Beyond Brilliant dominates Charles Whittingham

ARCADIA, Calif. - Allowed to dictate the pace, Beyond Brilliant proved impossible to catch in Saturday’s Grade 2 Charles Whittingham Stakes at Santa Anita, recording his first stakes win against older horses.

Beyond Brilliant repelled a brief challenge from Masteroffoxhounds in early stretch before pulling away to win by 1 1/4 lengths, finishing 1 1/4 miles on turf in 1:58.72. Beyond Brilliant earned a Beyer Speed Figure of 99.

The same tactics worked for Beyond Brilliant against fellow 3-year-olds in the Grade 1 Hollywood Derby at 1 1/8 miles on turf at Del Mar last November in the colt’s first stakes win.

“Beyond Brilliant is an exceptional horse,” trainer John Shirreffs said. “When he gets alone on the lead, he’s difficult to pass.”

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Sent off favored in the $226,000 Whittingham Stakes, Beyond Brilliant ($5) set a fair pace of 23.31 seconds for the opening quarter-mile and 47.16 for a half-mile, leading by 1 1/2 lengths over Masteroffoxhounds. The gap was reduced to a half-length with a quarter-mile remaining before Beyond Brilliant pulled away in the final furlong.

“I thought I had him,” said Juan Hernandez, who rode 7-2 Masteroffoxhounds. “Turning for home, my horse accelerated, but his horse accelerated, too.”

Gold Phoenix (7-1) finished third, followed by Gregdar, Dicey Mo Chara, Dean Martini and Majestic Eagle.

Victor Espinoza rode Beyond Brilliant for the second time in the Whittingham Stakes. Espinoza rode Beyond Brilliant to a fourth-place finish in the Grade 1 Frank Kilroe Mile on turf on March 5, a distance Shirreffs said was Beyond Brilliant’s best distance. The Kilroe was Beyond Brilliant’s first start of 2022.

Compared to the Whittingham, Beyond Brilliant set a much quicker pace in the Kilroe Mile, and could not sustain the advantage.

“It was more fun for this race,” Espinoza said. “The thing for him, I need to get him on a nice, relaxed, cruising speed.

“He’s tough to beat when he does that and relaxes without a fight.”

Beyond Brilliant, who is by Twirling Candy, races for Lee and Susan Searing’s CRK Stables. Beyond Brilliant has won 4 of 12 starts and earned $582,280.