Cassidy Sweeps at Del Mar: Shades of the Bald Eagle

Trainer James Cassidy takes Del Mar’s Opening Weekend Feature Races

by James Connelly

There once was a man named Charlie. He was most feared on days where the big money mattered. He was good at it and he did it for almost 50 years. Charlie Whittingham was considered as one of the best thoroughbred trainers during his time. He became the all time leading trainer at Santa Anita and Hollywood Park. He saddled over 250 stakes winners including 2 Kentucky Derby winners. (Ferdinand and Sunday Silence). Throughout his long tenure, he kept his competitive edge right to the end. Whenever there was a  Stakes or Handicap  especially on Turf at Hollywood Park, Santa Anita or Del Mar, you could be sure that Charlie’s barn, full of turf running professionals had a hoof in those races and it was a blast to watch! He was known as “The Bald Eagle”. He was a bald headed, tall, thin and lurking man wearing his classic Fedora.  His public persona seemed a man of poise and ease. During those years, I was in awe of him at what he did with his presence in the Southern California Horse Racing scene in the 80′s and 90′s. His  turf  running monsters would always show up and  run their hearts out for him and their owners.  He always had them ready to win! A few that come to mind: Greinton; Rivlia; Dahar; Flawlessly. There’s others but the point is Charlie was the man in his day. His turf battles with the other notable turf trainers such as Bobby Frankel and Neil Drysdale were spectacular enough that even bettors with losing tickets went home knowing they saw brilliance on turf. Charlie Whittingham is no longer with us. His passing was felt by many in 1999, and he is recognized at all tracks with his history, and has a Grade I Turf Race named in his Honor at Hollywood Park.

Enter Southern California Trainer James Cassidy. His career not as prolonged as Charlie Whittingham’s, nonetheless he brought back a spirit of Charlie with his two Graded Turf winners for the opening weekend at Del Mar. On Saturday he saddled the 7-5 favorite The Usual QT with his most confident jockey aboard, Victor Espinoza in the Grade I Eddie Read , run at  1-1/8 miles on turf. Espinoza sat him 3rd  in a field of 7 until he hit the top of the stretch 3 wide and gained the advantage in mid stretch  to win by 2 lengths and take  the $180,000 prize for first place. He bested a fine field of other Grade I winners. A very nice win!   On Sunday James had another  beauty waiting for her turn, Evening Jewel. He had the 3 yr old filly ready for a  one mile Turf run in the  Grade II San Clemente Handicap. The favored filly at 8-5 with Espinoza aboard along with a field of nine other horses, ran 4th around the track until it mattered and found her best stride in mid stretch and won by a length for Cassidy’s weekend turf sweep and gained a $150,000 for  first place. Its been noted that the owners of Evening Jewel, Mr. and Mrs. Tom Braly are going through a difficult time as Tom battles with cancer.A very nice nice gift!

The Classic races in Horse Racing are awesome. There’s nothing like the Triple Crown. However Graded Turf Racing is just something different that brings out the pureness of the sport.  Although he wasn’t wearing the Fedora, but with a Yankee cap that Cassidy has given us a shot back to the days of the Bald Eagle.