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Photo by: Patrick O''Neill
From Hawaii, to Brown, to the Kentucky Derby: Family and Brotherhood Forge Path to Success for O’Neill
5/31/2022 3:00:00 PM | Football
By: Tim Geer, Brown Athletic Communications
For his entire life, Patrick O'Neill has always been around horses. Successes, and the inevitable failures that come with the industry, have always been front of mind, even if getting involved in the business of horse racing wasn't. As a student-athlete at Brown, O'Neill never planned on getting into the horse racing industry, and certainly couldn't have imagined that so soon after graduation, he'd be part owner of one of the fastest horses in the world.
In a sport where so many thoroughbred owners spend a lifetime trying to get their horse into the Kentucky Derby, it was not dollar signs, but friendship, brotherhood, and a desire for five friends to spend more time together, that is the driving force behind the five Brown Football alums that comprise Boat Racing, LLC, the part owners of Hot Rod Charlie, one of the fastest horses on the planet that captured the attention of millions starting with last year's Kentucky Derby.
And while their story is molded by their experiences at Brown, the roots go back decades earlier to O'Neill's grandfather. His grandfather loved horses and frequented the Detroit Race Course, often bringing along his four sons, including Patrick's father, and uncle, Doug. Through all this, the family got to witness the highs, and the deep lows that the industry could bring.
"My dad was the oldest and saw what transpired given my grandfather's not being the best of gamblers, and was pretty turned off by the horse racing industry," O'Neill said. "But the youngest, Doug, was absolutely enamored with it, and he just fell in love based on the majestic animals and great people who work in the industry day-in-and-day-out. After high school, he went right into the sport as a passion of his, and he started from the very bottom literally shoveling horse crap."
Growing up, Patrick kept tabs on his uncle's journey to advance in horse racing, moving from the bottom of the barrel all the way up to becoming a Kentucky Derby winning trainer with I'll Have Another in 2012, and again in 2016 with Nyquist. Patrick's friends and teammates at Brown couldn't help but notice his interest in horse racing, even if they didn't quite understand its significance.
"In the beginning with my best friends from Brown, there was this rumor that I had this quirky obsession with horses," O'Neill said. "But, once they saw Doug win the Derby, it was more than just a quirky obsession, but rather a family business and a passion. Doug won the Derby again in 2016 and by then the guys knew that this was a big passion of mine and something that I was very fond of."
Daniel Giovacchini, Reiley Higgins, Eric Armagost, Alex Quoyeser and O'Neill, all Brown Football alums from the class of 2015, spent every waking moment together at Brown between practices, traveling to games, the dining hall, or just partying and hanging out. The five were also members of Brown's chapter of the Theta Delta Chi fraternity. After graduation and realizing that the real world wasn't as conducive to fun as college life at Brown and needing an excuse to get together, O'Neill arranged for the five to meet up for Labor Day at Del Mar Race Track in San Diego.
"We had the time of our lives," O'Neill recalled of the experience. "They realized how much fun horse racing could be, and Dan (Giovacchini), who was a captain our senior year and my best friend, came up with the idea that we should buy a horse and utilize horse racing as a way to get together more frequently."
Well aware of just how cruel and unforgiving the horse racing business can be, knowing his grandfather's past hardships and hearing the warnings from his father, Patrick, needless to say, didn't think the proposal was a great idea.
"I'd seen what happened to my family," O'Neill said. "You don't mix friends with finances. I understood where he was coming from, but was adamantly against it because I'd seen the other side of it."
The remainder of the crew supported the idea, but it took another 18 months of persistence to finally convince Patrick to jump on board. Drawing from what he had learned from his family's past experiences, Patrick knew he had to protect the group's brotherhood.
"We agreed that we would only do it under three conditions," O'Neill explained. "One, we are going to create an LLC. Two, we are going to create an operating agreement so that if something bad ever happens, which it inevitably will, we'll be able to retain our friendship. And three, we're going to diversify and not just purchase a full share of one horse; almost treat it like a hedge fund."
And thus, Boat Racing, LLC was born.
The group purchased its first horse, who as it turns out, wasn't exactly keen on running.
