Joseph to follow same script with White Abarrio for Foster

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – After faultless preparation exiting a second-place finish in the Pegasus World Cup Invitational led to White Abarrio’s upset victory over reigning Horse of the Year Sovereignty in the Oaklawn Handicap nearly three months later, trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. isn’t about to change the formula now.

White Abarrio breezed a very leisurely three furlongs from the quarter pole into the clubhouse turn in 38.38 seconds shortly after 9 a.m. Tuesday at Gulfstream Park. It was his first official work since his two-length decision over Sovereignty 24 days earlier. The two are expected to meet again in the Grade 2 Stephen Foster on June 29 at Churchill Downs.

“What we learned from his preparations before the Pegasus and then again going into Oaklawn is that less is just fine with him,” Joseph said. “He’s doing amazing, and we’re way ahead of schedule at the moment.”

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White Abarrio finished second behind stablemate Skippylongstocking in the Pegasus despite missing time between works leading up to the race. But he never missed a beat preparing for his confrontation with Sovereignty and Journalism at Oaklawn, kicking off a series of five works with a similarly easy three-eighths leg-stretcher as the one he turned in Tuesday.

“We’ll get him back on a schedule now but will space his works out. We still have plenty of time until the race,” Joseph explained. “He probably won’t breeze again for another 12 days or so. He was doing great after Pegasus going into Oaklawn and while it’s hard to say he’s doing even better now, I definitely haven’t seen any regression since that race.”

As for Skippylongstocking, who is based regularly at the Palm Meadows training center, Joseph remains uncertain what might be next on his agenda while not ruling out a possible return to Churchill for the Foster. Skippylongstocking was beaten a neck by Corporate Power in the eventfully run Grade 2 Alysheba on May 1.

“I’m not sure what we’re going to do with him yet, but he has had four races now,” Joseph noted. “I want to get him two runs before the Breeders’ Cup, but I also need to give him a little break and it might make sense to take that break now rather than go to the Foster.”

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