Hot Rod Charlie (Oxbow), runner-up to favored Essential Quality (Tapit) in last Saturday's GI Belmont S., returned to the track at his Santa Anita base Friday. The colt arrived from the East Coast Wednesday night.
“He jogged a mile and a half and looked fantastic,” trainer Doug O'Neill said. “He was happy and full of energy.”
Regarding the GII Louisiana Derby winner's next possible engagement, O'Neill said, “The [GI] Pacific Classic at Del Mar is a possibility [Aug. 21], the [GI] Haskell at Monmouth is possible [July 17] as is the [GI] Pennsylvania Derby [Sept. 25]. There are tons of possibilities and options.”
He added, “Deciding on his next race is a group effort. No one wants to say much right now..it's the old cliche, 'We'll see where 'Charlie' takes us,' and we really can't know that until we see how he is on the track, eating, and all that stuff, so in a couple weeks we'll have a better idea.”
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