With Joseph's status in limbo, White Abarrio transferred to Dutrow
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C2 Racing Stable announced in a press release on Tuesday they have transferred White Abarrio from trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. to Rick Dutrow Jr. at Belmont Park and that he will run in the Grade 1 Metropolitan Mile on June 10.
Joseph was banned indefinitely by Churchill Downs following the sudden deaths of two of his horses during races run the week prior to the Kentucky Derby. Subsequently, NYRA and Joseph came to an understanding that he would not ship any horses to run in New York while the matter in Kentucky was under investigation.
Joseph’s license has not been suspended in either state.
“Since the suspension [in Kentucky] we have not been successful in obtaining the necessary information from several jurisdictions or racetrack operators regarding future race nominations and race entries for Saffie Joseph Jr.,” the C2 Racing release stated. “Due to the lack of answers, they have made it very difficult to manage the remainder of White Abarrio’s 4-year-old campaign, thus requiring us to make a trainer change for the remainder of the year.
“This is definitely not our preference and the trainer change is solely based on our ability to manage White Abarrio,” the statement continued. “We have every confidence and trust in Saffie Joseph Jr. and his team. We know from first-hand experience that he and his team deeply care for the horses. We remain fully committed to Saffie, and our 12 horses currently in his care will remain, as we are very confident Saffie will be reinstated and fully vindicated in the near future.”
Joseph confirmed Tuesday that White Abarrio is one of two graded stakes horses in his barn that were shipped to Dutrow along with Master Piece, who finished third in the Grade 2 Pan American at Gulfstream Park in his most recent start on April 1.
Master Piece and White Abarrio both worked Sunday morning at Gulfstream prior to shipping north and were scheduled to arrive at Belmont on Tuesday. Both horses had been scratched from races on the Kentucky Derby undercard May 6, Master Piece from the Grade 1 Old Forester Turf Classic, and White Abarrio from the Grade 1 Churchill Downs Sprint.
“Obviously we have been dealing with this tragedy the best we can and have been very transparent regarding the situation, but it’s been frustrating because we haven’t been given any updates or answers in regards to the investigation,” Joseph said. “Meanwhile my license remains in good order, in Kentucky, New York, and all jurisdictions.
“As for White Abarrio, he has been pointing for the Met Mile for a while and at the end of the day, sending him up to New York to run [with Dutrow] is what’s in the best interest of the horse and that’s what matters most.”
Master Piece is owned in part by Michael Iavarone, whose IEAH stable was part owner of the sensational Big Brown, who Dutrow trained to win the 2008 Kentucky Derby and Preakness.
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