White Abarrio Works Toward Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile
C2 Racing Stable, Gary Barber, and La Milagrosa Stable’s White Abarrio breezed a half-mile in company Oct. 9 at Gulfstream Park in preparation for a planned start in the $1 million Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile (G1) Nov. 1 at Del Mar.
The 6-year-old son of Race Day , who captured the 2023 Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) at Santa Anita Park, breezed outside Practically Dark and finished on even terms with his Saffie Joseph Jr.-trained stablemate after they covered 4 furlongs on a fast track in :45.86, the fastest clocking of seven recorded at the distance.
“Today was 24 days out, almost three weeks, so we wanted a strong work,” Joseph said. “He put in a strong work. He worked from the half, but it was almost a five-eighths breeze—strong half, finish up past the wire, and gradually gallop out. A half in :45 and change, (5 furlongs in) :58, out in 1:11. It was a good work.”
Thursday’s breeze was the Pegasus World Cup Invitational Stakes (G1) winner’s third since returning to Gulfstream following a dreadful trip in the 1 1/4-mile Jockey Club Gold Cup Stakes (G1) Aug. 31 at Saratoga Race Course. He breezed a half-mile in :46.56 Oct. 2 and 3 furlongs in a swift :33.73 Sept. 25, both bullet moves.
“I think we’re going to go for two more works here,” Joseph said. “Then, we’ll ship on the 23rd.”
White Abarrio was forced into Mindframe in a dramatic incident shortly after the start of the Jockey Club Gold Cup, in which White Abarrio’s jockey Edgard Zayas lost an iron and Irad Ortiz Jr. was unseated from Mindframe and momentarily landed on White Abarrio’s back before hitting the track. White Abarrio went on to finish fourth after Zayas somehow regained his balance and iron. Although White Abarrio hasn’t had much racing luck of late, Joseph is confident the multiple grade 1 winner is gearing up for a big effort in the Dirt Mile.
“He bounced out of the race (Jockey Club Gold Cup) well,” he said. “It wasn’t what you wanted to see. It wasn’t what anyone wanted to see, but I’m grateful everyone came out of it fine. It’s part of racing.”
This press release has been edited for content and style by BloodHorse Staff.
