Charles Whittingham Stakes

The Charles Whittingham Stakes is a Grade II American Thoroughbred horse race for horses age three years old and older over a distance of 1+1⁄4 miles on the turf held annually in late May at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California, USA. The event currently carries a purse of $225,000.

Charles Whittingham Stakes

Class	Grade II
Location	Santa Anita Park Arcadia, California, USA
Inaugurated	1969 as Hollywood Park Invitational Handicap at Hollywood Park
Race type	Thoroughbred - Flat racing
Website	santaanita.com
Race information
Distance	1+1⁄4 miles (10 furlongs)
Surface	Turf
Track	Left-handed
Qualification	Three-year-olds and older
Weight	Base weights with allowances: 4-year-olds and up: 126 lbs. 3-year-olds: 130 lbs.
Purse	$225,000 (2022)

History

The event was inaugurated in 1969 as the Hollywood Invitational Handicap over a distance of 1+1⁄2 miles on the turf.^[1]

The event was run at a distance of a 1+1⁄2 miles from 1969 to 1987 and recently 2015. From 1989 until 1998, the race was named the Hollywood Turf Handicap.^[2]

In 1999 the event was renamed to Charles Whittingham Handicap and in 2003 to Charles Whittingham Memorial Handicap in honor of the U.S. Racing Hall of Fame trainer Charlie Whittingham (1913–1999) who saddled many memorable winners at Hollywood Park and whose seven victories in the Hollywood Invitational Turf Handicap race was the most for any trainer. It had been equaled since.

In 2014 when Hollywood Park Racetrack closed the race was moved to Santa Anita Park and renamed to it current name.^[2]

Originally a Grade I event, the event was downgraded in 2013 to Grade II.^[2]

Records

Time record: (at current distance of 1+1⁄4 miles)

• 1:57.75 - Bien Bien (1993)

Most wins:

• 3 - Acclamation (2010, 2011, 2012)
• 3 - John Henry (1980, 1981, 1984)

Most wins by an owner:

• 3 - Dotsam Stable (1980, 1981, 1984)

Most wins by a jockey:

• 6 - Gary Stevens (1991, 1992, 1994, 2003, 2015, 2017)

Most wins by a trainer:

• 7 - Charles Whittingham (1970, 1971, 1976, 1978, 1982, 1983, 1987)
• 7 - Neil Drysdale (1985, 1988, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2008, 2014)
• 7 - Robert J. Frankel (1973, 1979, 1991, 1992, 1999, 2002, 2009)

