Trainer Doug O'Neill sent out his string of candidates Oct. 22 for the Nov. 4-5 Breeders' Cup at Keeneland, led by the penultimate work of Longines Breeders' Cup Classic (G1) contender Hot Rod Charlie.
At 9 a.m. ET, Hot Rod Charlie breezed five furlongs in 1:00 4/5 under Tyler Gaffalione in company, his second work since winning the Oct. 1 Lukas Classic (G2) at Churchill Downs by a head over Rich Strike .
"It went great," Gaffalione said. "Everything was smooth. We sat a few lengths off our company. He was dragging me to go and catch them. Going into the stretch I just kind of gave him his head and let him finish up. He was well within himself, and he pulled up very happy. Everything seems to be going good right now.
"He's a very exciting horse. His resume speaks for itself. I'm really looking forward to this opportunity."
In Hot Rod Charlie's only start at Keeneland, he was second to champion Essential Quality in the 2020 TVG Breeders' Cup Juvenile presented by Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance (G1) at 94-1 odds. The Roadrunner Racing, Boat Racing, Strauss Bros Racing, and Gainesway Thoroughbreds-owned Oxbow colt was fourth in last year's Breeders' Cup Classic at Del Mar.
Hot Rod Charlie Leads O'Neill Breeders' Cup Workers. Read #BarnNotes → https://t.co/urEPmxIQ7i pic.twitter.com/rYx6j5CKou
— Keeneland Racing (@keenelandracing) October 22, 2022
"Charlie is absolutely bouncing around the barn cooling out," O'Neill assistant trainer Stephanie Murray said. "You would never guess that he just went out and worked in a minute. He's just on his toes and has really good energy."
Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint (G1T) candidate Sharp Aza Tack also worked for O'Neill. The son of Sharp Azteca worked five furlongs in 1:00 1/5 on the all-weather training track under Gaffalione at 8:30 a.m. The colt is coming off a second in the Sept. 8 Global Tote Juvenile Sprint Stakes at Kentucky Downs.
Also among O'Neill's workers on the main track were Breeders' Cup Big Ass Fans Dirt Mile (G1) candidate Slow Down Andy (1:00 2/5 for five furlongs in company); Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint (G1) candidate Awake at Midnyte (a half-mile solo in :49 2/5) and Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1) candidate Vegas Magic (five furlongs in 1:00 1/5).
"Everybody went super good," Murray said. "Everything went according to plan. They will all work again next Saturday (Oct. 29)."
O'Neill is scheduled to arrive at Keeneland Oct. 28.
Busy Work Day for Brown Contenders
With two weeks to go until the Breeders' Cup, trainer Chad Brown had the bulk of his likely Breeders' Cup contingent working Saturday on both the main track and the turf course.
"Everything went really, really well this morning, considering everything that was going on," Brown said, referring to the high level of activity during training hours that featured 190 works on the main track. "They all did very well, and they will have another work next week, but these were serious works today."
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Jim Bakke, Gerald Isbister, Coolmore Stud, and Peter Brant's Jack Christopher , who worked five furlongs in 1:00 1/5 in company with Champagne Stakes (G1) winner Blazing Sevens . Jack Christopher could race in either the Qatar Racing Breeders' Cup Sprint (G1) or the Dirt Mile.
Rodeo Creek Racing's Blazing Sevens is a candidate for the Breeders' Cup Juvenile (G1).
Klaravich Stables' three-time grade 1 winner Domestic Spending worked five furlongs on the turf in company with $2 million Maker's Mark Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf (G1) candidate Virginia Joy in 1:01 2/5. Domestic Spending's most recent start was Aug. 14, 2021. He did not return to the work tab until this past August.
"He worked very, very well this morning and galloped out well," Brown said of Domestic Spending, who is under consideration for the FanDuel Breeders' Cup Mile (G1T). "We'll see how he is in the morning and then have one more work."
The attached chart lists potential Breeders' Cup entrants and their Saturday workouts.
