White Abarrio returns to work tab in Saratoga

White Abarrio, the 2023 Breeders’ Cup Classic winner, breezed three furlongs in 39.22 seconds Monday morning over the Oklahoma training track in Saratoga, his first timed workout since he was returned to trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. in June.

“It went well, the track was on the slower side – real slow,” Joseph said. “It was his first work back, I was very happy with it.”

White Abarrio’s next major target is the $3 million Pegasus World Cup at Gulfstream Park on Jan. 25, 2025. Among the races he could run in before then are the Grade 2, $400,000 Cigar Mile at Aqueduct on Dec. 7 or, more likely, the Grade 3, $150,000 Harlan’s Holiday at Gulfstream on Dec. 21.

White Abarrio has not run since he finished fifth of six in the Grade 1 Metropolitan Handicap at Saratoga on June 8. He was transferred from Rick Dutrow to Joseph the following day. Prior to his start in the Met Mile, White Abarrio finished 10th in the $20 million Saudi Cup in February.

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In the spring of 2023, White Abarrio had to be transferred from Joseph to Dutrow after two of Joseph’s horses died suddenly 48 hours apart at Churchill Downs. Joseph was barred from racing at Churchill and in New York for a brief period. For Dutrow, White Abarrio finished third in the 2023 Met Mile and won the Grade 1 Whitney and the BC Classic.

White Abarrio was taken out of training in July and basically got several weeks off on a farm near Saratoga before returning to Joseph’s barn at the end of August. White Abarrio will remain in Saratoga until the end of October, Joseph said.

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