Hot Rod Charlie to return in Salvator Mile at Monmouth
Hot Rod Charlie, second in the $12 million Dubai World Cup in March, will have his first start of the year in the United States in the Grade 3 Salvator Mile at Monmouth Park on June 18.
Trainer Doug O’Neill said on Friday that the distance of the $150,000 Salvator Mile is preferred over the 1 1/8 miles of the Grade 2 Stephen Foster Stakes at Churchill Downs on July 2 for Hot Rod Charlie’s first start since the Dubai World Cup. O’Neill had mentioned the Foster Stakes as an option in recent weeks.
O’Neill stopped short of committing Hot Rod Charlie to any summertime stakes, but said the long-range goal is the Breeders’ Cup Classic at Keeneland on Nov. 5.
“I think it’s one race at a time,” O’Neill said.
Last November, Hot Rod Charlie was fourth in the BC Classic at Del Mar, finishing 4 1/2 lengths behind winner and eventual Horse of the Year Knicks Go.
Owned by Roadrunner Racing, Boat Racing, Strauss Brothers Racing and Gainesway Thoroughbreds, Hot Rod Charlie has won 4 of 15 starts and earned $5,121,200.
Hot Rod Charlie won the Group 2 second round of the Al Maktoum Challenge at Meydan Racecourse in the United Arab Emirates in February. In the Dubai World Cup, Hot Rod Charlie finished second by 1 ¾ lengths to Country Grammer.
Hot Rod Charlie has started once at Monmouth. He finished first in the Grade 1 Haskell Invitational last summer, but was disqualified and placed last of seven for causing interference in the stretch that caused a rival to fall.
Hot Rod Charlie is based at Santa Anita with O’Neill. One late-summer option on that circuit is the Grade 1 Pacific Classic at Del Mar on Sept. 3. The winner of the Pacific Classic receives a fees-paid berth to the BC Classic.
The $1 million Pacific Classic at 1 1/4 miles is the track’s top race of the summer and is expected to draw some of the runners from the Grade 1 Hollywood Gold Cup at Santa Anita last Monday.
There Goes Harvard won the $400,000 Gold Cup at 1 1/4 miles in an 8-1 upset by a length over pacesetter Defunded. Royal Ship, the even-money favorite, was third, beaten 4 1/4 lengths, while Stilleto Boy, the 3-2 second choice of five, was beaten five lengths.
Royal Ship emerged from the race “a little stiff behind,” trainer Richard Mandella said on Friday.
“It’s not a big deal,” he said. “We’ll spend a little time with him.”
Mandella said race plans are uncertain for Royal Ship, who has run well on turf and dirt.
Stilleto Boy will be pointed for the Grade 2 San Diego Handicap at 1 1/16 miles at Del Mar on July 30, trainer Ed Moger, Jr., said. Stilleto Boy was third to Express Train in the Grade 1 Santa Anita Handicap on March 5 and won the Grade 2 Californian at 1 1/8 miles by 2 1/4 lengths over Express Train on April 30.
Moger said Friday that the four-week gap between the Californian and Hollywood Gold Cup may have been too quick back for Stilleto Boy.
Express Train did not start in the Gold Cup, but is a candidate for the $300,000 San Diego Handicap, trainer John Shirreffs said recently.