Phil D’Amato has trio in Whittingham Stakes

On May 2, 2024By Vaseline

Offlee Naughty and jockey John Velazquez captured the Charles Whittingham Stakes on April 8, 2023 at Santa Anita. (Benoit photo)

SANTA ANITA LEADERS

(Until Thursday)

Jockeys / wins

Kyle Frey / 8

Umberto Rispoli / 7

Antonio Fresu / 5

Hector Berrios / 4

Juan Hernández / 4

Edwin Maldonado/4

Trainers / wins

Jeff Mullins / 4

George Papaprodromou / 4

Mark Glatt / 4

Librado Barocio / 4

Richard Baltas / 3

Bob Baffert / 3

Bob Hessen / 3

Peter Molenaar / 3

Peter Euroton / 3

Phil D’Amato / 3

WEEKEND Stakes

SANTA ANITA

Saturday

• $200,000, Class II Charles Whittingham Stakes, 4-year-olds and over, 1 1/4 miles on grass

Sunday

• $100,000, Class III Senorita Stakes, 3-year-old filly, approximately 6 1/2 furlongs on turf

LOS ALAMITOS

Saturday

• $35,000 La Pacifica Handicap, 3-year-old quarter-horse fillies, 350 yards

Sunday

• $60,000 Miss Princess Handicap, quarter-horse fillies, 3 years and over, 350 yards

AT THE BOTTOM OF THE STRETCH

• Phil D’Amato and Michael McCarthy, who train Kentucky Derby runners Stronghold and Endlessly, are also contenders in the Charlie Whittingham Stakes at Santa Anita on Saturday. D’Amato sends out Gold Phoenix, Prince Abama and West Coast newcomer Rockemperor, while McCarthy leads 2023 Whittingham winner Offlee Naughty. Racing starts earlier than normal at 12:30 p.m., leaving time for a gap in the Santa Anita race for the Derby at 3:57 p.m.

• Aside from the Derby, the Californians will feature prominently in several stakes on Churchill Downs’ big money cards Friday and Saturday. The Val Brinkerhoff-trained Where’s My Ring is the only West Coast filly in Friday’s $1.5 million, Grade I Kentucky Oaks. D’Amato has contenders Elm Drive and Tony Ann in Friday’s $400,000, Grade III Unbridled Sidney Stakes, and morning favorite Motorious in Saturday’s $600,000, Grade II Twin Spiers Turf Sprint. McCarthy’s best chance Saturday comes from Three Witches in the $1 million, Grade II Derby City Distaff. Richard Baltas has Ag Bullet in Saturday’s $750,000, Grade II Churchill Distaff Turf Mile after scratching the Unbridled Sidney. Doug O’Neill attempts the $600,000, Grade II Pat Day Mile with Vlahos on Saturday after a highly regarded debut victory.

• The first two-year-old race of the Santa Anita season is a 4½-furlong sprint for California-bred horses on Friday. Jeff Bonde led trainers with three wins by debuting 2-year-olds at this competition in 2023 and brought Mr. Machupicchu in.

• Los Alamitos’ La Pacifica Handicap on Saturday features In The Mode, Checkn Cartel and Market Analysis, who ran fourth, sixth and seventh behind Asscher last time out in the Los Alamitos Oaks.

• Del Mar announced its betting schedule for the season that runs from Saturday, July 20 through Sunday, September 8. Six Grade Is include the Bing Crosby Stakes on Saturday, July 27; Pacific Classic on Saturday, August 31 and Del Mar Futurity on the final day.

• Golden Gate Fields fans had something to cheer about Saturday when local horse Lammas and jockey Irving Orozco won the Grade III San Francisco Mile. Trained at Golden Gate by Manuel Badilla, 7-year-old Lammas defeated a half-dozen Santa Anita invaders for $21.60. It was the last ranking at the Albany, California, circuit, which closes for good on June 9. The last few weeks will be a struggle; Golden Gate canceled the Friday races for the second time in three weeks due to a shortage of entries.

• Jockey Jon Court, 63, said he will retire when the Oaklawn Park meet in Arkansas ends Sunday. Court ranks 67th all-time with 4,263 wins and became the oldest person to race in the Kentucky Derby in 2019. He raced in Southern California from 2004 to 2008, including two Class I victories with Leroidesanimaux.

—Kevin Modesti