Whitmore (foaled January 23, 2013) is a retired American Thoroughbred racehorse who won the 2020 Breeders' Cup Sprint and was named the 2020 American Champion Sprinter at age seven. His other major wins included the 2017 Phoenix Stakes and 2018 Forego Stakes. He was also known for his winning record at Oaklawn Park, where he won the Hot Springs Stakes four times in a row and the Count Fleet Sprint Handicap three times. His career earnings were over $4.5 million.
Background Whitmore is a chestnut gelding who was bred in Kentucky by John Liviakis. He was the first foal out of Melody's Spirit, an unraced daughter of Scat Daddy. Because Melody's Spirit was a very high strung mare, Liviakis bred her to Pleasantly Perfect, a "laid-back" son of Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner Pleasant Colony. Pleasantly Perfect won the Breeders' Cup Classic and Dubai World Cup, but was generally considered a disappointment at stud.
Even as a foal, Whitmore was known for his gritty personality. "[He] was an athletic, cocky guy with a great physique. Dominant in the paddock. He was a tough bugger who would fire at other horses, and they had to geld him before he hurt somebody. He still bucks at the gate before he loads; a real character," said Liviakis.
He was privately purchased for $37,000 by Ron Moquett as a two-year-old in training. He was originally named Pleasant Mel, a play on the names of his sire and dam. However, Moquett soon noticed that "he was neither a Mel or pleasant", so renamed the horse after a high school basketball teammate known for his athleticism. Whitmore was trained by Moquett, who later sold shares of the horse to Robert LaPenta and Head of Plains Partners (Sol Kumin).
Racing career 2015: two-year-old season Whitmore made two starts at age two. On November 6, he made his first start in a six-furlong Maiden Special Weight at Churchill Downs, which he won by lengths despite veering out in the stretch.
Stepped up in distance for the $1,000,000 Delta Downs Jackpot Stakes, he was in close contention for the first three-quarters but had nothing left in the stretch and finished fifth.
2016: three-year-old season Whitmore won his first start as a three-year-old, an allowance race at Oaklawn Park on January 16.
Although Whitmore was ultimately known as a sprinter, his connections decided to try toqualify him for the 2016 Kentucky Derby. Continuing to race at Oaklawn Park, he proved himself competitive at route distances up to miles. He was second in the Southwest Stakes, second in the Rebel Stakes, and third in the Arkansas Derby, beaten by subsequent Grade 1 winners Cupid and Creator. Whitmore raced in the Kentucky Derby, finishing nineteenth.
He came out of the race with a bone chip on his knee that had to be removed surgically. He was given a long layoff before returning on December 3 in a furlong allowance race at Aqueduct. He sat close behind the early pace but ran into traffic problems as they neared the head of the stretch. When he found running room, Whitmore took the lead, then held off a late run from Will Did It to win by lengths.
2017: four-year-old season Whitmore began his four-year-old campaign on January 15 by winning a six-furlong allowance race at Oaklawn Park. He ran a "monster" race, winning by lengths in track-record time of 1:08.81. He earned his first black-type win on March 11 in the listed Hot Springs Stakes at Oaklawn. The race had drawn a deep field including Grade 2 winner Holy Boss and Grade 3 winners Fish Trappe Road and Ivan Fallunovalot. Despite this, Whitmore went off as the odds-on favorite and won by six lengths despite being checked early.
On April 15, Whitmore went off as the 1-2 favorite in the six-furlong Count Fleet Sprint Handicap at Oaklawn. Chief Cicatriz went to the early lead and ran the opening quarter in 21:26. Whitmore sat well back early and made a strong move in the stretch to win by lengths. "I think he's still learning this new game (sprinting), but he likes it a lot," said Moquett. "It's easy on him. Someone asked me earlier, 'How did you teach him to sprint?' I said, 'That's not the training feat. The training feat was getting him to be third in the Arkansas Derby and second in the Rebel.' He's always wanted to do this."
On May 20, Whitmore extended his winning streak to five by taking the Maryland Sprint Stakes at Pimlico Race Course, beating Grade 1 winner A.P. Indian by half a length despite carrying topweight of 124 pounds. "He broke good and just sat back comfortably. The second they cleared, he broke away running. He was getting out when dirt was hitting him in the face a little bit, but I had confidence in him. As soon as I asked him, he started running," said jockey Ricardo Santana Jr.
The winning streak was broken in the True North Handicap at Belmont Park on June 9, when Whitmore raced wide around the final turn and finished third behind Roy H. "I've always been happy when he gets a position on the inside of horses. That outside position doesn't work for him. He blew the turn today and that's why he lost the race," said Santana.
Whitmore was expected to enter the Alfred G. Vanderbilt Handicap on July 29 but injured his hoof while traveling to Saratoga Race Course for the race. He was given some time off, then returned in the Frank J. De Francis Memorial Dash Stakes at Laurel Park on September 16. The field scratched down to four entries, with Whitmore going off as the 1-2 favorite. He settled in last place through the early fractions and lacked his normal closing speed, finishing third.
Whitmore returned in the Phoenix Stakes at Keeneland on October 6 with a late run, prevailing by a neck in a photo finish. It was his first Grade II win and earned him an automatic entry into the Breeders' Cup Sprint. In that race, held at Del Mar Racetrack on November 4, Whitmore was repeatedly bumped and was never a factor, finishing eighth behind Roy H.
