Whittington Park, Anejo could have rematch in Carter

OZONE PARK, N.Y. - Whittington Park and Anejo, separated by a half-length in Saturday’s $100,000 Haynesfield Stakes for New York-breds, could meet again in the Grade 2, $250,000 Carter Handicap here on April 6. The Carter was downgraded from a Grade 1 beginning with this year’s running.

Whittington Park ran down Anejo to win the Haynesfield with the winner getting a 99 Beyer Speed Figure and the runner-up a 98. With virtually no stakes options for older New York-bred males until the Commentator at 1 1/8 miles on June 9, the Carter, at seven furlongs, might make sense for both horses.

Marshall Gramm, head of Ten Strike Racing, which owns Whittington Park, said he spoke to his partner Clay Sanders about possible options and both landed on the Carter. Gramm said he would leave the ultimate decision to trainer Jeremiah Englehart.

“I don’t want to go to him and say “hey, Carter next,’ “ Gramm said Sunday. “I sort of want him to come to that conclusion, but I think it’s the right conclusion. Even though it’s run on Wood day, it’s still kind of a winter track and this horse for whatever reason, he just relishes it so that to me is probably the logical spot, but we’ll be curious to see what Jeremiah has to say.”

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Whittington Park, the third stakes winner from the mare See the Forest, came with a strong late run to beat Anejo, who was 5 1/2 lengths in front at the eighth pole. He is now 2 for 2 since coming back off an August layoff.

Anejo, who was making his first start since May, likely made the lead too soon but fought on to the wire and galloped out past Whittington Park after the wire.

O’Neill called the Carter “a strong possibility.”

“He was a little reluctant to switch leads, but I thought it was a great comeback race,” O’Neill said. “He ran a 98 Beyer. It’s insane to run a 98 Beyer and not win. He’s such a cool horse and brings it every time. Grateful to Calumet to let us keep him.”

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