GRADE I WINNER GOLD PHOENIX, LAST YEAR’S WINNER OFFLEE NAUGHTY AMONG 8 SET FOR SATURDAY’S GII, $200,000 CHARLES WHITTINGHAM STAKES PRESENTED BY FANDUEL TV

The 1 ¼-mile turf test for older horses is part of an 11-race card at Santa Anita Early First Post Time Set For 12:30 p.m.

ARCADIA, CA. (May 1, 2024)—Last year’s winner Offlee Naughty and Grade I winner Gold Phoenix are among the leading principals in a field of eight set for Saturday’s GII, $200,000 Charles Whittingham Stakes presented by FanDuel TV.

The 1 ¼-mile turf test, which goes at approximately 4:37 p.m., is part of an 11-race card at Santa Anita on Kentucky Derby Day.

Offlee Naughty and Gold Phoenix will both be making their second starts of the year. Offlee Naughty returned from a nearly six-month layoff March 29 and was an even third in the GIII San Luis Rey Stakes going 1 ½ miles March 23 at Santa Anita. He finished three lengths back of winner Missed the Cut and 1 ¾-lengths behind runner-up Planetario, who also returns in the Whittingham.

Trained by Michael McCarthy, Offlee Naughty beat Planetario by a length when winning last year’s Whittingham. He returned five weeks later to win the San Luis Rey before tailing off the second half of the season.

A 6-year-old horse by Flashback, Offlee Naughty is 21: 5-2-2 with $403,645 in earnings for owners James Daniell and Donna Daniell.

Gold Phoenix returned from five-month layoff April 4 and was a disappointing ninth in the GIII American going a mile on turf at Santa Anita. Trained by Phil D’Amato, Gold Phoenix last year won the GI Frank E. Kilroe Mile at Santa Anita and both the GII Eddie Read and GII Del Mar Handicap at the Del Mar summer meet.

Both Gold Phoenix and Offlee Naughty were ridden in their comebacks last month by Juan Hernandez, Santa Anita’s perennial leading rider. Hernandez stays aboard Offlee Naughty on Saturday with hot-riding Kyle Frey taking the call on Gold Phoenix.

Gold Phoenix is owned by Little Red Feather Racing, Sterling Stables and Marsha Naify. The 6-year-old Ireland-bred gelding by Belardo is 18: 6-3-3 with $1,222,257 in earnings.

Planetario had the lead at the eighth pole of the San Luis Rey but was overhauled late by Missed the Cut. In his only previous start this year Planetario was also second behind Missed the Cut in the GIII San Marcos at 1 ¼ miles Feb. 10 at Santa Anita.

Planetario is trained by Richard Mandella and will have regular rider Hector Berrios in the irons. Bred in Brazil, the 6-year-old horse by Cape Town stallion Il Doge last year won both the GIII San Juan Capistrano in June at Santa Anita and GII Hollywood Turf Cup in November at Santa Anita.

Planetario is owned by Red Rafa Stud. He is 17: 7-3-0 with $306,548 in earnings.

For the first time this year, the winner of the Whittingham will receive an automatic berth in England’s historic GI Coral-Eclipse Stakes July 6 at Sandown Park. The reward, which also includes travel incentives, is part of a new agreement between 1/ST Racing and the British Jockey Club. The winner of the 1 ¼-mile Eclipse will also earn an automatic berth in this fall’s GII, $750,000 California Crown John Henry Turf Championship Sept. 28 at Santa Anita.

THE GII WHITTINGHAM WITH JOCKEYS & WEIGHTS IN POST POSITION ORDER

Race 7 of 11 Approximate post time 4:37 p.m. PT

1. Offlee Naughty – Juan Hernandez – 122
2. Balladeer – Drayden Van Dyke – 122
3. Gold Phoenix – Kyle Frey – 122
4. Dicey Mo Chara – Jeremy Laprida – 120
5. Planetario – Hector Berrios – 124
6. War At Sea – Mike Smith – 122
7. Rockemperor – Victor Espinoza – 120
8. Prince Abama – Geovanni Franco - 120

With Saturday being Kentucky Derby Day, first post time at Santa Anita is 12:30 p.m.