Ashleyluvssugar, Prime Attraction Battle in Whittingham

A wide-open edition of the $200,000 Charles Whittingham Stakes (G2T) features seven older horses navigating 10 furlongs over the Santa Anita Park turf May 25. There is no obvious favorite as none of the entrants show overly-impressive recent form.

Prime Attraction is the most recent graded stakes winner, and that victory not only came 18 months ago, it occurred on the main track when he won the Native Diver Stakes (G3) at Del Mar in November 2017. The James Cassidy trainee did run third, beaten just a neck, in the Eddie Read Stakes (G2T) at Del Mar last summer, but hasn't shown great consistency, and was a distant 12th last out in the Old Forrester Turf Classic (G1T) at Churchill Downs.

Ashleyluvssugar may have lost a step, but still looks like a contender here. The 8-year-old trained by Peter Eurton won the Whittingham two years ago but has dropped 11 consecutive decisions since then, although he ran well to be second last September at Del Mar in the John Henry Turf Classic (G2T). He and Prime Attraction are the most likely pacesetters in this event.

Marckie's Water enters off an allowance optional claiming score in late April at nine grassy furlongs, and he's been competitive in graded stakes without having broken through in one. He could be a threat from just off the pace or mid-pack, and has won at the distance. 

Ya Gotta Wanna hasn't won since going on a three-race victory streak in early 2018, all coming on the Santa Anita turf at a flat mile. He has finished second, third, fourth, and sixth in grade 2 company but has not threatened in four tries at the distance.

Lightly raced United won at a mile over the Santa Anita grass in April in allowance optional claiming company two back but fell short in a second level allowance optional claiming heat earlier this month. He will be stretching out here, but could like that, being a son of Giant's Causeway.

Tizzarunner is another who hasn't visited the winner's circle in awhile, since late 2017. He has experience at 10 and 12 furlongs although he lacks a competitive finish at those distances. 

 

Entries: Charles Whittingham S. (G2T)

Santa Anita Park, Saturday, May 25, 2019, Race 7

• Grade II
• 1 1/4m
• Downhill turf
• $200,000
• 3 yo's & up
• 4:03 PM (local)

PP	Horse	Jockey	Wgt	Trainer	M/L
1	1Prime Attraction (KY)	Kent J. Desormeaux	121	James M. Cassidy	3/1
2	2Morse Code (KY)	Edwin A. Maldonado	121	Richard Baltas	12/1
3	3Marckie's Water (CA)	Tiago Josue Pereira	121	Richard Baltas	5/2
4	4Ya Gotta Wanna (KY)	Aaron T. Gryder	121	Philip D'Amato	8/1
5	5United (KY)	Flavien Prat	121	Richard E. Mandella	6/1
6	6Tizzarunner (MD)	Drayden Van Dyke	121	Michael W. McCarthy	7/2
7	7Ashleyluvssugar (CA)	Brice Blanc	121	Peter Eurton	4/1