White Abarrio Breezes Ahead of Mr. Prospector

[Wandering Eyes]

Back at the site of a couple of his most important victories, White Abarrio (Race Day) breezed five furlongs in 1:00.35 at Gulfstream Park in preparation for a planned start in the Dec. 27 GIII Mr. Prospector Stakes which he will use as a steppingstone to the $3-million GI Pegasus World Cup Invitational on Jan. 24.

It was the second workout for the multiple Grade I stakes-winner since being a veterinarian scratch from the Nov. 1 GI Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile at Del Mar.

“Today was his work for the vet's list. He had to work five-eighths. He worked five-eighths. He came back well. He jogged off sound,” explained trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. “They pulled his blood and we have to wait for the blood to come back to be cleared. So that was a big hurdle that he had to get through.”

The 6-year-old was sent to the racetrack shortly after 9 a.m. following the renovation break to work in company. Ridden by Irad Ortiz Jr., the grey worked outside an unraced 2-year-old Munnings colt before finishing a few lengths clear at the finish line and galloping out six furlongs. His workmate was credited with a half-mile in :47.66, the fastest of 11 recorded at the distance.

“Ideally, we didn't want to go five-eighths today, but California requires you to go five-eighths. If I wasn't training him to get off the vets list, he wouldn't have gone five-eighths. He probably would have worked three-eighths,” said Joseph, who worked White Abarrio an easy three furlongs Nov. 23.

“We didn't want to take the chance to wait until next week to work him five-eighths, because we have to wait for information on the blood to come back. With the holidays, the blood might not come back [in time]. So, our schedule was kind of forced to work five eighths, because that's the requirement. We got through that hurdle, so we're trying to go forward from here now.”

Campaigned by C2 Racing Stable LLC, Gary Barber and La Milagrosa Stable LLC, White Abarrio finished a late-closing second in last season's seven-furlong Mr. Prospector prior to his 6 1/4-length victory in the 1 1/8-mile Pegasus World Cup Invitational.

White Abarrio most recently raced in the GI Jockey Club Gold Cup at Saratoga Aug. 31, when he finished fifth after being bumped by a rival, nearly unseating Ortiz, and was placed fourth.

In addition to winning the Pegasus World Cup, White Abarrio also won the GI Curlin Florida Derby in 2022 at Gulfstream, the 2023 GI Whitney at Saratoga and the 2023 GI Breeders' Cup Classic at Santa Anita.

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