Trainer David Whited

Born:  08/07/42, Houston, Texas

Resides:  Hot Springs, Arkansas

Family:  Bonnie, wife; David Paul and Ryan, sons 

David, who is training here for the 2009 meeting, operates Friendswood Farm and the Arkansas Thoroughbred Training Center on nearby South Moore Road.  

“I have two barns, a total of 150 stalls on the two places,” said Whited. 

A retired jockey, David rode 36 years and had 3,784 winners. He and his brother Danny, were looked on as the "riding Whiteds". 

"My wife and I have long made our home in Hot Springs," he said. "When I quit riding, we bought the farm and now rent out stalls and provide training facilities. Sometimes there might be 150 horses on the place." 

He regularly gets on horses each morning, 

“Trainers sends me horses, which I lay-up, then ready them for returning to the race track. Once I get them ready, most owners pick up their horses. So I always train at Oaklawn”, said David. 

After the Oaklawn meeting is over, David breaks two-year-olds and handles lay-ups and rehabs.   

Spa fans first became aware of David in 1963 when he rode Golden Notes to an upset win in the King Cotton. He later rode Promised City to victory in the 1975 Arkansas Derby. 

He was long associated with the trainer Richard Hazelton. 

"Staunch Avenger was a nice horse. I regularly rode him. I rode a not of nice horses over the years and led a number of meetings. Three times I rode in the Kentucky Derby. Possibly the best horse I rode in my career was Nodouble. One of my favorites was Pattee Canyon, who was probably the best weight carrying mare of her time."