Hot Rod Charlie, Rombauer possible for Robert Lewis Stakes

ARCADIA, Calif. – Hot Rod Charlie, second in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile, and Rombauer, fifth in that race, both could make their 3-year-old debuts in the Grade 3, $100,000 Robert Lewis Stakes on Jan. 30, following good works Saturday.

Hot Rod Charlie, trained by Doug O’Neill, went six furlongs in 1:13.40. O’Neill has another promising 3-year-old in Wipe the Slate, a recent maiden winner who worked five furlongs Saturday in 1:00.60.

Rombauer, trained by Michael McCarthy, worked five furlongs in 1:01.60.

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“That’s one of the races we’re looking at,” McCarthy said of the Lewis, which offers 10 points to the winner toward a berth in the Kentucky Derby on May 1.

Also under consideration for the Lewis is Spielberg, who won last month’s Grade 2 Los Alamitos Futurity. He worked six furlongs on Saturday in 1:12.80. His trainer, Bob Baffert, said Spielberg also is being considered for the Saudi Derby on the Saudi Cup undercard Feb. 28. The 4-year-old Charlatan, also trained by Baffert, is being pointed to the Saudi Cup, and both Charlatan and Spielberg have similar ownership groups.

Charlatan, who won the Malibu on Dec. 26, worked four furlongs Saturday in 50.20 seconds.