LEGENDARY TRAINER DIES OF LEUKEMIA.Byline: Frank C. Girardot Frank C. Girardot (1961 in Detroit, Michigan) worked during the 1980s and 1990s as a copyboy, reporter and sportswriter for the Los Angeles Herald Examiner, The San Gabriel Valley Tribune, The Pasadena Star-News and The Los Angeles Daily News. To those who knew him, Charlie Whittingham epitomized dignity, graciousness and good sportsmanship. Whittingham, who died Tuesday at the age of 86 from leukemia, left behind a legacy that includes two Kentucky Derby Kentucky Derby One of the classic U.S. Thoroughbred horse races. It was established in 1875 and run annually on the first Saturday in May at Churchill Downs track in Louisville, Ky. With the Preakness and the Belmont Stakes, it makes up U.S. racing's coveted Triple Crown. wins, three Eclipse Awards and a place in the horse racing horse racing, trials of speed involving two or more horses. It includes races among harnessed horses with one of two particular gaits, among saddled Thoroughbreds (or, less frequently, quarterhorses) on a flat track, or among saddled horses over a turf course with Hall of Fame. ``I don't think you'll ever have another one like him,'' said former jockey Bill Shoemaker William Lee Shoemaker (August 19, 1931 – October 12, 2003) was an American jockey. Referred to as "Bill", "Willie," and "The Shoe", William Lee Shoemaker was born in the town of Fabens, Texas. At 2. , who rode the Whittingham-trained Ferdinand to a Kentucky Derby win in 1986. ``I don't think there'll ever be another Charlie Whittingham again.'' Helmuth von Bluecher, Whittingham's son-in-law, said the trainer would have wanted a simple epitath to be remembered by: ``He was the best damned horseman there ever was.'' Jockeys, trainers and others at Santa Anita Santa Anita may refer to:
Whittingham, who lived in Sierra Madre Sierra Madre, city, United States Sierra Madre (sēĕr`ə mä`drā), residential city (1990 pop. 10,762), Los Angeles co., S Calif., at the foot of Mt. Wilson; inc. 1907. There is some light manufacturing. , became ill last October. In recent months, his son Michael took over training duties in Santa Anita's Barn No. 4, Whittingham's home away from home. He is Santa Anita's, Oak Tree's and Hollywood Park's all-time leading trainer. At Santa Anita alone, Whittingham had 868 victories, including 204 in stakes events. He was twice the oldest trainer to win the Kentucky Derby, at age 73 with Ferdinand and at 76 with Sunday Silence. ``He was the best,'' Shoemaker recalled. ``He was great to ride for. ``He never gave you a lot of instructions other than, `Get a position and do the best you can.' And he never complained much about it when you messed up. ``I would say something like, `I goofed on this one,' and he'd say, `Don't worry about it. Next time you'll get 'em.' '' Born April 13, 1913, in San Diego, Whittingham grew up on a farm near Otay Mesa. As a child, he would go to the Tijuana racetrack with his brother Joe, who was a jockey. At 19 he took out his trainer's license and was in attendance at Santa Anita when the race track opened on Dec. 25, 1934. Whittingham got his big break three years later when Bing Crosby, who had just opened Del Mar, introduced him to legendary trainer Horatio Luro. Luro immediately hired Whittingham as an assistant. Between 1953 and 1989, Whittingham trained 11 national champions. He won seven national earnings titles and trained more than 20 horses with career earnings of more than $1 million. Shoemaker said it was Whittingham's patience and ability to read horses that made him great. ``He could look inside a horse's brain and know exactly what (the horse) was going to do and what (the horse) was thinking,'' Shoemaker said. ``He always brought the best out of the horse.'' ``I don't know Don't know (DK, DKed) "Don't know the trade." A Street expression used whenever one party lacks knowledge of a trade or receives conflicting instructions from the other party. how to do anything else,'' Whittingham said. Whittingham was taken to St. Luke Medical Center at 6 a.m. Tuesday morning and was pronounced dead at 8:30 a.m., officials said. Funeral arrangements are pending. Whittingham is survived my his wife Peggy, son Michael, daughter Charlene, 11 grandchildren and five great-grandchildren. Trainer Richard Mandella, who as a youth idolized i·dol·ize tr.v. i·dol·ized, i·dol·iz·ing, i·dol·iz·es 1. To regard with blind admiration or devotion. See Synonyms at revere1. 2. To worship as an idol. Whittingham, noted the eerie coincidence of the trainer's death Tuesday morning and the demolition of Santa Anita's 64-year-old grandstand. ``I'm sure the racing community knows how lucky we all were to have had a leader in our industry like him,'' Mandella said. ``So many young people grew up to follow in his footsteps or just hoping to be a little bit like him. ``It's hard to think of racing without him.'' CAPTION(S): Photo PHOTO (Color) CHARLIE WHITTINGHAM Three Triple Crown wins Two Breeders' Cup wins Four Santa Anita Handicap The Santa Anita Handicap is an American Thoroughbred horse race held annually in the late winter at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California. It is a Grade I race for horses three years old and up, and is considered the most important race for older horses in North America during wins Two Santa Anita Derby The Santa Anita Derby is an American Grade 1 thoroughbred horse race for three-year-olds run each April at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California and carries a purse of $750,000. wins Three Eclipse Awards |
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