Breeders’ Cup draw: Hot Rod Charlie get No. 3 post, to delight of owners

3 years ago 265

The loudest cheer of the day during Monday’s post-position gully for the 38th Breeders’ Cup astatine Del Mar came from the exuberant connections for Hot Rod Charlie, owned successful portion by 5 erstwhile Brown shot players who telephone themselves Boat Racing successful grant of a brew chugging crippled they played successful college.

Hot Rod Charlie has taken them connected a magical ride, and the quintet hopes it culminates successful a triumph Saturday successful the $6 cardinal Classic, the crown jewel of the two-day Breeders’ Cup that is being hosted by Del Mar for the 2nd time.

Hot Rod Charlie, the co-third prime connected the greeting enactment astatine 4-1 on with Medina Spirit, volition effort to reverse his atrocious fortunes from a twelvemonth agone erstwhile helium finished 2nd astatine 94-1 successful the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile astatine Keeneland.

“Chuck,” arsenic he’s called by the Boat Racing team, has won 2 of six starts this year, including the Grade I Pennsylvania Derby connected Sept. 25. He besides won the Grade I Haskell Invitational, but helium was disqualified and placed past due to the fact that of interference successful the stretch.

Flavien Prat, scheduled to thrust successful 11 of the 14 Breeders’ Cup races, has the equine for trainer Doug O’Neill. Hot Rod Charlie drew the No. 3 station successful a nine-horse tract that volition question 1¼ miles with the rubric of Horse of the Year perchance connected the line.

“We emotion (the draw),” O’Neill’s longtime assistant, Leandro Mora, said. “We are going into the contention with a truly bully equine and, if you person a bully horse, you’re going to person a bully race.”

Knicks Go, unbeaten successful 7 races astir 2 turns, was installed arsenic the 5-2 morning-line favourite for the Classic and drew the No. 5 hole, followed intimately by his stablemate Essential Quality (3-1), who volition commencement from station presumption No. 4. The duo forms a potent two-headed monster for trainer Brad Cox, successful hunt of his archetypal Classic victory.

Art Collector, who drew the No. 6 spread and is the co-fifth prime astatine 8-1 on with Max Player, is unbeaten successful 3 starts for Bill Mott since the Hall of Fame trainer took implicit for Thomas Drury during the Saratoga meet.

The 4-year-old Bernardini colt volition beryllium ridden by Mike Smith, who is aiming for a record-tying 5th triumph successful the Classic.

“When I saw that he’s successful six, for him, I thought it was OK,” Mott said.

Said proprietor Bruce Lunsford: “I consciousness excellent. All the existent velocity is adjacent us. I conscionable anticipation for a cleanable interruption and permission it up to Mike Smith.”

The Distaff drew a tract of 11 and is highlighted by a imaginable showdown betwixt Letruska and Shedaresthedevil, who person squared disconnected doubly this twelvemonth with each owning a triumph implicit the other.

Letruska is the 8-5 morning-line favourite for trainer Fausto Gutierrez, and Shedaresthedevil, trained by Cox, is co-second prime on with Kentucky Oaks victor Malathaat astatine 4-1. Letruska, who volition beryllium ridden by Irad Ortiz Jr., drew the No. 6 post.

“I deliberation six is simply a precise bully post,” Gutierrez said. “It’s amended than to spell perfectly wrong oregon extracurricular erstwhile you request to usage much of the horse. She looks to marque a mean race, thing different.”

Trainer Bob Baffert, who volition nonstop retired 8 horses this play successful an effort to adhd to his 17 Breeders’ Cup victories (second all-time down D. Wayne Lukas’ 20), entered 2 successful the Distaff, a contention he’s ne'er won.

Private Mission goes into the contention disconnected an awesome triumph successful the Grade II Zenyatta Stakes connected Oct. 3 astatine Santa Anita, and Baffert’s 2nd entry, As Time Goes By, showed beingness successful the Zenyatta with a runner-up effort aft appearing to process disconnected successful a brace of Grade I stakes.

Baffert’s Gamine, who volition effort to go the 2nd equine to triumph consecutive Filly and Mare Sprints aft Groupie Doll (2012-13), is the heaviest morning-line favourite this play astatine 3-5.