White Abarrio retired, will stand at Gainesway Farm
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SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - The connections of White Abarrio on Monday announced the retirement of their 2023 Breeders’ Cup Classic winner, which comes just 48 hours after his disappointing seventh-place finish Saturday at Saratoga in the Grade 1 Whitney.
White Abarrio, a 7-year-old son of Race Day, ends his career with 11 victories in 29 starts and earnings of $8,598,170. He is owned in partnership by Mark Cornett’s C2 Racing, Gary Barber, and La Milagrosa Stable.
Along with his one-length victory over Derma Sotogake in the 2023 Classic, White Abarrio captured three other Grade 1 races - the 2022 Florida Derby, 2023 Whitney, and 2025 Pegasus World Cup Invitational. He won both the Breeders’ Cup and Whitney for trainer Richard Dutrow Jr., the Florida Derby and Pegasus with his original and now present trainer, Saffie Joseph Jr.
White Abarrio will retire to Gainesway Farm in Lexington, Ky., where he will begin his breeding career during the 2027 season.
“His career has been stellar and he was obviously a big part of our careers as a barn as well. He took us to another level without a doubt,” Joseph said shortly after White Abarrio’s retirement became official. “It’s been quite a journey, having had him from the beginning, losing him, and watching him win two Grade 1 races, including the Breeders’ Cup, then getting him back again and winning the Pegasus for us.”
But despite his four Grade 1 wins, Joseph felt personally that White Abarrio’s victory over reigning Horse of the Year Sovereignty in the Grade 2 Oaklawn Handicap earlier this season may have been the defining moment of his brilliant career.
“After all that happened in the Breeders’ Cup and the whole journey right after that, I feel like defeating a great horse like Sovereignty at Oaklawn was the cherry on top for him,” Joseph said. “After that win, the stud deal came together and it secured his future. We felt even at that point we didn’t have the right home for him yet. And once Gainesway came aboard, it was so satisfying to know he was going to a great place to be alongside his grandfather” Tapit.
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