| Horse | Track | Distance | Time | Division |
| Alluring Angel | Belmont Park | 5F (Dirt-Fast) | 1:02.25 | Juvenile Fillies Turf |
| American Rockette | Saratoga Training Track | 4F (Dirt-Fast) | :50.49 | Juvenile Fillies |
| American Theorem | Santa Anita Park | 6F (Dirt-Fast) | 1:11 4/5 | Dirt Mile or Sprint |
| And Tell Me Nolies | San Luis Rey Training Center | 4F (Dirt-Fast) | :50 1/5 | Juvenile Fillies |
| Army Wife | Churchill Downs Trackside | 4F (Dirt-Fast) | :49 1/5 | Distaff |
| Arrest Me Red | Keeneland | 5F (Dirt-Fast) | 1:03 | Turf Sprint |
| Awake At Midnyte | Keeneland | 4F (Dirt-Fast) | :49 2/5 | Filly & Mare Sprint |
| Awesome Strong | Keeneland | 4F (Dirt-Fast) | :49 4/5 | Juvenile |
| Beyond Brilliant | Santa Anita Park | 5F (Dirt-Fast) | :59 4/5 | Mile |
| Blazing Sevens | Keeneland | 5F (Dirt-Fast) | 1:00 1/5 | Juvenile |
| C Z Rocket | San Luis Rey Training Center | 5F (Dirt-Fast) | 1:01 3/5 | Dirt Mile or Sprint |
| Ce Ce | Santa Anita Park | 5F (Dirt-Fast) | 1:00 1/5 | Filly & Mare Sprint |
| Chop Chop | Churchill Downs | 5F (Dirt-Fast) | 1:01 3/5 | Juvenile Fillies |
| Comanche Country | Santa Anita Park | 5F (Dirt-Fast) | 1:02 4/5 | Juvenile Fillies Turf |
| Congruent | Keeneland | 5F (Turf-Firm) | 1:02 2/5 | Juvenile or Juvenile Turf |
| Cover Version | Los Alamitos | 5F (Dirt-Fast) | :59 1/5 | Filly & Mare Sprint |
| Cyberknife | Churchill Downs | 6F (Dirt-Fast) | 1:12 1/5 | Dirt Mile |
| Domestic Spending | Keeneland | 5F (Turf-Firm) | 1:01 2/5 | Mile |
| Empire House | Keeneland | 5F (Dirt-Fast) | 1:01 | Distaff |
| Flightline | Santa Anita Park | 5F (Dirt-Fast) | 1:11 4/5 | Classic |
| Front Run the Fed | The Thoroughbred Center | 5F (Dirt-Fast) | 1:01 4/5 | Mile or Turf Sprint |
| G Laurie | Fair Hill | 5F (All Weather-Fast) | 1:02 1/5 | Juvenile Fillies Turf |
| Going to Vegas | Santa Anita Park | 5F (Dirt-Fast) | 1:00 3/5 | Filly & Mare Turf |
| Gold Phoenix | Santa Anita Park Training Track | 5F (Dirt-Fast) | 1:01 1/5 | Turf |
| Goodnight Olive | Keeneland | 5F (Dirt-Fast) | 1:00 2/5 | Filly & Mare Sprint |
| Hot Rod Charlie | Keeneland | 5F (Dirt-Fast) | 1:00 4/5 | Classic |
| I'm Very Busy | Keeneland | 4F (Dirt-Fast) | :48 1/5 | Juvenile Turf |
| In Italian | Keeneland | FF (Turf-Firm) | :49 4/5 | Filly & Mare Turf |
| Informative | Parx Racing | 4F (Dirt-Fast) | :48.06 | Dirt Mile |
| Jack Christopher | Keeneland | 5F (Dirt-Fast) | 1:00 1/5 | Dirt Mile or Sprint |
| Lachaise | Belmont Park | 5F (Dirt-Fast) | 1:02.25 | Juvenile Turf |
| Lady Rocket | Churchill Downs | 5F (Dirt-Fast) | 1:01 | Filly & Mare Sprint |
| Laurel River | Santa Anita Park | 5F (Dirt-Fast) | :59 2/5 | Dirt Mile |
| Master Piece | Santa Anita Park | 5F (Dirt-Fast) | 1:01 | Turf |
| Moira | Woodbine | 4F (All Weather-Fast) | :46 3/5 | Filly & Mare Turf |
| Obligatory | Saratoga Training Track | 4F (Dirt-Fast) | :49.31 | Filly & Mare Sprint |
| Oxymore | Keeneland | 4F (Dirt-Fast) | :48 4/5 | Juvenile Turf |
| Pipeline | Belmont Park Training Track | 4F (Dirt-Fast) | :49.77 | Dirt Mile or Sprint |
| Pleasant Passage | Belmont Park | 4F (Turf-Firm) | :47.63 | Juvenile Fillies Turf |
| Really Good | Churchill Downs Trackside | 4F (Dirt-Fast) | :48 4/5 | Juvenile Turf |
| Regal Glory | Keeneland | 4F (Turf-Firm) | :49 1/5 | Mile |
| Rougir | Keeneland | 4F (Turf-Firm) | :49 1/5 | Filly & Mare Turf |
| Search Results | Keeneland | 5F (Dirt-Fast) | 1:02 3/5 | Distaff |
| Sell the Dream | Santa Anita Park | 5F (Dirt-Fast) | 1:01 1/5 | Juvenile Fillies Turf |
| Sharp Aza Tack | Keeneland | 5F (All Weather-Fast) | 1:00 1/5 | Juvenile Turf Sprint |
| Simplification | Keeneland | 5F (Dirt-Fast) | 1:00 | Dirt Mile |
| Slow Down Andy | Keeneland | 5F (Dirt-Fast) | 1:00 2/5 | Dirt Mile |
| Sterling Silver | Belmont Park | 4F (Dirt-Fast) | :50.48 | Filly & Mare Sprint |
| Super Ocho | Santa Anita Park | 4F (Dirt-Fast) | :50 | Sprint |
| Top Recruit | Churchill Downs Trackside | 5F (Dirt-Fast) | :59 3/5 | Juvenile |
| Towhead | Churchill Downs Trackside | 4F (Dirt-Fast) | :48 2/5 | Juvenile Fillies Turf |
| Vacation Dance | Belmont Park | 4F (Turf-Firm) | :50.60 | Juvenile Turf Sprint |
| Vegas Magic | Keeneland | 5F (Dirt-Fast) | 1:00 1/5 | Juvenile Fillies |
| Verifying | Churchill Downs | 5F (Dirt-Fast) | 1:01 3/5 | Juvenile |
| Virginia Joy | Keeneland | 5F (Turf-Firm) | 1:01 2/5 | Turf or Filly & Mare Turf |
| Willy Boi | Keeneland | 4F (Dirt-Fast) | :49 4/5 | Sprint |
| You're My Girl | Keeneland | 6F (Dirt-Fast) | 1:13 3/5 | Juvenile Fillies |
