White Abarrio ‘moving in the right direction' toward Florida Derby

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Saffie Joseph Jr. sent out Holy Bull winner White Abarrio to work here Sunday. White Abarrio went a strong five furlongs in 59.50, going easily throughout, before galloping out six furlongs in 1:12.42. White Abarrio will be among the favorites in what is shaping up to be an outstanding renewal of the $1 million Florida Derby on April 2.

White Abarrio is going directly from the Holy Bull to the Florida Derby.

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“We have no second thoughts about skipping the Fountain of Youth at all,” said Joseph. “He’s moving in the right direction and shown everything you’d want a horse to show since the Holy Bull.”

Among White Abarrio’s rivals in the Florida Derby will be the Pletcher-trained Charge It, an impressive 8 1/2-length maiden winner going a mile in his most recent start.

“We definitely plan on running Charge It and then we’ll see how some of the other preps unfold before determining who else we might run in the Florida Derby,” Pletcher said. “He’s light on experience but rich on talent and we felt like the spacing was best to stay here with him instead of going to Tampa. And [owner-breeder Mandy Pope] is comfortable with that fact that if he needs more experience and we don’t make the Derby, then that’s okay.”