Divine Oath ships in for Charles Whittingham
ARCADIA, Calif. – Aside from the multiple stakes winner Finnegans Wake, there is little quality to the California turf-marathon division this year. There are not many runners in the group, either.
Only five horses were entered for Sunday’s $200,000 Charles Whittingham Stakes at 1 1/2 miles on turf at Santa Anita, and one of them is from out of town – Divine Oath, the multiple stakes winner trained in New York by Todd Pletcher. The field does not include Finnegans Wake, who is scheduled to start in the $1 million Manhattan Stakes at Belmont Park on June 6, trainer Peter Miller said on Thursday.
Instead, Ashleyluvssugar, the winner of the Grade 2 San Luis Rey Stakes in March, and Ganesh, second in the Grade 3 Last Tycoon Stakes on April 25, are the leading contenders, along with Divine Oath.
Charles Whittingham, race 3
KEY CONTENDERS
Ashleyluvssugar (Last 3 Beyers: 103-91-72)
◗ Ashleyluvssugar scored a career-best win in the San Luis Rey Stakes at 1 1/2 miles and was promptly benched by trained Peter Eurton. Ashleyluvssugar was held out of the Last Tycoon Stakes for the Whittingham, with the goal of having Ashleyluvssugar sharp for the $150,000 San Juan Capistrano Stakes at about 1 3/4 miles on turf June 28, Eurton said.
“I’ve always wanted to win the San Juan Capistrano,” Eurton said. “I didn’t think I could run in all four.”
◗ Ashleyluvssugar raced at 1 1/2 miles for the first time in the San Luis Rey, closing from off the pace. The Whittingham does not have a confirmed front-runner. Ashleyluvssugar raced near the front in an optional claimer at 1 1/8 miles on turf in February and could be near the front in this race.
Ganesh (Last 2 Beyers: 88-89)
◗ Ganesh won three consecutive group stakes from July to September in Argentina, including the Group 1 General San Martin at about 1 1/2 miles on turf.
◗ Trained by Richard Mandella, Ganesh was fifth in the Thunder Road Stakes at a mile on turf in his American debut April 4 and was beaten 3 1/4 lengths by Si Sage in the Last Tycoon Stakes at 1 1/4 miles on turf.
“I was happy with that,” Mandella said. “He finished well.”
◗ The longer distance of Sunday’s race should suit Ganesh, a 6-year-old with seven career wins.
“That’s what I think he wants,” Mandella said.
Divine Oath (Last 3 Beyers: 95-94-95)
◗ Divine Oath is winless in three starts since the Grade 3 W.L. McKnight Handicap at 1 1/2 miles on turf at Gulfstream Park last December. A 4-year-old, Divine Oath was a fast-closing third in the Grade 2 Twilight Derby here last October, his only career start in California.
DRF FORMULATOR FACT: No. 1 Divine Oath. Trainer Todd Pletcher is 13-0-1-2 over the past five years in turf races in Southern California. Click for more details. – Mike Hogan
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Going Somewhere (First U.S. start)
◗ Going Somewhere won the Group 1 Carlos Pellegrini in Argentina in 2012, the most prestigious race in South America. Going Somewhere was then sent to France, where he was winless in 11 stakes in 2013 and 2014, including a ninth in the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe in Paris in 2013.
◗ Last year, Going Somewhere made eight starts, with his best result a second in a minor race at 1 15/16 miles in April. Going Somewhere joined trainer Neil Drysdale’s stable last winter.
DRF FORMULATOR FACT: No. 2 Crucero. Trainer Keith Desormeaux is 44-1-3-5 with a $0.55 ROI over the past five years in turf races in Southern California. Click for more details. – Mike Hogan