Weekend Racing at Hollywood Park : When Charlie’s Away, His Barn Will Pay

The Southern California thoroughbred season is not being conducted for the personal pleasure of trainer Charlie Whittingham. It only seems that way.

The Whittingham stable has won six of the 14 major races run in Southern California this year--Julio Canani is the only other trainer who has won as many as two--and Sunday’s $163,900 John Henry Handicap appears to be a sitting duck to become No. 7.

With Whittingham in Baltimore preparing Kentucky Derby winner Sunday Silence for the Preakness May 20, assistant trainer Rodney Rash will be saddling three horses in the 1 1/8-mile John Henry--Peace, Delegant and Payant.

The Whittingham entry could finish 1-2-3 for an encore of the Wilshire Handicap last Sunday, when Whittingham’s Claire Marine, Fitzwilliam Place and Galunpe swept the first three places.

Through May 7, the Whittingham stable had earned $3,460,470 this year. At the same point in 1988, the total was $3,068,027. Whittingham’s best year was 1987 when, led by horse of the year Ferdinand, his runners banked $9,415,097 after reaching only $2.6 million through the first week of May.

“We’ve certainly got a deeper stable, nearly across the board, than any year I’ve been with Charlie,” said Rash, who has been Whittingham’s top assistant since 1982.

To win the John Henry, Whittingham’s horses must handle the Wayne Lukas-trained Steinlen, who carries top weight of 121 pounds and Gary Stevens. Even though he ran second to Peace in the Premiere, the durable English horse could be favored again.

The safest place to hide from Whittingham this season is in a 3-year-old filly race. Last year he had three of the best in Goodbye Halo, Jeanne Jones and Pattern Step. This year, nothing.

As a result, today’s $84,700 Senorita Stakes at one mile on the turf will be won by someone other than Whittingham. His former assistant, Christopher Speckert, stands a good chance with Seattle Meteor, the Seattle Slew filly making her California debut, and so does Dominick Manzi, who will be sending out Formidable Lady and Lady Lister.

Also today, Southern Californians will have a choice of local rooting interests in the $700,000 Pimlico Special from Maryland. Whittingham will saddle Lively One, Gary Jones sends out Stalwars, and Wayne Lukas has Slew City Slew. The Special will go off between the first and second races at Hollywood.

Horse Racing Notes

If Charlie Whittingham’s current lineup runs dry, he has some powerful replacements in the wings. Mill Native, winner of the 1988 Arlington Million, Sword Dance, winner of the ’88 Del Mar Handicap, and Pasakos, a first-class French colt, head the bench strength. . . . Ron McAnally, trainer of two-time horse of the year John Henry, has yet to win the John Henry Handicap. “Got to take care of that someday,” McAnally said. John Henry won six major grass races at Hollywood Park, including three runnings of the Turf Invitational. . . . Trainer Art Hirsch was fined $3,000 when the illegal pain-killer promazine was found in one of his horses for the second time this year.