"The first one was God awful," O'Neill said. "It was kind of like an 'I told you so' moment."
With their second horse, there was some improvement, but some unforeseen circumstances swept across the globe, and put the future of Boat Racing, LLC in doubt.
"On the second horse we broke even, which was an absolute win," O'Neill recalled. "At that point COVID had taken over and we weren't spending as much time together as we thought we would because of the pandemic. So we had a decision to make in do we just get out with no regrets, or do we take one more shot at this thing with the money from the second horse?"
The group was split. Two members were on board for giving it one last shot, while the other two were ready hang it up. Per their operating agreement, O'Neill held the deciding vote and had a tough decision to make.
Patrick chose to give things one final shot. The result of that decision is the second-fastest horse in the world today.
Enter Hot Rod Charlie. Boat Racing, LLC is a minority ownership group of Hot Rod Charlie, with O'Neill, Higgins, Quoyeser, Giovacchini, and Armagost considering "Chuck" their sixth brother.
By winning the 2021 Louisiana Derby and setting a new course record in the process, Hot Rod Charlie clinched a spot in the 2021 Kentucky Derby, thrusting himself onto the national stage.
Under the trainer of Patrick's uncle, Doug, and jockey Flavien Prat, Hot Rod Charlie crossed the line third at the Kentucky Derby, eventually being awarded second after the disqualification of winner, Medina Spirit. Chuck also went on to capture second place at the Belmont Stakes, by then having already cemented himself as a household name in the world of horse racing.
"Chuck is once in a lifetime," O'Neill said. "I still pinch myself when I think of the numbers. There are 20,000 thoroughbred horses born each year in the U.S., and 20 get to run the Kentucky Derby. Everyone person in this sport dreams to run in the Kentucky Derby and many extremely wealthy individuals even try buy their way in, so it's almost impossible, and the fact that Chuck made it is incredible. We love the industry and want to see it succeed. We're happy to provide a new sense of energy, a different perspective, as well as youth and exuberance to an industry that has been pretty old school historically."
The boys of Boat Racing, LLC unite themselves through many of their past experiences, with elements of their friendship and brotherhood driving everything that they do.
Today the group owns four additional horses, with one of their names being Chicken Finger Friday (officially due to a limit on characters "ChicknFingerFriday") after the ever-popular promotion at "The Ratty", the campus' main dining hall. Another horses' name comes directly from Brown Athletics in Win The Day, a homage to one of the sayings echoed by head strength and conditioning coach, Brandon O'Neall.
So, where does the name "Boat Racing" come from you ask?
With Theta Delta Chi being one of the pieces that joins the group together outside of football, Boat Racing, LLC is a nod to the popular drinking relay race that ties back to the fraternity.
While O'Neill has a long family history in horse racing, it was not something he was considering getting involved with when he came to Brown as a student in the fall of 2011, at least not right away.
"I was told very early on by my dad to never mix career and horses," O'Neill said. "I followed it as a family business and was a cheerleader for my uncle, but I never thought I'd get into that sport until I had made it financially later in my life. I had all focus on having a successful business career."
Indeed, owning thoroughbred horses is a side passion for all the members of Boast Racing, LLC. O'Neill concentrated in environmental engineering with the BEO track at Brown. Today, he oversees group strategy for a private equity backed apparel company in Southern California.
"All five of us have tried and true careers and, knock on wood, are doing extremely well, which makes me so proud to call them friends and brothers," O'Neill said.
Despite their success, Boat Racing, LLC has not taken out any of the money they've won from Hot Rod Charlie. Instead, they've funneled it back into horseracing, and particularly to charitable causes, namely the Melanoma Research Alliance (MRA), helping to fight the disease that claimed one of Patrick's uncles at age 38, as well as his father shortly after Patrick graduated from Brown.
"Every dollar we've gotten from Charlie we have put right back into it, whether it has been a charity or even into purchasing more horses to continue supporting the sport," he added.
Born to a Filipino, Hawaiian mother, and a Caucasian father, Patrick grew up in Hawaii after moving from Southern California as a child in 2001. Patrick credits that move, and the island's diversity and values for helping to shape him today. He also has similar feelings about his move to the East Coast to attend Brown.
