Some may say Charlie Whittingham was one of the best and most well-known horse coach in California historical past.
Whereas that could be true, Whittingham deserves to be seen in a a lot bigger context than a state as giant as California.
Synonymous with the Golden State, Whittingham was arguably one of many biggest trainers within the lengthy and illustrious historical past of American Thoroughbred horse racing.
In a record-breaking profession that spanned practically 50 years, Whittingham gained 2,533 races. His horse earned $109,206,777 however nonetheless ranks twenty eighth.th Regardless of final saddling up his horse on April 18, 1999, simply two days earlier than his demise on the age of 86, he stays on the All-Time Listing till November 9, 2025.
Whittingham, often called “The Bald Eagle,” gained greater than 250 stakes and was the best horse coach of all time at Santa Anita Park and Hollywood Park on the time of his demise.
He raised 11 champions.
He gained the Kentucky Derby twice. The primary to do it was coach Ferdinand in 1986, when he was 73 years outdated and was hailed because the oldest coach to win at Lord’s. Three years later, he did it once more, in the end successful the Derby and Preakness with Horse of the 12 months Sunday Silence. (Notice: Artwork Sherman gained the Derby in 2014 at age 77 with California Chrome, passing Whittingham to turn out to be the oldest coach to win the race.)
He led the nation in purse earnings seven occasions and gained the Eclipse Award as coach of the 12 months 3 times.
It is a lengthy record of accomplishments, however one worthy of a horse coach as revered as Charles E. Whittingham.
Born on April 13, 1913 in Chula Vista, California, Whittingham started his profession as a sizzling walker in Tijuana, Mexico. He obtained his coach’s license in 1934, however was launched to well-known coach Horatio Rullo by actor Bing Crosby, and served as Rullo’s assistant till 1950.
His first nationwide championship was at Porterhouse in 1953, nevertheless it wasn’t his final. Whittingham led Ack Ack to Horse of the 12 months in 1971 and continued to dominate the California scene for greater than 20 years.
The 1974 Corridor of Fame inductee’s resume included 14 wins on the San Juan Capistrano, 9 wins on the Santa Anita Handicap and eight wins on the Hollywood Gold Cup.
As he entered his 70s, one factor noticeably lacking from his resume was his Triple Crown success. That hurdle was cleared in 1986 when jockey Whittingham put Invoice Shoemaker on Ferdinand, and the legendary 54-year-old jockey took Ferdinand from final place in what’s arguably a colourful Derby victory for the ages.
Three years later, Whittingham returned to Churchill Downs with Santa Anita Derby winner Sunday Silence, who was anticipated to path behind the far-favorite Simple Goer. Nevertheless, Whittingham received Sunday Silence in prime situation for his run at Barra, and Sunday Silence beat Simple Gore by two and a half lengths.
Two weeks later within the Preakness Stakes, Sunday Silence defeated Simple Gore once more, this time by a nostril in probably the most thrilling finishes for a Triple Crown winner.
Simple Gore thwarted Sunday Silence’s problem for twelfth place.th Triple Crown winner who gained the Belmont Stakes by eight lengths.
Nevertheless, in November, when the title of Horse of the 12 months was at stake, Sunday Silence held off Simple Gore’s late catch-up and gained the Breeders’ Cup Traditional, which horse racing announcer Tom Durkin described as “the epic of horse racing,” by a large margin. (On this article, we glance again at their conventional rivalry race by race.)
Though he was 76 years outdated on the time of Sunday Silence’s Triple Crown heroics, Whittingham’s profession was removed from over. After Sunday Silence retired, Whittingham went on to win the 1993 Santa Anita Handicap, 1990 Arlington Million, and 1991 Japan Cup.
In his later years, he continued to coach whereas battling leukemia, the illness that in the end claimed the beloved Corridor of Famer’s life in 1999.
Twenty-six years later, he stays one of many sport’s most well-known and fondly remembered trainers in California and all 49 different states.
Editor’s word: This text has been up to date. The primary version was printed in June 2016.
fascinating details
- He skilled 20 horses and earned no less than $1 million.
- His son, Michael, can be a coach and gained the Breeders’ Cup Traditional in 1986 with Skywalker.
- There’s a bronze bust of Whittingham in Santa Anita’s East Paddock Backyard and a plaque honoring him in Santa Anita’s Barn 4, the place his horses have been stabled. Corridor of Fame coach Richard Mandela is presently based mostly at Barn 4.
- Within the 1986 Belmont Stakes, the highest three finishers have been Danzig Connection, skilled by 72-year-old Woody Stevens. John’s Treasure, coached by 79-year-old Walter Kelly. And Ferdinand was skilled by 73-year-old Whittingham.
- On the day earlier than the 1989 Belmont Stakes, Sunday Silence stood up and kicked Whittingham within the head, inflicting a bruise to the coach’s proper temple.
- Whittingham’s successful horses embrace: Porterhouse (2-year-old colt, 1953), Ack-Akku (Horse of the 12 months, 1971), Turkish Trousers (3-year-old filly, 1971), Cougar II (turf horse, 1972), Perrault (male, turf horse, 1982), Kennedy Street (Canadian Horse of the 12 months, 1972) 1973), Estrappado (feminine, turf horse, 1986), Ferdinand (male, 1987, Horse of the 12 months), Sunday Silence (3-year-old colt, 1989 horse of the 12 months), Miss Alezido (feminine, turf horse, 1991), Flores (feminine, turf horse, 1992-1993).
