Triple B Farms’ WHILLY (Ire) (Sri Pekan) earned his first graded win in
wire-to-wire fashion Saturday, leading all the way for a half-length score in
the $150,000
San Marcos S. (G2) at Santa Anita. Trained by Doug O’Neill, the
four-year-old colt set uncontested fractions of :23 2/5, :47 3/5, 1:12 2/5 and
1:37 before completing 10 furlongs over the firm turf in 2:00 3/5. Puppeteer
(GB) (Singspiel [Ire]) offered a good late run for second but could catch the
winner, who also gave jockey Felipe Martinez his first graded stakes win.
Whilly, who earned his third stakes win from his last four outings with the
only setback a troubled fourth in the Hollywood Derby (G1), was off as the 3-1
third choice in the field of six and returned $8.80, $4.20 and $4 to his
supporters. Puppeteer, who was the 3-1 second favorite, gave back $3.80 and
$4.20 after finishing two lengths better than T. H. Approval (With Approval), who
paid $6 at 17-1 odds. The $1 exotics were worth $12.80 (exacta), $81 (trifecta)
and $226.30 (1-5-7-3 superfecta). Habaneros (Tabasco Cat), 4-5 favorite License
to Run (Brz) (Exile King) and Gorylla (Brz) (New Colony) rounded out the order
of finish following the defections of Epicentre (Kris S.) and Puerto Banus (Supremo).
Bred in Ireland by Scuderia Blueberry, Whilly began his career in Italy and
finished a close fourth in the Gran Criterium (Ity-G1) as a juvenile. He made
his first U.S. start last June in the Cinema Breeders’ Cup H. (G3), finishing
third, and was then freshened until the fall. The improving colt now owns a
13-7-0-1 record, with $325,622 in earnings, and is one to watch in the Southern
California turf division the rest of the year.
The bay is out of the Lahib mare Santa Rosa, who is also the dam of the
Italian stakes-winning Rose Shift (Night Shift).
O’Neill said the San Luis Obispo H. (G2) on February 19 was likely next and
that he could head to Dubai in March.