Vox Populi Award: Hot Rod Charlie voted most popular
Hot Rod Charlie, the hard-knocking 3-year-old colt whose owners include a group of former college classmates, was voted the winner of the Vox Populi Award, given annually by the family of Penny Chenery, the administrators of the award announced.
Hot Rod Charlie beat out five other nominees, along with any write-in candidates, according to the administrators of the award. The award’s guidelines advise voting for “the horse whose popularity and racing excellence best resounded with the general public and gained recognition for Thoroughbred racing.” Voting was conducted through an internet poll.
Still in training, Hot Rod Charlie earned a spot in this year’s Kentucky Derby after winning the Grade 1 Louisiana Derby. He finished third in the Kentucky Derby, then matched strides throughout the long stretch of the Belmont Stakes with eventual winner Elusive Quality, finishing second. He then was disqualified from a nose win over Mandaloun and placed last of seven for interference in the Haskell Stakes, but followed that up with a win in the Grade 1 Pennsylvania Derby. In his most recent race, Hot Rod Charlie finished fourth in the Breeders’ Cup Classic.
Although Hot Rod Charlie is owned by a large partnership, one of the minority partners, Boat Racing, was regularly featured on national racing broadcasts. Boat Racing is headed by Patrick O’Neill, the 28-year-old nephew of the horse’s trainer, Doug O’Neill, along with four of his friends, who all played college football at Brown University.
A portion of Hot Rod Charlie’s earnings have gone to support the Melanoma Research Alliance. Patrick O’Neill’s father died of the disease at the age of 57, while an uncle died of the same disease at the age of 38.