United the Main Attraction in Charlie Whittingham

Dubai's COVID-19-related cancellation of racing is California's gain May 23 when United starts in the $200,000 Charlie Whittingham Stakes (G2T) at Santa Anita Park.

One of California's top long-distance grass horses, United was pointed toward the Longines Dubai Sheema Classic (G1) at Meydan and even traveled there, but that race, like the entire March 28 Dubai World Cup program, was scrapped for safety reasons. So United was flown back to the U.S. with a group of about 20 horses, and the Whittingham became the new target.

"I took him to Dubai to school him," joked Hall of Fame trainer Richard Mandella. "Seriously, he came back well, he's in great shape, and there's not a race I'd rather win than the Whittingham."

The grass marathon is named for the late Charlie Whittingham, the California training legend who, among his many achievements, won the Kentucky Derby with Ferdinand in 1986 and Sunday Silence in 1989. The trainer died at 86 in 1999.

"Whittingham was one of my heroes, but he was everybody's hero," Mandella told Santa Anita publicity.

Second in this race last year as a relatively inexperienced allowance horse, United brings more established form into Saturday's contest, where he will meet Rockemperor, Originaire, Desert Stone, and others. He was victorious Feb. 1 at Santa Anita in the San Marcos Stakes (G2T), which followed a series of close losses last fall when third in the John Henry Turf Championship (G2T) and second in both the Longines Breeders' Cup Turf (G1T) and Hollywood Turf Cup (G2T).

The 5-year-old Giant's Causeway gelding owned by LNJ Foxwoods has worked seven times at Santa Anita since his return from Dubai, most recently blowing out three furlongs in :37 May 20. 

Hot-riding Flavien Prat, who had 10 victories over three days last week after Santa Anita resumed racing, topped by a six-win day May 17, will have the mount.

"He was training great for Dubai, but we weren't able to run and I think he's sitting on a big race here in the Whittingham on Saturday," Prat said.

Saturday's race is filled mostly with locals, except for Rockemperor, a Chad Brown trainee who was shipped from Florida. The 4-year-old son of Holy Roman Emperor is most effective from 1 1/8 miles to 1 1/4 miles on grass, making the mile and a quarter of the Whittingham on Santa Anita's hillside turf course an appropriate fit.

He won at the distance last year in France, one of two wins the colt has from 10 starts. In three starts for Brown after arriving from overseas, he closed for third in the Belmont Derby Invitational Stakes (G1T) at 1 1/4 miles in July, ran a close sixth in the 1 3/16-mile Saratoga Derby Invitational Stakes in August, and this year was third in the 1 1/8-mile Muniz Memorial Classic Stakes (G2T) at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots March 21. 

Irad Ortiz Jr., the Eclipse Award-winning jockey the past two years, will ride the colt owned by the partnership of Madaket Stables, Michael Dubb, Wonder Stables, Michael Kisber, and Bethlehem Stables.

The Whittingham also includes BG Stables' Originaire, a 5 1/4-length second-level allowance winner Feb. 29. The late-running 4-year-old son of Zoffany has not won a stakes race but ran second in the Mathis Brothers Mile Stakes (G2T) Dec. 28 and the Del Mar Derby (G2T) Sept. 1. 

Exiting shorter routes, the Jeff Mullins trainee might not receive as much pace to aid his stretch charge in a race void of speed. 

San Gabriel Stakes (G2T) winner Desert Stone also has the qualifications to contend, though he is also used to rallying in turf races ranging in distance from a mile to 1 1/8 miles.

Longshots Bold Endeavor and Synthesis are others in the Whittingham, which goes as race 8 on a nine-race card that also includes the Daytona Stakes (G3T) for grass sprinters.

Entries: Charles Whittingham S. (G2T)

Santa Anita Park, Saturday, May 23, 2020, Race 8

• Grade II
• 1 1/4m
• Downhill turf
• $200,000
• 3 yo's & up
• 4:00 PM (local)

PP	Horse	Jockey	Wgt	Trainer	M/L
1	Desert Stone (IRE)	Abel Cedillo	126	Richard Baltas	-
2	Multiplier (KY)	Drayden Van Dyke	122	Peter Miller	-
3	Bold Endeavor (KY)	Mike E. Smith	122	George Papaprodromou	-
4	Synthesis (KY)	Geovanni Franco	122	George Papaprodromou	-
5	United (KY)	Flavien Prat	126	Richard E. Mandella	-
6	Originaire (IRE)	UMBERTO RISPOLI	122	Jeff Mullins	-
7	Rockemperor (IRE)	Irad Ortiz, Jr.	122	Chad C. Brown	-