United, Tizamagician progressing well toward Dubai stakes

ARCADIA, Calif. – United, second in the Breeders’ Cup Turf at Santa Anita in November, and Tizamagician, fourth in the Grade 3 Robert B. Lewis Stakes on Feb. 1, are on schedule for stakes on the Dubai World Cup program in the United Arab Emirates on March 28, trainer Richard Mandella said on Thursday.

United worked six furlongs in 1:12.60 at Santa Anita on Thursday, his second workout since his first career stakes win in the Grade 2 San Marcos Stakes at 1 1/4 miles on turf on Feb. 1.

“He seems better than ever,” Mandella said.

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United, owned by Larry, Nancy, and Jaime Roth’s LNJ Foxwoods, is a candidate for the $6 million Sheema Classic at 1 1/2 miles on turf at Meydan.

Tizamagician has received an invitation to the $2.5 million United Arab Emirates Derby at about 1 3/16 miles, Mandella said. Tizamagician was beaten 1 3/4 lengths by Thousand Words in the Lewis Stakes at 1 1/16 miles in his stakes debut and seventh start.

Mandella said the distance of the UAE Derby may work in favor of Tizamagician, a Tiznow colt who races for the MyRacehorse.com partnership and Spendthrift Farm.

The Group 2 UAE Derby is part of the qualifying system for the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs on May 2, offering points to the first four finishers on a 100-40-20-10 scale.

◗ A memorial for Peggy Whittingham, wife of Hall of Fame trainer Charlie Whittingham, will be held on Saturday at 2 p.m. in the clubhouse at Park Del Mar, 645 Solana Circle East in Solana Beach, Calif., not far from Del Mar Racetrack. Peggy Whittingham died on Jan. 28 after a battle with cancer. She would have been 96 on Saturday.