Hot Rod Charlie will train straight to Derby, trainer says

Hot Rod Charlie came out of his victory in the Louisiana Derby on Saturday in good order and will be trained straight up to the Kentucky Derby on May 1, trainer Doug O’Neill said Sunday morning.

In addition, several horses who chased him home – most notably runner-up Midnight Bourbon and the race’s beaten favorite, Mandaloun - also came out of the race well and also remain on the Derby trail, their trainers, Steve Asmussen and Brad Cox, respectively, reported Sunday.

Hot Rod Charlie’s schedule had been mapped out weeks ago in the belief the Louisiana Derby provided the ideal bridge in terms of time and distance between Santa Anita’s Robert Lewis Stakes at 1 1/16 miles on Jan. 30, in which he finished third, and the 1 1/4-mile Derby.

Hot Rod Charlie relished the 1 3/16 miles of the Louisiana Derby, and the front-running tactics employed by jockey Joel Rosario, earning a career-best Beyer Speed Figure of 99. His previous best was 94, earned when second to champion Essential Quality in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile.

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O’Neill, who had a suspension for a medication violation end between entry day for the Louisiana Derby and the race itself – causing Hot Rod Charlie to run in the name of his top assistant, Leandro Mora – said Hot Rod Charlie would return from Fair Grounds to his base at Santa Anita on Tuesday.

Asmussen said “all good” regarding Midnight Bourbon, who had a consistent series of races at Fair Grounds this season, winning the Lecomte and finishing third in the Risen Star prior to the Louisiana Derby. Midnight Bourbon got a Beyer figure of 96, equaling his career-best from the Risen Star.

O Besos, who was third while earning a career-best Beyer of 96, also will be pointed to the Derby. His trainer, Greg Foley, on Sunday said he would rather not run again before May 1, but is concerned his 25 points might fall short of making the maximum 20-horse field.

“He came out of the race great,” Foley said. “I was thrilled to death with his race. He more than answered the distance question, and he galloped out in front of the winner.”

Proxy, who was fourth, came out of the race in good condition, trainer Mike Stidham said Sunday. Proxy, second in both the Lecomte and Risen Star, added blinkers for the Louisiana Derby but regressed, getting a 93 Beyer following his career-best 97 in the Risen Star.

The race’s biggest disappointment was Mandaloun, who finished a distant sixth in the field of eight. He got a career-best Beyer figure of 98 when winning the Risen Star in his first start with blinkers, but got an 82 in the Louisiana Derby. Cox said Mandaloun looked fine Sunday morning and said Mandaloun, who earned 50 points when winning the Risen Star – sufficient to earn a berth in a 20-horse Derby field - remained an intended runner for the Derby.