Winners

Year	Winner	Age	Jockey	Trainer	Owner	Time	Purse	Grade
Charles Whittingham Stakes
2022	Beyond Brilliant	4	Victor Espinoza	John Shirreffs	C R K Stable	1:58.72	$226,000	II
2021	Award Winner	5	Juan J. Hernandez	David E. Hofmans	Amerman Racing	1:59.27	$194,000	II
2020	United	5	Flavien Prat	Richard E. Mandella	LNJ Foxwoods	2:00.34	$200,500	II
2019	Marckie's Water	5	T. J. Pereira	Richard Baltas	Little Red Feather Racing & Norman Tavares	2:00.95	$200,000	II
2018	Itsinthepost	6	Julien Leparoux	Jeff Mullins	Red Baron's Barn LLC	2:02.10	$200,000	II
2017	Ashleyluvssuger	6	Gary Stevens	Peter Eurton	Alesia, Sharon, Bran Jam Stable / Ciaglia Racing	1:58.49	$200,000	II
2016	Si Sage (FR)	6	Mike E. Smith	James M. Cassidy	Red Baron's Barn/Rancho Temescal/Vayaconsuerte	1:59.48	$200,000	II
2015	Ashleyluvssugar	4	Gary Stevens	Peter Eurton	Bran Jam Stable/Ciaglia Racing	2:30.10	$200,000	II
2014	Fire With Fire	6	Tyler Baze	Neil Drysdale	David Heerensperger	2:00.92	$200,000	II
Charles Whittingham Memorial Handicap
2013	Tale of a Champion	5	Joseph Talamo	Kristin Mulhall	Kretz Racing	2:01.27	$200,000	II
2012	Acclamation	6	Patrick Valenzuela	Donald Warren	Peter & Mary Hilvers	2:01.50	$250,000	I
2011	Acclamation	5	Joe Talamo	Donald Warren	Johnstons/Hilvers	2:00.18	$250,000	I
2010	Acclamation	4	C. S. Reyes	Donald Warren	Ellwood B. & Elizabeth E. Johnston	1:59.45	$250,000	I
2009	Midships	4	Victor Espinoza	Robert J. Frankel	Juddmonte Farms	2:00.51	$300,000	I
2008	Artiste Royal	7	David Flores	Neil D. Drysdale	David & Jill Heerensperger	1:59.99	$300,000	I
2007	After Market	4	Alex Solis	John Shirreffs	Pam & Martin Wygod	1:58.77	$300,000	I
2006	Lava Man	5	Corey Nakatani	Douglas F. O'Neill	STD Racing/Jason Wood	2:00.29	$300,000	I
2005	Sweet Return	5	Alex Solis	Ron McAnally	Red Oak Stable	2:01.35	$350,000	I
2004	Sabiango	6	Tyler Baze	Bob Baffert	Monty Roberts	2:01.52	$350,000	I
2003	Storming Home	5	Gary Stevens	Neil D. Drysdale	Sheikh Maktoum	2:00.66	$350,000	I
Charles Whittingham Handicap
2002	Denon	4	Garrett Gomez	Robert J. Frankel	Edmund A. Gann	2:01.47	$350,000	I
2001	Bienamado	5	Chris McCarron	J. Paco Gonzalez	Trudy McCaffery, John Toffan, Robert Sangster	1:59.34	$350,000	I
2000	White Heart	5	Kent Desormeaux	Neil D. Drysdale	Sheikh Mohammed	2:00.83	$300,000	I
1999	River Bay	6	Alex Solis	Robert J. Frankel	Chalhoub Stable	2:00.66	$400,000	I
Hollywood Turf Handicap
1998	Storm Trooper	5	Kent Desormeaux	Henry Cecil	Prince Fahd Salman	2:03.05	$400,000	I
1997	Rainbow Dancer	6	Alex Solis	Jenine Sahadi	Evergreen Farms	2:00.09	$400,000	I
1996	Sandpit	7	Corey Nakatani	Richard Mandella	Sierra Thoroughbreds	1:59.40	$500,000	I
1995	Earl of Barking	5	Goncalino Almeida	Richard L. Cross	Henry E. Pabst	1:59.78	$500,000	I
1994	Grand Flotilla	7	Gary Stevens	Jenine Sahadi	Mike Sloan	1:59.26	$500,000	I
1993	Bien Bien	4	Chris McCarron	J. Paco Gonzalez	Caffery & Toffan	1:57.75	$500,000	I
1992	Quest for Fame	5	Gary Stevens	Robert J. Frankel	Juddmonte Farms	1:58.99	$500,000	I
1991	Exbourne	5	Gary Stevens	Robert J. Frankel	Juddmonte Farms	2:00.10	$500,000	I
1990	Steinlen	7	José A. Santos	D. Wayne Lukas	Wildenstein Stables	2:03.00	$500,000	I
1989	Great Communicator	6	Ray Sibille	Thad Ackel	Class Act Stable (George Ackel)	1:59.40	$500,000	I
Hollywood Invitational Handicap
1988	Political Ambition	4	Ed Delahoussaye	Neil D. Drysdale	Clover Racing Stable et al.	1:58.60	$300,000	I
1987	Rivlia	5	Chris McCarron	Charles Whittingham	Narvick International	2:24.20	$300,000	I
1986	Flying Pidgeon	5	Santiago Soto	Luis Olivares	C. Daparma/Flying "M" Acres	2:27.00	$300,000	I
1985	Both Ends Burning	5	Ed Delahoussaye	Neil D. Drysdale	Burdett-Coutts & Nelson	2:25.00	$300,000	I
1984	John Henry	9	Chris McCarron	Ron McAnally	Dotsam Stable	2:25.00	$300,000	I
1983	Erins Isle	5	Laffit Pincay, Jr.	Charles Whittingham	Brian Sweeney	2:25.80	$300,000	I
1982	Exploded	5	Laffit Pincay, Jr.	Charles Whittingham	Bradley/Chandler/Whittingham	2:25.20	$300,000	I
1981	John Henry	6	Laffit Pincay, Jr.	Ron McAnally	Dotsam Stable	2:27.80	$200,000	I
1980	John Henry	5	Darrel McHargue	Ron McAnally	Dotsam Stable	2:25.40	$200,000	I
1979	Johnny's Image	4	Sandy Hawley	Robert J. Frankel	Edmund A. Gann & Meryl Ann Tanz	2:25.20	$200,000	I
1978	Exceller	5	Bill Shoemaker	Charles Whittingham	Nelson Bunker Hunt	2:25.80	$200,000	I
1977	Vigors	4	Darrel McHargue	Larry J. Sterling	William R. Hawn	2:26.80	$200,000	I
1976	¶Dahlia	6	Bill Shoemaker	Charles Whittingham	Nelson Bunker Hunt	2:26.80	$200,000	I
1975	Barclay Joy	5	Tony Diaz	Tommy Doyle	Barclay Stable	2:27.00		I
1974	Court Ruling	4	William Mahorney	W. Preston King	Milton Polinger	2:27.60		I
1973	Life Cycle	4	Laffit Pincay, Jr.	Robert J. Frankel	Peter E. Blum	2:25.60		I
1972	¶Typecast	6	Jerry Lambert	Tommy Doyle	Fletcher R. Jones	2:25.80
1971	Cougar II	5	Bill Shoemaker	Charles Whittingham	Mary F. Jones	2:26.40
1970	Fiddle Isle	5	Bill Shoemaker	Charles Whittingham	Howard B. Keck	2:25.60
1969	Fort Marcy	5	Manuel Ycaza	J. Elliott Burch	Rokeby Stables	2:27.20

Notes:
¶ Mare