D'Amato Trio Faces Offlee Naughty in Whittingham

Forgive trainers Phil D'Amato and Michael McCarthy if they can't pay full attention to their runners in the May 4 Charles Whittingham Stakes (G2T) at Santa Anita Park. If all goes well, D'Amato and McCarthy will be saddling Stronghold and Endlessly, respectively, for the 150th Kentucky Derby (G1) at Churchill Downs, leaving their Whittingham hopefuls in the hands of their capable assistants.

D'Amato has three in the Whittingham to face McCarthy-trained Offlee Naughty, the defending Whittingham champion and also winner of the 2023 San Luis Rey Stakes (G3T). Offlee Naughty is coming off a third in this year's San Luis Rey.

Each of the D'Amato trio is an Irish-bred multiple graded stakes winner. Gold Phoenix won last year's Frank E. Kilroe Mile Stakes (G1T), Del Mar Handicap (G2T), and Eddie Read Stakes (G2T), while Prince Abama took the 2023 San Marcos Stakes (G3T) and 2022 Hollywood Turf Cup Stakes (G2T). Formerly trained by Chad Brown, Rockemperor is making his first start for D'Amato. Rockemperor last won the 2022 Bowling Green Stakes (G2T) at Saratoga Race Course.

Dicey Mo Chara, trained by Leonard Powell, ran second to Offlee Naughty in last year's Whittingham. Richard Mandella-trained Planetario in his last three starts took the 2023 Hollywood Turf Cup and finished second in this year's San Marcos and San Luis Rey. Balladeer, the 2023 John Henry Turf Championship Stakes (G2T) winner, and War At Sea, the 2023 Golden Gate Handicap (G3) winner on synthetic, round out the field.