Santa Anita: Atitlan goes for another graded win in Whittingham

After winning last month’s Grade 3 San Luis Rey Stakes at Santa Anita, Atitlan will look to make it back-to-back graded victories for trainer John Shirreffs when he takes on six rivals in Saturday’s Charles Whittingham Stakes (G2) for older horses going 1 1/4 miles on turf at Santa Anita.

In the 1 1/2-mile San Luis Rey on March 23, Atitlan rallied from off the pace and kicked clear late to earn a comfortable two-length victory. It was the second graded-stakes win for the 4-year-old colt by The Factor. Last year, Atitlan won the Twilight Derby (G2) going 1 1/8 miles on turf at Santa Anita.

Atitlan sports a record of 9: 3-0-3 with $300,000 in earnings for owner John M. O’Connor. Jockey Hector Berrios, who was aboard for both of Atitlan’s graded wins, again will be in the irons.

Set to make his stakes debut is City Exile, who will be stretching out in distance for trainer Phil D’Amato. City Exile most recently rallied to be second by a half-length in a second-level allowance going a mile on turf April 5 at Santa Anita.

A 5-year-old gelding by Cityscape, City Exile was bred in Great Britain, where he made seven starts before being imported to the U.S. for the 2024 season. He has an overall record of 14: 2-4-2 with $131,992 in earnings. City Exile, who is campaigned domestically by CYBT, Saul Gevertz, Michael Nentwig and Jeremy Peskoff, will be ridden by Tiago Pereira for the first time.

Veteran Dicey Mo Chara will run in the Whittingham for the fourth consecutive year for trainer Leonard Powell. Dicey Mo Chara finished second in the 2023 Whittingham and was off the board in last year’s edition. The 7-year-old gelding by Adaay has a record of 29: 4-7-4 with $658,777 in earnings. He will have Armando Ayuso aboard for the first time.