2018: five-year-old season Whitmore started his five-year old campaign on March 10 with his second win in the Hot Springs Stakes. Then he raced in the Count Fleet Sprint Handicap on April 14. He was still in last place with an eighth of a mile remaining before Santana found racing room. Whitmore then surged to lead by three-quarters of a length and win the race for a second time. "Today, there was a lot of speed, and I wanted to be off of it. When he got in the clear, he became a different horse. He just blew by them," said Santana.
Whitmore was winless in his next three starts but was competitive with the top sprinters on the East Coast. He finished fourth to Limousine Liberal in the Churchill Downs Stakes, second by a neck to Imperial Hint in the True North Stakes, and second by a neck to Limousine Liberal in the Belmont Sprint.
In the Forego Stakes at Saratoga Race Course on August 25, Whitmore faced a field that was led by City of Light and Limousine Liberal. He rated behind the early pace on the rail while City of Light went wide after breaking poorly. Whitmore took the lead turning from home and held off a late charge from City of Light, with Limousine Liberal closing for third. It was Whitmore's first Grade 1 win. "We got a perfect trip. We saved all the ground and we got lucky that a hole opened on the turn for home. That's when I let him run and he was feeling good today. Last time we got in a little trouble and today we got a clean trip. Everything was perfect and we'll take the victory," Santana said.
Whitmore's next start was in the Phoenix Stakes on October 5. The favorite was three-year-old Promises Fulfilled, facing older horses for the first time after winning the Amsterdam Stakes and H. Allen Jerkens Stakes at Saratoga Race Course. Promises Fulfilled went to the early lead and set a strong early pace of 22.50 for the quarter and 45.09 for the half. Whitmore stalked in third place, then gradually closed ground down the stretch, coming up a head short at the wire.
Whitmore faced another top-notch field in the 2015 Breeders' Cup Sprint, held on November 3 at Churchill Downs. The betting favorites were Imperial Hint (3-2), Roy H (5-2), Limousine Liberal (5-1), and Promises Fulfilled (9-2). Whitmore was solidly backed as well at 7–1. He broke slowly and settled in last place along the rail behind a very fast pace of 21:35 seconds for the first quarter-mile set by Promises Fulfilled. Roy H bobbled at the start after bumping into his stall, then made up ground while racing four wide and took the lead after half a mile completed in :44.21. Whitmore was still in seventh at this point, lengths behind. He shifted position several times while trying to get clear from traffic. He closed to finish second but was no match for Roy H, who won by lengths.
2019: six-year-old season Whitmore began his six-year-old campaign on March 9, winning the Hot Springs Stakes for the third time. Going off as the 3-5 favorite, he was reluctant to load but broke well. He once again rated behind the early leaders, then made his move at the top of the stretch to win by lengths. Moquett said Whitmore was only about 75% fit for the race. "If he gets tired, it's my fault. But I'm just going to take care of the horse. The gate guys did great. They showed patience and horsemanship. I'm so appreciative that they're willing to work with the horse instead of trying to overpower him," he said.
Whitmore next started in his third Count Fleet Sprint Handicap on April 13, run over a sloppy track. His main rival in the field of five was Mitole, who was coming into the race off a four-race winning streak. Mitole went to the early lead and set strong fractions of :22.49 for the quarter and :45.54 for the half. Whitmore pressed the pace and came alongside Mitole on the turn, but Mitole kicked clear in the stretch to win by lengths. "Today was their day. The short field, lone speed, that's not Whitmore's deal," said Moquett.
Whitmore was off the board in his next two starts, finishing fifth in the Churchill Downs Stakes on May 4 and eighth in the True North Stakes on June 7.
He was then given a layoff before returning in the Phoenix Stakes on October 4. Promises Fulfilled set the early lead, challenged by Zipp On By. Whitmore stumbled at the start and settled into last place. He was still in eighth place with seven lengths to make up after half a mile, then was put to a sustained drive. He was still in seventh place in mid-stretch but only lengths behind in a tightly bunched field. At the wire, longshot Engage won by half a length ahead of Whitmore, with longshot Lexitonian a nose back in third.
Whitmore made his next start in the Breeders' Cup Sprint on November 2 at Santa Anita Park. The favorites were Mitole, who had won three Grade 1 races since defeating Whitmore in the Count Fleet Sprint, and Shancelot, who had won the Amsterdam Stakes and H. Allen Jerkens Stakes. Whitmore was largely overlooked at odds of 19–1. Shancelot went to the early lead and ran the opening quarter in :21.47 and the half in :44.04. Mitole tracked the pace in fourth, while Whitmore sat a few lengths further back after a slow start. Mitole moved into second place in mid-stretch and gradually moved by Shancelot to win by lengths, with Whitmore a further length back in third.
Whitmore made his final start of the year in the Cigar Mile at Aqueduct Racetrack on December 7. He was never a factor and finished seventh behind champion Maximum Security.
2020: seven-year-old season
Whitmore made his seven-year-old debut in the King Cotton Stakes on February 9 at Oaklawn Park. Share the Upside went to the early lead and held off Whitmore to win by lengths.