American racehorse trainer (1913–1999)
Charlie Whittingham
Biography cover
Occupation
Trainer Born April 13, 1913
Chula Vista, California , United States Died April 20, 1999(1999-04-20) (aged 86) Career wins 2,534
Santa Anita Handicap (1957, 1967, 1971, 1973, 1975, 1985, 1986, 1993)
Hollywood Derby (1967, 1969, 1986, 1989)
Hollywood Gold Cup (1971, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1978, 1982, 1985, 1987)
Arlington Million (1982, 1986, 1990)
Washington, D.C. International Stakes (1981)
Santa Anita Derby (1987, 1989)
Japan Cup (1991)
American Classics /
Breeders' Cup wins:
Kentucky Derby (1986, 1989)
Preakness Stakes (1989)
Breeders' Cup Classic (1987, 1989)
Eclipse Award for Outstanding Trainer (1971, 1982, 1989)
U.S. Champion Trainer by earnings (1970, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1981, 1982)
United States Racing Hall of Fame (1974)
San Diego Hall of Champions (1993) Charles Whittingham
bust and
Whittingham Memorial Handicap at
Santa Anita Park
Ack Ack ,
Cougar II ,
Dahlia ,
Daryl's Joy ,
Estrapade ,
Exceller ,
Ferdinand ,
Flawlessly ,
Golden Pheasant ,
Goodbye Halo ,
Greinton ,
Kennedy Road ,
Perrault ,
Porterhouse ,
Providential ,
Quack ,
Runaway Groom ,
Strawberry Road ,
Sunday Silence ,
Turkish Trousers
Charles Edward Whittingham (April 13, 1913 – April 20, 1999) was an American
Thoroughbred
race horse
trainer who is one of the most acclaimed trainers in U.S. racing history.
[1]
Early career
Born in
Chula Vista, California , Whittingham began working around race horses at a young age and was eventually taken on as an assistant by Hall of Fame trainer
Horatio Luro . During
World War II , his career was interrupted by service with the
United States Marine Corps . At war's end, he returned as an assistant trainer until 1950, when he set up his own stable to take on the training of horses for various owners. He got his big break when
Liz Whitney Tippett hired him to condition her
Llangollen Farm Stable racing stable. On June 10, 1953, the then forty-year-old Whittingham saddled his first
stakes winner when
Liz Person's
Porterhouse won the
National Stallion Stakes .
[2]
[3] The colt would go on to earn that year's
U.S. Two-year-old colt honors.
[4]
Records and champions
Over his 49 years as a head trainer, Whittingham had 252
stakes wins and became the all-time leading trainer at both
Hollywood Park Racetrack and
Santa Anita Park .
Whittingham trained several champions, including
American Horse of the Year honorees
Ack Ack ,
Ferdinand , and
Sunday Silence . Among others, he trained
Daryl's Joy , champion New Zealand two-year-old, winner in Australia wfa championship W S Cox Plate, Victoria Derby, Oak Tree International (USA),
Cougar II , the 1972 U.S. Champion Turf Horse,
Kennedy Road , the 1983
Canadian Horse of the Year , and for a time,
Exceller . He also trained the champion daughter of
Affirmed ,
Flawlessly . His horses were named Champion Female Turf Horse on four occasions. In 1986, at the age of 73, he became the oldest trainer to win the
Kentucky Derby , then won the prestigious race again three years later. Both Derby-winning horses went on to win the
Breeders' Cup Classic .
He continued to train horses right up to the time of his death at age 86.
Honors
In 1974, Charlie Whittingham was inducted into the
National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame . In 1993, he was also inducted into the Breitbard Hall of Fame in the
San Diego Hall of Champions . He won the
Eclipse Award for Outstanding Trainer in the U.S. in 1971, 1982, and 1989 and
U.S. Champion Trainer by earnings seven times: 1970 to 1973, 1975, 1981, and 1982.
