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Mandella: United Exits Dull Whittingham Effort With Throat Irritation

United, a disappointing fourth and last beaten almost five lengths as the 3-10 favorite in Saturday's Grade 2 Charles Whittingham Stakes at Santa Anita in Arcadia, Calif., came out of the race well except for “a little bit of a sore throat,” Richard Mandella said Sunday morning.

“That's all we could really find,” the trainer said. “Other than that, he looks good. The horse was never in the race like he usually is.”

Comments in the Equibase chart noted United “never responded.”

“I'm hoping he's not getting sick,” Mandella said, “but he looks fine this morning, although he does have some irritation in his throat.”

Mandella was understandably proud of the 8-year-old War Front gelding Bombard winning the Grade 3 Daytona Stakes Saturday by 1 ¼ lengths as the 7-10 favorite, but had no immediate plans for his next race.

“We're shopping, trying to figure the next one out,” he said.

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Improving Award Winner Posts Charles Whittingham Upset; United Last As Favorite

With heavily favored United in deep water turning for home, Saturday's Grade 2, $200,000 Charles Whittingham Stakes at Santa Anita in Arcadia, Calif., boiled down to a pair of longshots – front-running Acclimate and up-and-coming Award Winner.

With Juan Hernandez at the controls, it was the John and Jerry Amerman homebred Award Winner who gradually overhauled the pacesetter and registered the huge head upset. Trained by David Hofmans, Award Winner got a mile and a quarter over Santa Anita's Camino Real Turf Course in 1:59.27.

Breaking from the rail in a field of four with a hillside start, jockey Ricky Gonzalez sent Acclimate to the lead out of the gate and was running strongly throughout, with a restrained Award Winner about three lengths off the lead heading into the far turn. With United laboring in third position, Award Winner set his sights on Acclimate and he gradually gained the advantage late.

“This was a really big win for us,” said Hernandez. “I knew that horse (Acclimate) had a lot of speed, so I let him go and my horse relaxed. I waited until the quarter pole and asked him one time and he really picked it up and made a huge move in the stretch. I was worried about the other horses, but they never touched us.”

A second condition allowance winner at a mile and one quarter on turf March 27, Award Winner, a 5-year-old gelding by Ghostzapper out of the Theatrical mare Devine Actress, was off at 6-1 and paid $15.40 and $7.80 with no show wagering.

Based in the Midwest through last summer, Award Winner made his first start for Hofmans on Jan. 8, a second place finish in a one mile turf allowance. With two wins from four starts at the current meeting, Award Winner is now 17-4-4-1 and with today's winner's purse of $120,000, he increased his earnings to $328,474.

“When he first got here, I didn't think he was gonna like it here,” said Hofmans. “But apparently, he liked it here better than he did back east. Something with the climate here, maybe he likes the warm weather, I don't know. From day-one, he just started blossoming.

“Each week he got stronger, he got heavier, he ate more and he was enjoying his training. I think it's just a change in location, which was important to him. I was so happy when John asked me to take the horse because I wanted to train (Devine Actress's offspring because they are all wonderful. It's kind of a dream come true.”

The lone California-bred in the lineup, Acclimate, a 7-year-old gelding that is trained by Phil D'Amato, ran a sensational race in defeat, finishing 2 1/2 lengths in front of Red King. Off at 9-1, Acclimate paid $12.40 to place.

The prohibitive 1-5 favorite, United never got untracked and checked in last, beaten five lengths with Flavien Prat up.

Fractions on the race were 23.00, 46.66, 1:10.67 and 1:35.34.

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Classy United Faces Just Three Rivals In Charles Whittingham Stakes

Richard Mandella's classy United heads Saturday's Grade 2, $200,000 Charles Whittingham Stakes at Santa Anita as he seeks back to back wins in the race named for the legendary Bald Eagle, who 22 years after his passing, ranks third on Santa Anita's all-time list of stakes winning trainers with 869 added money victories.

The Whittingham, for 3-year-olds and up at a mile and one quarter on turf, has attracted a field of four, with the David Hofmans-trained Award Winner and Phil D'Amato's Red King looming as solid contenders.

Owned by LNJ Foxwoods, United, a 6-year-old gelding by Giant's Causeway, made his first start of the year on March 20 and proved he's certainly not lost a step. Attentive to the pace, he took charge turning for home and prevailed by three quarters of a length over next-out winner Say the Word in the Grade 3 San Luis Rey Stakes at a mile and one half on turf.

A close second in the 2019 Whittingham and a nose winner of last year's renewal, United is no doubt being pointed to a third engagement in the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Turf in November at Del Mar—a race in which he was a close second to eventual Horse of the Year Bricks and Mortar here at Santa Anita in 2019.