"I always felt like that move to Hawaii made me a better human," O'Neill said. "Orange County was a great place to grow up, but in terms of diversity it certainly didn't have that. Hawaii is a melting pot of cultures, it's very family oriented, and has great values. Deep down I feel like it grounded and humbled me, and I needed that looking back."
After starring as a two-sport captain in both basketball and football, alongside future Notre Dame star and Chargers draft pick, Manti Te'o, O'Neill decided to use his football prowess to find his way to school out East.
"I visited and fell in love with the campus, I thought Coach Estes and Coach Kelleher were salt of the Earth humans, I trusted them and it just felt right on my recruiting visit," O'Neill said of his first trip to Brown. I also loved the idea of the open curriculum. I didn't know what I really wanted coming out of high school, which is why I did the business track, but also did environmental engineering. Funny enough, I also took an African dance class with a couple of the guys. I tend to be all over the place with interests and love the idea of exploring, so the curriculum really fit me.
"Brown was instrumental," O'Neill said. "Just being exposed to the international community that Brown offers and being exposed to the different types of people and athletics, was great for my growth. I didn't know this at the time, but one thing I took away from the university experience was the ability to learn how to learn. I don't think there's a better institution in the world that allows you to take a concept, break it down and really grasp what the meat of it is and apply it to the real world in a functional way. I think the open curriculum and the way they structure classes really focuses in on that, so you just become a much better thinker.
"I'm very appreciate of my Brown experience and I'm appreciative of all the different professors, and coaches, that expanded my ability to learn."
BROWN UNIVERSITY SPORTS FOUNDATION
The Brown University Sports Foundation (BUSF) is the lifeblood of the athletics program, and exists to enhance the student-athlete experience through philanthropic support from alumni, parents, fans and friends. A gift through the Sports Foundation makes an immediate impact on today's Brown Bears and helps them to be their best in the classroom, in competition and most importantly in the community. To learn more about supporting the Bears, please click here.
FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL
For the latest on Brown Athletics, please follow @BrownAthletics on Twitter, @BrownAthletics on Instagram, like /BrownAthletics on Facebook and subscribe to the BrownAthletics YouTube channel.
For his entire life, Patrick O'Neill has always been around horses. Successes, and the inevitable failures that come with the industry, have always been front of mind, even if getting involved in the business of horse racing wasn't. As a student-athlete at Brown, O'Neill never planned on getting into the horse racing industry, and certainly couldn't have imagined that so soon after graduation, he'd be part owner of one of the fastest horses in the world.
In a sport where so many thoroughbred owners spend a lifetime trying to get their horse into the Kentucky Derby, it was not dollar signs, but friendship, brotherhood, and a desire for five friends to spend more time together, that is the driving force behind the five Brown Football alums that comprise Boat Racing, LLC, the part owners of Hot Rod Charlie, one of the fastest horses on the planet that captured the attention of millions starting with last year's Kentucky Derby.
And while their story is molded by their experiences at Brown, the roots go back decades earlier to O'Neill's grandfather. His grandfather loved horses and frequented the Detroit Race Course, often bringing along his four sons, including Patrick's father, and uncle, Doug. Through all this, the family got to witness the highs, and the deep lows that the industry could bring.
"My dad was the oldest and saw what transpired given my grandfather's not being the best of gamblers, and was pretty turned off by the horse racing industry," O'Neill said. "But the youngest, Doug, was absolutely enamored with it, and he just fell in love based on the majestic animals and great people who work in the industry day-in-and-day-out. After high school, he went right into the sport as a passion of his, and he started from the very bottom literally shoveling horse crap."
Growing up, Patrick kept tabs on his uncle's journey to advance in horse racing, moving from the bottom of the barrel all the way up to becoming a Kentucky Derby winning trainer with I'll Have Another in 2012, and again in 2016 with Nyquist. Patrick's friends and teammates at Brown couldn't help but notice his interest in horse racing, even if they didn't quite understand its significance.
