Hot Rod Charlie Prepares for Belmont

Saturday, May 22, 2021 | 4:28 pm

3/20/2021 - Hot Rod Charlie with Joel Rosario aboard wins the 108th running of the #1,000,000 Grade II Louisiana Derby at Fair Grounds. Hodges Photography / Lou Hodgeds, Jr.

Hot Rod Charlie (Oxbow) worked five furlongs in 1:01.60 under Flavien Prat at 7:45 a.m. at Santa Anita Saturday morning in preparation for the June 5 GI Belmont S. The colt worked in tandem with SW Liam's Pride (Liam's Map).

“I was very happy with the breeze,” said trainer Doug O'Neill. “I got him in 1:01 and out [six furlongs] in 1:13 and change.”

The winner of the GII Louisiana Derby Mar. 20, the dark bay most recently finished third at 5-1 odds in the May 1 Kentucky Derby.

Prat, winner of last week's GI Preakness S. with Rombauer (Twirling Candy), is expected to be reunited with Hot Rod Charlie for the 1 1/2-mile Classic.

“He looked great,” added O'Neill. “If all goes well, he'll breeze again here Friday and get on a plane [to New York] on Saturday.”