Doug O'Neill

The G1 Dubai World Cup was nominated late last season as the next major goal for the Grade I-winning and dual Classic-placed Hot Rod Charlie (Oxbow), and the 4-year-old will head to that $12-million contest on Mar. 26 a key contender after a five-length victory in Friday's G2 Al Maktoum Challenge Round 2 at Meydan. Hot Rod Charlie was caught on the wire last out in the GII San Antonio S. going 1700 metres at Santa Anita, but he had no such trouble in the Al Maktoum Challenge over a...

A group of eight horses trained by Doug O'Neill led by GI Pennsylvania Derby hero Hot Rod Charlie (Oxbow) is being aimed at the upcoming Dubai World Cup Carnival at Meydan Racecourse, according to a tweet from the Dubai Racing Club Monday. The octet is scheduled to touch down in Dubai Jan. 18 and their preparations will be overseen by assistant trainer Leandro Mora, O'Neill confirmed via text Monday. It will be the second time in three years that the conditioner will be represented by horses stabled in Dubai, having...

Weekly Stewards and Commissions Rulings, Dec. 28--Jan. 2 Every week, the TDN publishes a roundup of key official rulings from the primary tracks within the four major racing jurisdictions of California, New York, Florida and Kentucky. Here's a primer on how each of these jurisdictions adjudicates different offenses, what they make public and where. California Track: Santa Anita Date: 12/21/2021 Licensee: Doug O'Neill, trainer Penalty: $5,000 fine Violation: Violation of authorized bleeder medication rule Explainer: Pursuant to a Settlement Agreement and Mutual Release with the California Horse Racing Board, Trainer Doug O'Neill,...

Reddam Racing homebred Slow Down Andy (Nyquist) upset 'TDN Rising Star' and last-out GIII Bob Hope S. winner Messier (Empire Maker) Saturday with a decisive score in the GII Los Alamitos Futurity S. A debut winner against fellow Cal-breds going 5 1/2 panels at Santa Anita Oct. 9, he was a close second in Del Mar's seven-furlong Golden State Juvenile S. Nov. 5 and was dispatched at 5-1 in this first try around two turns and against open company. Away a step slow from the outside stall in this field...

'TDN Rising Star' Messier (Empire Maker) will look to take his talent around two turns as a prohibitive favorite in Saturday's GII Los Alamitos Futurity. A $470,000 FTKSEL buy by the powerful ownership conglomerate nicknamed The Avengers, the bay settled for second at 1-2 in his local unveiling July 27. He resurfaced at Santa Anita Oct. 22 after a minor foot issue, and blew away his competition by 6 1/2 lengths. The son of MSW router Checkered Past (Smart Strike) made similarly short work of Del Mar's GIII Bob Hope...

Jockey John Velazquez will be based primarily at Santa Anita Park for the upcoming meet there that starts Dec. 26, a switch from recent seasons in which the 50-year-old Hall-of-Famer has wintered at Gulfstream Park. Jay Privman of Daily Racing Form first broke the news Monday. TDN left a phone message for Velazquez seeking comment, but it did not yield a return call prior to deadline for this story. The four-time GI Kentucky Derby-winner and co-chairman of the Jockeys' Guild made his decision public Nov. 29 via his agent, Ron...

Eric Armagost, Daniel Giovacchini, Reiley Higgins, Patrick O'Neill and Alex Quoyeser's Boat Racing has been named OwnerView's 2021 New Owner of the Year, sponsored by 1/ST RACING. Boat Racing is best known Hot Rod Charlie (Oxbow), a leading sophomore of this year who took the GI Pennsylvania Derby and GII TwinSpires.com Louisiana Derby after finishing second in last year's GI TVG Breeders' Cup Juvenile Presented by TAA. The group of college friends from Brown University have used their runners' earnings to support philanthropic causes as well, contributing funds to and...

Two-time GI Kentucky Derby-winning trainer Doug O'Neill has been summoned to a stewards' hearing to address a California Horse Racing Board (CHRB) complaint that revolves around a potential illegal administration of a substance prior to races four months ago at Los Alamitos Race Course (LARC). According to an Oct. 22 CHRB complaint, back on July 5, "Investigators received information from Los Alamitos track security steward, Michael Kilpack, regarding seeing someone at trainer Doug O'Neill's barn possibly giving an illegal substance to a horse that had already been entered in a...

Top sophomore and last month's GI Pennsylvania Derby winner Hot Rod Charlie (Oxbow) put in his penultimate work for the GI Breeders' Cup Classic Saturday, breezing seven panels at Santa Anita in 1:26.60 (1/1). Regular rider Flavien Prat was aboard. "He galloped out good and we're feeling good," said trainer Doug O'Neill. "He'll ship Wednesday to Del Mar where he'll have his final work." The Classic looks likely to have plenty of early pace, which could prove advantageous to a stalker like Hot Rod Charlie. "Today he sat off a...

Hot Rod Charlie (Oxbow) tuned up for a tilt at the Nov. 6 GI Breeders' Cup Classic with a six-furlong drill in 1:14.00 (4/6) at Santa Anita Saturday. "We were happy," trainer Doug O'Neill said of the work. "He cooled out good. If all goes well and he stays injury-free, we're two works away. He'll have one at Santa Anita and one at Del Mar." Third in the GI Kentucky Derby and second in the GI Belmont S., Hot Rod Charlie was disqualified from a first-place finish in the GI...

Trainer Doug O'Neill's Hot Rod Charlie (Oxbow) began tightening the screws for the Nov. 6 GI Breeders' Cup Classic with a four-furlong move at Santa Anita Saturday morning. Out at 7:45 a.m., the popular dark bay, known for his gritty style, had Mike Smith in the irons. The Hall of Famer was filling in for regular rider Flavien Prat, who was riding at Keeneland Saturday. "He went a half-mile in 48 and change and galloped out in 1:01 and three," said O'Neill. "He looked good. It was his first piece...

Hot Rod Charlie (Oxbow), among the most talented horses in training yet to have officially reached the highest level, got his Grade I in Saturday's Pennsylvania Derby--but not without some more drama. He had last been seen getting DQ'd from first to seventh in the GI Haskell Invitational S. at Monmouth July 17 when he crossed over on and clipped heels with Midnight Bourbon (Tiznow), causing that runner to drop Paco Lopez. And it was Midnight Bourbon who again was involved in a controversial stretch drive with Hot Rod Charlie....