A winner of five races, four of them graded stakes, from 10 tries over the local turf, United is 18-8-4-1 overall with earnings of $1,513,549. With leading man Flavien Prat set to ride him for the 13 consecutive time, United will no doubt be a short price to win on Saturday.

Bred in Kentucky by Mrs. Jerry Amerman and owned by Amerman Racing, LLC, Award Winner, a 5-year-old gelding by Ghostzapper, has found a new lease on his racing career since debuting for Hofmans three starts back on Jan. 8. Second in a pair of second condition allowance races at one mile on grass on Jan. 8 and Feb. 13, Award Winner unfurled what appeared to be the best race of his career on March 27.

Off at 7-2 going a mile and one quarter on turf, Award Winner made every pole a winning one in taking a second condition allowance by 2 ½ lengths while earning a career-best 95 Beyer Speed figure under Juan Hernandez, who rides back on Saturday.

A close second in a Grade 3 turf stakes at 1 1/8 miles 10 starts back on July 6, 2019 at Delaware Park, Award Winner will be bidding for his first graded stakes win in what will be his third attempt. With an overall mark of 16-3-4-1, he has earnings of $208,474.

A winner of the Grade 3 San Juan Capistrano Stakes and the Grade 2 Del Mar Handicap in June and August of last year, Red King has solid credentials and will try to make amends for a close third place finish as the 6-5 favorite behind talented California-bred Ward 'n Jerry in a mile and one half turf starter allowance on March 20.

Owned by Little Red Feather Racing, Gordon Jacobsen and Philip Belmonte, Red King, a 7-year-old full horse by English Channel, was claimed for $35,000 15 starts back on Feb. 8, 2019. With regular rider Umberto Rispoli engaged, Red King would benefit from a lively early pace. Out of the A.P. Indy mare Youre Speeding, Red King is 31-7-4-8, with earnings of $447,755.

THE GRADE 2 CHARLES WHITTINGHAM WITH JOCKEYS & WEIGHTS IN POST POSITIN ORDER

Race 7 of 9 Approximate post time 4 p.m. PT

Acclimate—Ricardo Gonzalez—122
Award Winner—Juan Hernandez—122
Red King—Umberto Rispoli—124
United—Flavien Prat–124

First post time for a nine-race card on Saturday is at 1 p.m. For additional information, please visit santaanita.com or call (626) 574-RACE.

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Mandella’s Cup Runneth Over With Memorial Day Weekend Runners At Santa Anita

Memorial Day weekend at Santa Anita could remind Richard Mandella of a Breeders' Cup in miniature.

The Hall of Fame trainer, winner of nine Breeders' Cup races including four of the eight at Santa Anita on Oct. 25, 2003, has 11 nominations to stakes races this holiday weekend starting this Saturday through Memorial Day, Monday, May 31.

He plans to run most of them, two in Grade 1 events on Memorial Day, Royal Ship in the Hollywood Gold Cup with Mike Smith and Dogtag in the Gamely under Umberto Rispoli.

Multiple graded turf stakes winner United goes in the Grade 2 Charles Whittingham on Saturday with regular rider Flavien Prat. “He's doing great,” Mandella said of United, who won the Whittingham by a nose last May.

Winner of eight races with a bankroll surpassing $1.5 million, Mandella refers to the 6-year-old Giant's Causeway gelding as “a big pet” around the barn.

Soothsay, unbeaten in two starts including the Grade 2 Santa Anita Oaks, goes in next Sunday's Grade 2 Summertime Oaks. “She's doing real well,” Mandella said of the bay daughter of Distorted Humor.

Last but not least, Bombard seeks his first graded stakes win in Saturday's Grade 3 Daytona Stakes at 6 ½ furlongs on turf.

“I hope we do the best we can,” Mandella said in anticipation of a successful and prosperous holiday.

Santa Anita presents seven graded stakes on Memorial Day weekend, three of them Grade 1 on May 31: the Hollywood Gold Cup for 3-year-olds and up at a mile and a quarter; the Shoemaker Mile, a Breeders' Cup 'Win and You're In' Challenge Race on turf; and the Gamely for fillies and mares, thr3ee and up at 1 1/8 miles on turf.

Next Saturday's features are the aforementioned Whittingham for 3-year-olds and up at 1 ¼ miles on turf, the Grade 2 Triple Bend Stakes for 4-year-olds and up at seven furlongs, and the Grade 3 Daytona Stakes for 4-year-olds and up at 6 ½ furlongs on turf.

Next Sunday's headliner is the Grade 2 Summertime Oaks at 1 1/16 miles. In all, seven lucrative stakes will be decided over the holiday weekend offering $1.6 million in purse money.

Mandella's four Breeders' Cup winners in 2003 were Action This Day (Juvenile), Halfbridled (Juvenile Fillies), Johar (dead-heat in Turf) and Pleasantly Perfect (Classic).

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