We are heading into our fourth meeting of the Dubai World Cup Carnival and this week it gets really good. That is because we see America’s most popular horse in action. His name is Hot Rod Charlie and he runs in G2 Maktoum Challenge Round 2, a prep race for the $12 million Dubai World Cup.
Voted the winner of the Vox Populi Award in the US in 2021, Hot Rod Charlie is trained by Doug O’Neill, who has had plenty of success at home, winning two Kentucky Derbies, and in Dubai where he won the Listed Curlin Stakes, G3 UAE 2000 Guineas and G3 Nad Al Sheba Turf Sprint in 2020.
O’Neill is flying in to oversee the final preparations to his star colt, who has so far beem looked after in the UAE by his longtime assistant, Leandro Mora. Also making the not inconsiderable journey from the US are two members of “Boat Racing,” the horse’s part-owners.
Who, you ask? To start, they do not actually race waterborne craft. Boat Racing LLC was set up by five college friends, led by Patrick O’Neill, who wanted plenty of adventure once their footballing days were over. With Hot Rod Charlie, they have certainly had unpredictability; their colt finishing third in the Kentucky Derby, second in the Belmont, and then demoted from first in the Haskell when bumping a rival.
Finally, at the fifth attempt, he won his Grade I in the Pennsylvania Derby in September, before running an excellent fourth in the Breeders’ Cup Classic.
“He doesn’t owe any of us anything,” said O’Neill, visiting Meydan Racecourse for the first time earlier this week. “He’s been an amazing horse for us and we’re so happy to be here. If he happens to win on March 26, you’ll see some serious celebrations.”
Now to Dubai, where Hot Rod Charlie aims to use the Maktoum Challenge R2 as a springboard to success in the big one. It will not be easy though; 11 rivals stand in his way, including Everfast, who bolted up on local debut for Doug Watson, and Al-Nefud, winner of both his Dubai starts. Whoever wins will be among the favorites for the World Cup.
They will not be the outstanding favorite, though. That honor goes to Life Is Good, who cruised to a stunning success in the G1 Pegasus World Cup at Gulfstream Park in Florida on Saturday. Trained by Todd Pletcher, connections indicated afterward that a trip to Dubai for March 26 is firmly on their radar.
Life Is Good is very, very good. He is still not as popular as Hot Rod Charlie, though.
