It just wouldn't be the Charles Whittingham Stakes (G2T) without Dicey Mo Chara. On May 3, the veteran gelding trained by Leonard Powell will be making his fourth consecutive appearance in the 1 1/4-mile turf event for older horses at Santa Anita Park. It's also his 18th consecutive graded stakes try and 22nd stakes attempt overall in five seasons of racing.
"He's a blue-collar horse," Powell said Friday morning. "He shows up every time and runs his race."
Dicey Mo Chara has been with Powell since the spring of 2021 when, as a 3-year-old, he was imported by owner Red Baron's Barn and Rancho Temescal after making one start in Europe. He has since become a graded stakes winner and compiled a record of 4-7-4 from 29 starts with $658,777 in earnings.
Dicey Mo Chara is installed as the 9-2 third choice on the morning line in this year's edition of the Whittingham. His best finish in the race came in 2023 when second to Offlee Naughty. Last year, Dicey Mo Chara was just a length back at the eighth pole before weakening to an off the board finish behind winner Gold Phoenix.
According to Powell, Dicey Mo Chara has been training well for his fourth go-around in the Whittingham.
"He's really doing good," Powell said. "He's a 7-year-old now, but he's still got some good runs in him. He's aging well."
Dicey Mo Chara will have a new jockey Saturday. In his most recent start, he was piloted by Santa Anita leading rider Juan Hernandez. But with Hernandez riding at Churchill Downs this weekend, Armando Ayuso will take over in the irons.
"Armando has done a good job for us. Hopefully he's a good fit," Powell said.
Looming as the main threat in the Whittingham is Atitlan, the 3-2 morning-line favorite for trainer John Shirreffs. Atitlan most recently rolled to a two-length victory in the San Luis Rey Stakes (G3T) going 1 1/2 miles March 22 at Santa Anita.
Santa Anita Park, Saturday, May 3, 2025, Race 6Entries: Charles Whittingham S. Presented by FanDuel TV (G2T)
PP Horse Jockey Wgt Trainer M/L 1 1Wizard of Westwood (KY) Kyle Frey 120 Michael W. McCarthy 8/1 2 2Dicey Mo Chara (GB) Armando Ayuso 120 Leonard Powell 9/2 3 3City Exile (GB) Tiago Josue Pereira 120 Philip D'Amato 3/1 4 4Maltese Falcon (IRE) Drayden Van Dyke 120 George Papaprodromou 6/1 5 5Packs a Wahlop (KY) Reylu Gutierrez 120 John W. Sadler 8/1 6 6Balladeer (KY) Kent J. Desormeaux 120 George Papaprodromou 12/1 7 7Atitlan (KY) Hector Isaac Berrios 122 John A. Shirreffs 3/2