"In the beginning with my best friends from Brown, there was this rumor that I had this quirky obsession with horses," O'Neill said. "But, once they saw Doug win the Derby, it was more than just a quirky obsession, but rather a family business and a passion. Doug won the Derby again in 2016 and by then the guys knew that this was a big passion of mine and something that I was very fond of."
Daniel Giovacchini, Reiley Higgins, Eric Armagost, Alex Quoyeser and O'Neill, all Brown Football alums from the class of 2015, spent every waking moment together at Brown between practices, traveling to games, the dining hall, or just partying and hanging out. The five were also members of Brown's chapter of the Theta Delta Chi fraternity. After graduation and realizing that the real world wasn't as conducive to fun as college life at Brown and needing an excuse to get together, O'Neill arranged for the five to meet up for Labor Day at Del Mar Race Track in San Diego.
"We had the time of our lives," O'Neill recalled of the experience. "They realized how much fun horse racing could be, and Dan (Giovacchini), who was a captain our senior year and my best friend, came up with the idea that we should buy a horse and utilize horse racing as a way to get together more frequently."
Well aware of just how cruel and unforgiving the horse racing business can be, knowing his grandfather's past hardships and hearing the warnings from his father, Patrick, needless to say, didn't think the proposal was a great idea.
"I'd seen what happened to my family," O'Neill said. "You don't mix friends with finances. I understood where he was coming from, but was adamantly against it because I'd seen the other side of it."
The remainder of the crew supported the idea, but it took another 18 months of persistence to finally convince Patrick to jump on board. Drawing from what he had learned from his family's past experiences, Patrick knew he had to protect the group's brotherhood.
"We agreed that we would only do it under three conditions," O'Neill explained. "One, we are going to create an LLC. Two, we are going to create an operating agreement so that if something bad ever happens, which it inevitably will, we'll be able to retain our friendship. And three, we're going to diversify and not just purchase a full share of one horse; almost treat it like a hedge fund."
And thus, Boat Racing, LLC was born.
The group purchased its first horse, who as it turns out, wasn't exactly keen on running.
"The first one was God awful," O'Neill said. "It was kind of like an 'I told you so' moment."
With their second horse, there was some improvement, but some unforeseen circumstances swept across the globe, and put the future of Boat Racing, LLC in doubt.
"On the second horse we broke even, which was an absolute win," O'Neill recalled. "At that point COVID had taken over and we weren't spending as much time together as we thought we would because of the pandemic. So we had a decision to make in do we just get out with no regrets, or do we take one more shot at this thing with the money from the second horse?"
The group was split. Two members were on board for giving it one last shot, while the other two were ready hang it up. Per their operating agreement, O'Neill held the deciding vote and had a tough decision to make.
Patrick chose to give things one final shot. The result of that decision is the second-fastest horse in the world today.
Enter Hot Rod Charlie. Boat Racing, LLC is a minority ownership group of Hot Rod Charlie, with O'Neill, Higgins, Quoyeser, Giovacchini, and Armagost considering "Chuck" their sixth brother.
By winning the 2021 Louisiana Derby and setting a new course record in the process, Hot Rod Charlie clinched a spot in the 2021 Kentucky Derby, thrusting himself onto the national stage.
Under the trainer of Patrick's uncle, Doug, and jockey Flavien Prat, Hot Rod Charlie crossed the line third at the Kentucky Derby, eventually being awarded second after the disqualification of winner, Medina Spirit. Chuck also went on to capture second place at the Belmont Stakes, by then having already cemented himself as a household name in the world of horse racing.
"Chuck is once in a lifetime," O'Neill said. "I still pinch myself when I think of the numbers. There are 20,000 thoroughbred horses born each year in the U.S., and 20 get to run the Kentucky Derby. Everyone person in this sport dreams to run in the Kentucky Derby and many extremely wealthy individuals even try buy their way in, so it's almost impossible, and the fact that Chuck made it is incredible. We love the industry and want to see it succeed. We're happy to provide a new sense of energy, a different perspective, as well as youth and exuberance to an industry that has been pretty old school historically."
The boys of Boat Racing, LLC unite themselves through many of their past experiences, with elements of their friendship and brotherhood driving everything that they do.
