Nice and Easy Tbreds Hopes To Unveil Another White Abarrio at OBS March

[Wandering Eyes]

Nice and Easy Thoroughbreds isn't the type of operation that rolls into the 2-year-old sales armed with a battalion of juvenile prospects. Such was the case for the 2021 renewal of the OBS March Sale when the consignment led only two head to the venue–a colt by Shaman Ghost who breezed an eighth in :10 flat and a colt by Race Day who completed the task in :10.2. While the former, subsequently named Grave Danger, would never exit the claiming ranks, the Race Day colt, subsequently named White Abarrio, would achieve a level of success that people could only dream of.

Offered by Summerfield at the 2020 OBS Winter Mixed Sale, the grey was purchased for the bargain sum of $7,500 by the nephew-and-uncle team of Edilberto Herrera and Jose Ordonez.

“When I saw him at the barn, thought he was acting like all horse,” Herrera recalled. “I liked his conformation, his walk and his body. He moved with a lot of class and with a long stride. He is out of an Into Mischief mare, so that was good too. At that time, people didn't really like the horses by Race Day because nothing had really run well. But I had it in my mind, there was [Tapit] on top and it might be a nice cross.”

Asked what precluded him from offering the colt during his yearling year, the longtime Ocala horseman explained, “I decided not to take him to the yearling sales because he was changing and just looked better and better. I had him over a year and the horse always showed me something serious. I thought he would fit better at the 2-year-old sales.”

Prepped by Herrera for the following season's March sale, the colt was secured by trainer Carlos Perez, who signed the ticket after the colt brought $40,000 in Ocala.

“When he sold for $40,000, I thought the price was Ok. It was good for that year,” he admitted. “When he breezed well and had a strong gallop out, everybody liked him. But one of the big reasons he didn't bring a lot of money was that he was by Race Day. If he had been by Tapit, he would have brought a lot more. But anyway, I couldn't have bought him if he had been by Tapit!”

He continued, “When I was training him, he was like a car. You push a little bit and he's gone. If you don't push, the horse stays the same. You want to go short; he'll do it. You want to go far, he's right there. He has the class and a strong mind to go with it. I think the horse has everything.”

Perez was the trainer of record when White Abarrio, sent off at 12-1 for his debut, galloped home a 6 3/4-length winner in a 6 1/2-furlong test at Gulfstream in October of his juvenile year. Transferred to Saffie Joseph Jr. after the C 2 Racing Stable stepped in to purchase the son of the Into Mischief mare Catching Diamonds, the striking grey won three of his next four starts, including Gulfstream's GI Florida Derby and GIII Holy Bull Stakes and later finishing runner-up in that year's GIII Ohio Derby and third facing older horses in the GI Cigar Mile.

In his second start of the 2023 season, the Spendthrift Farm bred won a seven-furlong optional claimer in Hallandale in March and was subsequently sent to Rick Dutrow Jr., a move triggered by what would ultimately prove to be a temporary suspension for Joseph. For Dutrow, the grey finished third in the GI Met Mile before taking the GI Whitney Stakes and GI Breeders' Cup Classic.

“I was watching on TV and I went crazy the day he won the Classic,” he said. “He's my favorite horse.”

After a couple of lackluster early season starts, White Abarrio returned to Joseph, who took his time bringing him back to the races. A 10 1/4-length winner going seven-eighths at Gulfstream in November, White Abarrio concluded 2024 with a second in the oval's GIII Mr. Prospector. Making his first start at six in this year's Pegasus, he steam-rolled his opposition–including runner-up Locked (Gun Runner) who subsequently won the GI Santa Anita Handicap–airing by 6 1/4 lengths.

“When I saw the horse at the Derby or even now, the horse is still the same–A lot of class. I follow him all the time,” Herrera said. “I am so proud of him. I did everything with him, I broke him and I rode him. The only thing I didn't do was ride in the breeze show. I'm still a big fan of the horse.”

White Abarrio winning this season's Pegasus World Cup | Adam Coglianese

The Nice and Easy Team arrives at OBS this time around with a trio of juveniles–a pair of fillies and a colt.

Leading the trio is Hip 52, another granddaughter of Tapit, by Cupid and out of SP Cruzette (War Pass), who breezed an eighth in :10.1 on the initial day of works. She was a $12,000 purchase at Keeneland last September.

“I really love that filly. She is a nice filly and she can run,” he said. “I really thought she could go :10 flat or :9 4/5, but the track was a bit flat. But it was the same for everybody. I think it's sometimes more important for the buyers to see how they can get over the track.”

“When I bought this filly, she was a bit skinny, but so was White Abarrio when I bought him.”

Also representing the operation, Hip 347 is by Rock Your World out of Miss Vero (Tale of the Cat) and Hip 640, a colt by Win Win Win out of Torchme (Gimmeawink), a sister to Classic winner Da' Tara. The former was a $9,500 KEENOV buy and the latter brought $10,000 at the 2024 OBS Winter Sale.

“She is a bit on the small side but I like how she moves,” he said of the Rock Your Work filly. “I really love her since she got here. I love how she moves on the Polytrack.”

The sole colt in this year's Nice and easy consignment, Herrera admitted he was particularly high on the colt.

“He has a beautiful body. He is a monster,” he said. “I have never had one like him. He has the [physical] and the class. It might be a bit too early for him. I can't believe how much he's grown, but I think he'll be good [down the line].”

Herrera, who offered his first juveniles five years ago, admits he typically brings a small sampling to the venue given its timing on the calendar.

“I don't bring a lot of horses here because it's a bit early for them. I don't try to force it. If they are sound and have a good mind, I'll bring them to March. If they don't have the good mind, this is a hard sale to sell them. If they need more time, I bring them here next month.”

He confirmed Nice and Easy will be represented by four 2-year-olds at the upcoming OBS April Sale. The April consignment will consist of juveniles by Frosted, Candy Ride, Bucchero and Galilean.

The post Nice and Easy Tbreds Hopes To Unveil Another White Abarrio at OBS March appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

View the full article