Dutrow might train White Abarrio up to Saudi Cup in late February

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – While the $20 million Saudi Cup on Feb. 27 is the main early season target for White Abarrio in 2024, it is still not certain whether the Breeders’ Cup Classic winner will make a start before then or not.

Trainer Richard Dutrow Jr. maintains he is comfortable training White Abarrio up to that race and said over the weekend that the horse would remain based at Santa Anita until such time as he would ship to Saudi Arabia, which may not be until mid-February.

“Right now, the best scenario I see for the horse is stay right where he is,” Dutrow said. “The chartered plane leaves 10 days before the race, I see that’s the best case scenario. He doesn’t have to do anything but get on a plane, get off one, and go racing.”

Mark Cornett, part of C2 Racing which is co-owner of the horse, is leaving the door open for a start in the Grade 1, $3 million Pegasus World Cup Invitational on Jan. 27 at Gulfstream Park.

:: Bet with the Best! Get FREE All-Access PPs and Weekly Cashback when you wager on DRF Bets.

“I’ve still got the Pegasus a tad in the back of my mind,” Cornett said Sunday. “Four months [between races] is an awful long time. The beautiful thing is we don’t have to make any decision right now. I like to do research.”

Remember, running White Abarrio in the Grade 1 Whitney on Aug. 5 at Saratoga was a last-minute decision. Shortly after he finished third to Cody’s Wish in the Grade 1 Metropolitan Handicap on June 10, White Abarrio was being pointed to the Grade 1 Forego at Saratoga in late August.

That plan changed when the field for the Whitney was coming up short on numbers. White Abarrio was re-routed to the Whitney, a race he won by 6 1/4 lengths, before winning the $6 million Classic on Nov. 4.

:: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.