Today the group owns four additional horses, with one of their names being Chicken Finger Friday (officially due to a limit on characters "ChicknFingerFriday") after the ever-popular promotion at "The Ratty", the campus' main dining hall. Another horses' name comes directly from Brown Athletics in Win The Day, a homage to one of the sayings echoed by head strength and conditioning coach, Brandon O'Neall.
So, where does the name "Boat Racing" come from you ask?
With Theta Delta Chi being one of the pieces that joins the group together outside of football, Boat Racing, LLC is a nod to the popular drinking relay race that ties back to the fraternity.
While O'Neill has a long family history in horse racing, it was not something he was considering getting involved with when he came to Brown as a student in the fall of 2011, at least not right away.
"I was told very early on by my dad to never mix career and horses," O'Neill said. "I followed it as a family business and was a cheerleader for my uncle, but I never thought I'd get into that sport until I had made it financially later in my life. I had all focus on having a successful business career."
Indeed, owning thoroughbred horses is a side passion for all the members of Boast Racing, LLC. O'Neill concentrated in environmental engineering with the BEO track at Brown. Today, he oversees group strategy for a private equity backed apparel company in Southern California.
"All five of us have tried and true careers and, knock on wood, are doing extremely well, which makes me so proud to call them friends and brothers," O'Neill said.
Despite their success, Boat Racing, LLC has not taken out any of the money they've won from Hot Rod Charlie. Instead, they've funneled it back into horseracing, and particularly to charitable causes, namely the Melanoma Research Alliance (MRA), helping to fight the disease that claimed one of Patrick's uncles at age 38, as well as his father shortly after Patrick graduated from Brown.
"Every dollar we've gotten from Charlie we have put right back into it, whether it has been a charity or even into purchasing more horses to continue supporting the sport," he added.
Born to a Filipino, Hawaiian mother, and a Caucasian father, Patrick grew up in Hawaii after moving from Southern California as a child in 2001. Patrick credits that move, and the island's diversity and values for helping to shape him today. He also has similar feelings about his move to the East Coast to attend Brown.
"I always felt like that move to Hawaii made me a better human," O'Neill said. "Orange County was a great place to grow up, but in terms of diversity it certainly didn't have that. Hawaii is a melting pot of cultures, it's very family oriented, and has great values. Deep down I feel like it grounded and humbled me, and I needed that looking back."
After starring as a two-sport captain in both basketball and football, alongside future Notre Dame star and Chargers draft pick, Manti Te'o, O'Neill decided to use his football prowess to find his way to school out East.
"I visited and fell in love with the campus, I thought Coach Estes and Coach Kelleher were salt of the Earth humans, I trusted them and it just felt right on my recruiting visit," O'Neill said of his first trip to Brown. I also loved the idea of the open curriculum. I didn't know what I really wanted coming out of high school, which is why I did the business track, but also did environmental engineering. Funny enough, I also took an African dance class with a couple of the guys. I tend to be all over the place with interests and love the idea of exploring, so the curriculum really fit me.
"Brown was instrumental," O'Neill said. "Just being exposed to the international community that Brown offers and being exposed to the different types of people and athletics, was great for my growth. I didn't know this at the time, but one thing I took away from the university experience was the ability to learn how to learn. I don't think there's a better institution in the world that allows you to take a concept, break it down and really grasp what the meat of it is and apply it to the real world in a functional way. I think the open curriculum and the way they structure classes really focuses in on that, so you just become a much better thinker.
"I'm very appreciate of my Brown experience and I'm appreciative of all the different professors, and coaches, that expanded my ability to learn."
BROWN UNIVERSITY SPORTS FOUNDATION
The Brown University Sports Foundation (BUSF) is the lifeblood of the athletics program, and exists to enhance the student-athlete experience through philanthropic support from alumni, parents, fans and friends. A gift through the Sports Foundation makes an immediate impact on today's Brown Bears and helps them to be their best in the classroom, in competition and most importantly in the community. To learn more about supporting the Bears, please click here.
FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL
For the latest on Brown Athletics, please follow @BrownAthletics on Twitter, @BrownAthletics on Instagram, like /BrownAthletics on Facebook and subscribe to the BrownAthletics YouTube channel.
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