After wasted Dubai journey, United will target Whittingham Stakes in May

United, the leading horse in distance turf races in California, may have his next start in the Grade 2 Charles Whittingham Stakes on May 23 at Santa Anita after the cancellation of the Dubai World Cup program in the United Arab Emirates on Saturday.

Trainer Richard Mandella said United and the 3-year-old Tizamagician, who was scheduled to start in the Group 3 UAE Derby on Saturday, were scheduled to be flown from Dubai to New York early Thursday. They will be put in quarantine before being sent to California.

United, second to 2019 Horse of the Year Bricks and Mortar in the Breeders’ Cup Turf at Santa Anita last November, was a candidate for the $6 million Sheema Classic on Saturday.

Mandella said the situation surrounding Tizamagician and United is unique in that they were shipped overseas, but did not start. He said he is hopeful that they can rebound quickly from the journey.

:: To stay up to date, follow us on: Facebook | Instagram | Twitter

“We’ll have to see how they come out of it,” he said. “I’ve had them come home after they’ve raced there, but I’ve never had them go over there and just school in the paddock.

“If they’re anything like they were when they left, they should be in excellent shape. We won’t throw them into a race in a week.”

United has won 4 of 12 starts and earned $1,013,549.

The $200,000 Whittingham Stakes is run at 1 1/4 miles on turf. Owned by Larry, Nancy, and Jaime Roth, the 5-year-old United won the Grade 2 San Marcos Stakes at 1 1/4 miles on turf on Feb. 1 at Santa Anita in his only start this year.

Saturday, Mandella plans to start Dogtag and Siberian Iris in the Grade 3 Santa Ana Stakes for fillies and mares at 1 1/4 miles on turf, the lone graded stakes at Santa Anita this weekend. The $100,000 Santa Ana Stakes would be the first start for Siberian Iris since a third in the Grade 3 Astra Stakes on Jan. 19 at Santa Anita.

Wednesday, Siberian Iris worked a half-mile in 50 seconds.

Dogtag, who won the Hilltop Stakes at Pimlico last May when trained by Chad Brown, was second in an allowance race with a $62,500 claiming option on March 8, her first start for Mandella.