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Charles Whittingham |
| Training Career: | 50 years (1950-99) |
| Stakes winners: | 252 |
| Champions: | 11 |
A leading West Coast trainer, Charles Whittingham, by most accounts, would be considered one of the leading trainers of this century. Whittingham's big break came when Bing Crosby introduced him to trainer Horatio Luro. With the exception of an interruption for World War II, Whittingham worked as Luro's assistant until 1950 when he began his own public stable. Whittingham's first stakes winner was Porterhouse, Champion 2-year-old Colt in 1953. He went on to train 10 additional champions, as well as 6 of the first 50 Thoroughbred millionaires, including Exceller, Dahlia, Perrault, Erins Isle, Cougar, and Royal Glint.
Whittingham with Strode's Creek, ©Barbara D. Livingston
| Champions Trained by Whittingham Porterhouse, Champion 2-year-old Colt, 1953
Ack Ack, Horse of the Year, 1971
Turkish Trousers, Champion 3-year-old Female, 1971
Cougar II, Champion Turf Horse, 1972
Perrault, Champion Male Turf Horse, 1982
Kennedy Road, Canada's Horse of the Year, 1983
Estrapade, Champion Female Turf Horse, 1986
Ferdinand, Horse of the Year, 1987
Sunday Silence, Horse of the Year, 1989
Miss Alleged, Champion Female Turf Horse, 1991
Flawlessly, Champion Female Turf Horse, 1992-93 |
At age 76 Whittingham became the oldest trainer to win the Kentucky Derby when he sent out Ferdinand to win the classic. Two years later he won a second Derby with Horse of the Year Sunday Silence. | Awards and Achievements Leading money-winning trainer, 1970-73, 1975, 1981-82
Eclipse Award, 1971, 1982, 1989
All-time leading trainer, Hollywood Park and Santa Anita |
Charles Whittingham's gifts as a trainer have brought him many awards, including three Eclipse Awards. He was inducted in the Hall of Fame in 1974. He continued training right up until his death in 1999.
Swaps and Shoemaker in the San Vincente © 1955 Santa
Anita Photo; ©Barbara D. Livingston
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