Barn Tour: O'Neill has big plans for Happy Jack, Hot Rod Charlie

According to Equibase, Doug O’Neill has three Grade 1 wins at Saratoga: the 2015 Hopeful with Ralis, 2013 Vosburgh with Private Zone and 2007 Ballerina with Mayfield. He added a fourth graded-stakes win at the Spa in the 2019 Schuylverville (G3) with Comical.

At this year’s Saratoga stand, which opens Thursday, Southern California-based O’Neill will try to add to both totals with Hot Rod Charlie in the $1 million Whitney (G1) on Aug. 6 and Happy Jack in the $500,000 H. Allen Jerkens Memorial (G1) on Aug. 27.

“It’s been a long time between drinks (at Saratoga). We’re excited,” O’Neill told Horse Racing Nation Wednesday.

Hot Rod Charlie most recently was second by a head to Mind Control after giving up the lead in the final furlong of the Salvator Mile (G3) under Mike Smith on June 18 at Monmouth Park. It was the Oxbow colt’s first start since another runner-up in the March 26 Dubai World Cup (G1).

Hot Rod Charlie is working at Keeneland, where O’Neill is keeping a string this summer that also includes Happy Jack. He had his second work since the Salvator Mile on Monday when breezing five furlongs in 1:00.60.

“He came out of the work in good shape and if all goes well, he stays injury free, we’re still shooting for the Whitney,” O’Neill said.

The 1 1/8-miles Whitney is a “win and you’re in” for the Breeders’ Cup Classic. Last year, Hot Rod Charlie was fourth in North America's richest race. O’Neill said he will be reunited with top rider Flavien Prat in the Whitney and also will be refitted in blinkers.

“Blinkers on, Prat on and let’s get lucky,” said the two-time Kentucky Derby-winning trainer.

In the Whitney, Hot Rod Charlie is expected to face the likes of multiple Grade 1 winner Life is Good and streaking Olympiad.

“The beauty of Hot Rod Charlie is he’s faced tough competition ever since the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile. He’s been in some deep waters and always seems to be right there,” O’Neill said. “I think he’s doing well and he’s matured. We’re excited. The Whitney will be the ultimate test.”

Happy Jack is a veteran of this year’s Triple Crown who is coming off a June 19 allowance win at Churchill Downs going seven furlongs. Previously, he was third in the Santa Anita Derby (G1) and off the board in both the Kentucky Derby and Preakness.

The Jerkens is for 3-year-olds going seven furlongs.

“That is our dream goal,” O’Neill said. “You might see him in an allowance or a little stakes at Ellis Park in between. I’m not exactly sure yet.”

Last Saturday, O’Neill finished second and third in the Los Alamitos Derby – won by Bob Baffert’s High Connection – with Slow Down Andy and Win the Day, respectively. Slow Down Andy, winner of the Sunland Derby (G3) this spring, was making his first start since a severe illness that forced him to miss the Triple Crown series.

“He got really sick after arriving in Kentucky from the race in New Mexico. That’s all credit to (owner) Paul Reddam. I would hate to see that bill from the clinic he was at for about three or four weeks,” O’Neill said. “But credit to Paul and credit to the vet team there. He ran super the other day and came out of it really well.”

In the Los Alamitos Derby, Slow Down Andy and High Connection locked in a virtual match race after the gates sprung. In the end, after Slow Down Andy lugged in during the stretch drive, High Connection crossed the wire 1 3/4 lengths in front.

“I’ve had a few horses who kind of zig-zagged down that long, long stretch,” O’Neill said. “He also did that the last time there (when winning the Los Alamitos Futurity, G2). But I don’t make much of it. He picked up right where he left off.”

Slow Down Andy's next assignment remains to be determined.

“I’m going to talk to Paul (Reddam) on Thursday and will make a plan. But at this point, nothing is slated,” O’Neill said.

Win the Day raced in third throughout the Los Alamitos Derby and checked in some 5 3/4 lengths adrift of the winner.

“He came out of it in great shape also,” O’Neill said. “It looks like the longer the better for him.”

Win the Day has a similar ownership group to Hot Rod Charlie. Before the Los Alamitos Derby, he was fourth in the Texas Derby and fifth in the Santa Anita Derby.

“He’s a 3-year-old that hopefully has got some more improvement in him. We’re optimistic he does,” O’Neill said. “He just got over the $100,000 mark and we’re excited about trying to get to $200,000.”

O’Neill has also had a good start with his 2-year-olds. In the June 18 Fasig-Tipton Futurity at Santa Anita, he filled the exacta with debut winners Absolutely Zero and Tahoma, respectively.

Absolutely Zero is a California homebred for Reddam. He is by Nyquist, who won the 2016 Kentucky Derby for Reddam and O’Neill. His dam, How About Zero, is a multiple stakes-winning daughter of Square Eddie bred and campaigned by Reddam.

In the black-type Futurity, Absolutely Zero pressed the pace before edging stablemate Tahoma by a length on the wire.

Tahoma, a Kentucky-bred from the first crop of Triple Crown winner Justify, cost $160,000 at auction as a yearling and is campaigned by West Coast Stables. He is out of the winless Rahy mare Madera Dancer, who commanded $410,000 when sold in foal with Tahoma in 2019.

O’Neill said Absolutely Zero is ticketed for the $125,000 CTBA Stakes for California-breds on Aug. 7 at Del Mar, and Tahoma will head to the $200,000 Best Pal (G3) on Aug. 14.