Named in his honor is the
Charles Whittingham Memorial Handicap , a Grade 1 stakes race that was held annually at Hollywood Park and moved to
Santa Anita Park when Hollywood closed. A
bust of Whittingham and his dog Toby is at the paddock at Santa Anita.
Del Mar Race Track has the Whittingham Sports Pub with photos and sports memorabilia honoring Charles Whittingham, and
Hollywood Park Racetrack has the Whittingham Pub and Deli.
Selected other race wins
Futurity Stakes (1953)
Knickerbocker Handicap (1954)
San Carlos Handicap (1955, 1956, 1960, 1971, 1988, 1993)
Arlington Handicap (1956, 1983, 1987)
Californian Stakes (1956, 1957, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1982, 1983, 1985, 1987, 1990)
San Felipe Handicap (1956, 1963, 1966, 1989)
Santa Barbara Handicap (1956, 1964, 1974, 1975, 1976, 1985, 1987)
Woodward Stakes (1956)
San Gabriel Handicap (1957, 1966, 1971, 1977, 1984, 1985, 1997)
San Juan Capistrano Handicap (1957, 1959, 1970, 1971, 1972, 1975, 1978, 1981, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1989)
Santa Maria Handicap (1958, 1972, 1975, 1976, 1978)
San Bernardino Handicap (1960, 1969, 1971, 1973, 1975, 1981, 1983, 1985, 1987, 1989, 1990, 1991)
Del Mar Handicap (1961, 1970, 1971, 1976, 1987, 1989, 1990)
American Derby (1962)
San Vicente Handicap (1962, 1966, 1967, 1976)
Sam Marcos Handicap (1963, 1969, 1971, 1975, 1977, 1981, 1984, 1985)
Santa Catalina Stakes (1964, 1970, 1986, 1988)
Top Flight Handicap (1964)
Charles H. Strub Stakes (1967, 1975, 1989)
John C. Mabee Handicap (1968, 1975, 1976, 1980, 1981, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994)
San Luis Obispo Handicap (1968, 1971, 1972 (2), 1977, 1983, 1987, 1990)
Del Mar Oaks (1970, 1971, 1975, 1979, 1982, 1986, 1991)
San Luis Rey Handicap (1970, 1975, 1977, 1982, 1983, 1985, 1986, 1988, 1989)
Hollywood Invitational Turf Handicap (1970, 1971, 1976, 1978, 1982, 1983, 1987)
Frank E. Kilroe Mile Handicap (1971, 1972, 1977, 1978, 1982, 1986, 1987)
Santa Anita Oaks (1971, 1973, 1974, 1986)
Norfolk Stakes (1972, 1977, 1980)
Chula Vista Handicap (1973, 1980, 1987, 1989)
Beverly Hills Handicap (1973, 1974, 1975, 1977, 1978, 1986, 1988, 1989, 1992, 1993)
Sunset Handicap (1973, 1974, 1976, 1978, 1979, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1987, 1992)
Fantasy Stakes (1974, 1984, 1988)
Hawthorne Handicap (1974, 1976)
Santa Ana Handicap (1974, 1981, 1985, 1987)
Hollywood Turf Cup Stakes (1981, 1989, 1991)
Yellow Ribbon Stakes (1981, 1982, 1985, 1994)
Goodwood Handicap (1984, 1985, 1987, 1990, 1991)
John Henry Handicap (1986, 1989, 1990)
Providencia Stakes (1986, 1988)
Longacres Mile Handicap (1987)
Kentucky Oaks (1988)
Super Derby (1989)
References
^ Joseph Durso,
"Charlie Whittingham, 86, California Horse Trainer, Dies" , New York Times , April 21, 1999.
^
"Porterhouse Takes National Stallion Stakes by a Neck at Belmont" . New York Times, Section Sports, page 40. 1953-06-11. Retrieved 2020-03-07 .
^
"The Inside Track - Racing To History" .
NTRA . 2011-06-10. Retrieved 2020-03-07 .
^
The Bloodhorse.com Champion's history charts
Archived September 4, 2012, at the
Wayback Machine
Further reading
External links