More Charlie Whittingham

"Will you be running that horse next week?"
"None of your god damn business"

"Charlie will drive agents crazy sometimes..most trainers, they work a horse a half, a couple of 5/8ths, then 3/4, blow them out and enter. Charlie gets up to three-quarters, then he works a mile. then another mile, then maybe another mile...then, one day, he'll walk up...and say, 'I put that filly in'".

"As the winter of 1973 progressed, Cougar's workouts became special events. He was put under the clock every five days, rain or shine, with exercise rider Emilio Iglesias at the controls. in late January, Whittingham began to send Cougar on a series of longer, more demanding moves, beginning with a mile and eventually stretching out to the full (Santa Anita) Handicap distance of a mile and a quarter....Charlie wanted him to really finish strong that last quarter of a mile...No matter what the final time looked like, every one of those works had a great last quarter."

Ferdinand:
"Whittingham was not even fazed when the colt came up short a few times at Santa Anita that winter (two year old)."

April 24 nine days before the Derby Ferdinand works 1:38 2/5 in company of stakes filly Hidden Light.
April 29 four days out Ferdinand and Hidden Light work :58 3/5.

"On the morning of the Derby Ferdinand was out for an easy jog".


So, there you have it. The training of Charlie Whittingham as described in Hovdey's book, "Whittingham: A Thoroughbred Racing Legend".

Has Carl Nafzger been reading this book?

Today's training:
5/11/07, Friday: Day 1 Burch: Took this day off. Got a call at 5:00 p.m. in the office, horses out on highway. By the time I got there after a 90 mph drive visualizing all four on the rampage, there was just one, our Acesmash, 16'2" big athletic fence crashing horse too smart for his own good being held by a passerby. By the time I treated him for his injuries (minor) and walked the fence looking for holes, it was nearly dark. So, Rested today.
5/12/07 Sat. Day Two Burch: riderless gallop with other horses around the paddock. He lost a shoe in the mud in the process, and when he started limping we quit. Got most of it in. 10 min under tack--other horses in barn--walked around outside of the paddock without any problems. Given the inconsistent tack work, this fellow is doing very well!