New Orleans, LA.—Setting a new track record for 1 3/16 of a mile on dirt in 1:55.06, Hot Rod Charlie remained resolute in his effort in the $1 million Grade II Louisiana Derby.
With a zippy quarter of :23.10, seized the early lead, but was swiftly met by Midnight Bourbon (Tiznow) as Brad Cox-trained Mandaloun (Into Mischief) move into a close third through a half-mile in :47.04. Midnight Bourbon with Joe Talamo in the irons drew even entering the far turn and challenged down the lane, but the stalwart Hot Rod Charlie under Joel Rosario had that extra kick to shake off his rival and win by a length.
Midnight Bourbon held second, with 28-1 longshot O Besos (Orb) rallying up the rail late to finish a head back in third, with Proxy another 1 3/4 lengths finishing fourth. Mandaloun was a disappointing sixth. The winner of the Risen Star tried to contend with leaders going into the far turn but was unable to sustain his rally.
Hot Rod Charlie is campaigned by the partnership of Roadrunner Racing, Boat Racing and William Strauss.
Assistant to trainer Doug O’Neill, Leandro Mora, was the trainer of record for the Louisiana Derby as O’Neill was serving a 10-day medication suspension for a lidocaine positive in California from March 8-17 when entries for the race were taken.
Louisiana Derby Replay
The son of the Awesome Again stallion, Oxbow, he earned 100 qualifying points for the Kentucky Derby, with the second through fourth finishers getting 40, 20 and 10 points, respectively with a record of 7: 2-1-2 and over $1 million in earnings, Hot Rod Charlie was second in the TVG Breeders’ Cup Juvenile GI and third in the Robert B. Lewis Stakes GIII after breaking his maiden in his fourth start at Santa Anita.
Past The Wire Staff
Photo: Hot Rod Charlie, #5 on the rail, red shadow roll. (Jan Brubaker/Hodges Photograph
