Bal a Bali headlines field of 10 in Sunday's Whittingham Stakes

Sunday’s featured event at Santa Anita Park is the Grade II Charles Whittingham Stakes run at a mile and a quarter over the soon to be renovated turf course. The race named for one of the most accomplished trainers in the history of American thoroughbred racing drew a field of ten veteran grass runners led by Brazilian-bred Bal a Bali and multiple Grade I winner Finnegan’s Wake. The eighth race on the nine race card is the third leg of the $500,000 guaranteed late Pick Four. The graded stakes event that has been won three times by John Henry and Acclamation came up a bit light on talent this year, but still should be a competitive affair.

The six-year-old son of Put It Back, Bal a Bali makes his fourth start of the calendar year for Hall of Fame conditioner Richard Mandella and will likely be heavily backed at the windows on Sunday afternoon. Most recently he ran third, a neck behind Alert Bay in the Grade III San Francisco Mile at Golden Gate, which was the third consecutive time he completed the trifecta. While he is the class of the field and has proven that he can go this route of ground in South America, I find his inability to find the winners’ circle thus far in 2016 concerning. Additionally, I am curious as to why Mandella has waited this long to try nine furlongs or more in the States. He is certainly the horse to beat, but not one I can get behind at a short price.

Finnegans Wake makes his second start off the layoff for trainer Peter Miller. The seven-year-old son of Powerscourt has compiled over $1.5 million in career earnings, including 2 wins and 2 runner up finishes in six tries over the Santa Anita Park lawn. His last start in the Thunder Road at one mile over a yielding turf was his first start in some time and likely a prep, so a better effort in the Whittingham is expected. If he gets an honest pace upfront he has a big chance to get back to the winners’ circle for the first time since the Turf Classic at Churchill Downs last May.

There should be an honest pace in the 2016 Whittingham based on the presence of A Red Tie Day and Si Sage. A Red Tie Day has been successful at Santa Anita Park with three wins in four tries, including a wire-to-wire score versus optional claimers on March 3. The Bloom Racing Stable runner most recently ran a solid fourth in the Grade II Elkhorn at Keeneland and returns to Southern California for trainer Richard Baltas. While it is probable that he will have a say early in this one, it is unlikely he will be good enough to beat this group. Si Sage has only raced five times since the start of 2015 for trainer James Cassidy, but his race in the Last Tycoon in April of 2015 would be put him right there at the finish. Mike Smith will ride the son of Sageburg.

Eight-year-old Quick Casablanca should receive significant support for Hall of Famer Ron McAnally after a convincing two and three-quarter length score in the Grade III San Juan Capistrano. The winner of nearly $750,000 in his 28-race career drew outside and has yet to hit the wire first in 8 tries at the ten-furlong distance. I prefer others, but can see a case being made for this hard knocking veteran.

Blingo, Patentar, Montego Bay, Royal Albert Hall and Play Hard to Get complete the field. All of them will be looking to come from off the pace to pull the upset, but will need to put forth career best efforts to record their first graded stakes victory on the lawn.

Sunday’s feature is set to go to the post at 5:30 Local Time and is a part of a big Memorial Day weekend at “The Great Race Place.”