Beyond Brilliant Receives Stamina Test in Whittingham

C R K Stable's Beyond Brilliant  has proved well named, becoming a top-level stakes competitor with a victory in the 1 1/8-mile Hollywood Derby (G1T) Nov. 27 at Del Mar and a close fourth-place finish in the one-mile Frank E. Kilroe Mile Stakes (G1T) at Santa Anita Park March 5.

Now he attempts to carry his brilliance over a longer distance in the 1 1/4-mile Charles Whittingham Stakes (G2T) on the Santa Anita Park turf course April 30. The $225,000 race is one of four graded stakes at the Arcadia, Calif., oval on Saturday.

The John Shirreffs trainee should be on or near the early pace in the Whittingham under Victor Espinoza, who rode the 4-year-old son of Twirling Candy   in the Kilroe only to fall just short. Sent to the front, the colt led for more than seven furlongs before passed in the closing furlong by Count Again , Space Traveller , and Subconscious . He finished a length behind victorious Count Again.

Beyond Brilliant posted a career-best 114 Equibase Speed Rating in the Kilroe, in which Count Again scorched a mile on firm turf in 1:33.24. Beyond Brilliant has an overall record of 3-3-2 in 11 starts with earnings of $451,280.

Between taking the Hollywood Derby against strictly 3-year-olds and his fourth in the Kilroe, he ran second in the Santa Anita Mathis Mile Stakes (G2T) Dec. 26. Earlier in 2021, he ran third in the Twilight Derby (G2T).

The Whittingham is an easier race than the Kilroe, drawing six other runners, led by Masteroffoxhounds  and Dicey Mo Chara . The former, trained by Richard Baltas for Rockingham Ranch, finished second in an allowance optional claimer in his lone start of 2022 but took the San Marcos Stakes (G2T) at 1 1/4 miles at Santa Anita in 2021.

In other stakes efforts last year, he ran 11th in the Del Mar Handicap Presented by the Japan Racing Association (G2T), fourth in the Resorts World Casino Manhattan Stakes (G1T), eighth in the Old Forester Bourbon Turf Classic Stakes (G1T), and third in the San Luis Rey Stakes (G3T).

Red Baron's Barn and Rancho Temescal's Dicey Mo Chara, trained by Leonard Powell, cuts back in distance after running second by a half-length in the San Luis Rey over 1 1/2 miles on turf March 12. He was 12th in the Hollywood Derby in his only other stakes appearance.

Leading trainer Phil D'Amato is represented by a pair of runners: Rio Del Sol Stables' Gregdar  and Little Red Feather Racing, Sterling Stables, and Marsha Naify's Gold Phoenix .

David Bernsen's Dean Martini , trained by Peter Eurton, and the Rave Green Racing-owned and Neil Drysdale-trained Majestic Eagle  complete the field.

Entries: Charles Whittingham S. (G2T)

Santa Anita Park, Saturday, April 30, 2022, Race 11

• Grade II
• 1 1/4m
• Downhill turf
• $225,000
• 3 yo's & up
• 6:00 PM (local)

PP	Horse	Jockey	Wgt	Trainer	M/L
1	Gregdar (KY)	Ryan Curatolo	122	Philip D'Amato	-
2	Dean Martini (KY)	Abel Cedillo	122	Peter Eurton	-
3	Majestic Eagle (KY)	Mike E. Smith	122	Neil D. Drysdale	-
4	Dicey Mo Chara (GB)	Drayden Van Dyke	122	Leonard Powell	-
5	Gold Phoenix (IRE)	Kyle Frey	122	Philip D'Amato	-
6	Masteroffoxhounds (KY)	Juan J. Hernandez	122	Richard Baltas	-
7	Beyond Brilliant (KY)	Victor Espinoza	126	John A. Shirreffs	-