White Abarrio giving Joseph all the right signs as Stephen Foster nears
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From a Beyer Speed Figure standpoint, White Abarrio ran the best race of his career upsetting reigning Horse of the Year Sovereignty by two lengths in the Grade 2 Oaklawn Handicap on April 18. On Thursday, after White Abarrio worked at Gulfstream Park, trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. said that as improbable as it sounds his horse might be doing even better now heading into his eagerly anticipated rematch with Sovereignty in the $2 million Stephen Foster at Churchill Downs.
Going in company with regular workmate Al Loud, White Abarrio broke off a length behind at the half-mile pole, joined his target entering the stretch, then readily drew away to the wire and on the gallop-out. He completed four furlongs in 46.92 seconds before continuing five-eighths in 59.20 and easing up three-quarters of a mile midway around the clubhouse turn in an impressive 1:11.22.
“Today was his ‘strong work’ for the Foster and it went according to plan,” Joseph said a short while later. “He finished up strong and galloped out very nicely, with plenty of energy. Normally, that’s what we see from him when he’s ready to run his ‘A’ race. He gives you one of these.
“It’s really hard to say he could possibly be even better than he was at Oaklawn because he was so magnificent that day. But everything I’m seeing points in that direction.”
Joseph said White Abarrio, who will stand stud next season at Gainesway Farm in Kentucky per an announcement made by his connections Thursday, is scheduled to have one more work at Gulfstream before shipping to Louisville a week from Sunday.
Joseph also confirmed that all was well with his recent Grade 1-winning filly sprint star R Disaster despite the fact she has yet to return to the work tab since her convincing 2 1/4-length victory over Ways and Means in the Grade 1 Derby City Distaff on May 2 at Churchill. Like White Abarrio, she also is currently stabled at Gulfstream.
“The plan has been to go straight with her to the Honorable Miss, so we’re just giving her a little time off now because we want to get her through the whole year,” Joseph explained. “We had considered running her here in the Musical Romance but decided it really didn’t make any sense to try to squeeze in one more race. She’ll start back working in a couple of weeks.”
The Grade 2 Honorable Miss will be held on July 26 at Saratoga.
Joseph said he also is planning to run his multiple Grade 3 winner Haulin Ice in the Honorable Miss. She will train up to the race at Gulfstream.
“I sent her to Saratoga after her last start at Delaware Park but had to ship her back down here because, like R Disaster, she’s a tough filly to train on the regular track and they’re not opening the little training track [Clare Court] up there for several weeks, which is a decision I really can’t quite understand,” Joseph lamented.
Maiden races top card
With Saturday’s 11-race card comprised primarily of claiming races, it is a pair of maiden special weight dashes, one for juveniles and a second for 3-year-olds, that will take center stage.
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Six 2-year-olds are entered to go five furlongs in the second race with Cowboy Skins, a son of Munnings likely to take considerable support making his debut for trainer Patrick Biancone. Cowboy Skins brought $100,000 at the 2024 Keeneland November sale and is a half -brother to stakes winner Pentathlon.
Demolition appears to be the most noteworthy of the new faces contesting the sixth event, carded for 3-year-olds going six furlongs on the main track. The son of Global Campaign fetched $135,000 as a 2-year-old last season at OBS and is the younger brother of the multiple stakes-placed Restofthestory. He has been well prepared for his debut by owner-trainer Tareq Moubarak and sports an extensive work tab that includes a bullet half-mile in 47.40 on May 25.
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