner for O’Neill who was third in the BC Juvenile Turf on Nov. 5 at Del Mar, is a candidate for the $100,000 Eddie Logan Stakes at a mile on turf on Dec. 31 at Santa Anita, O’Neill said.