White Abarrio scratched from Carter due to temperature
?q=100)
OZONE PARK, N.Y. -- White Abarrio will scratch from Saturday’s Grade 1, $300,000 Carter Handicap at Aqueduct due to an illness, trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. said Friday.
White Abarrio was the 2-1 second choice on the morning line behind Repo Rocks, the 9-5 favorite.
White Abarrio, the Grade 1 Florida Derby winner of 2022, shipped to New York from Florida on Tuesday. Upon arriving at Belmont Park, he had a temperature, Joseph said. White Abarrio was better on Wednesday, Joseph said, but he coughed a few times Thursday morning. Blood was pulled and White Abarrio had a high white-blood cell count, Joseph said.
“I learn not to question why things happen and try to look on the bright side,” Joseph said. “It’s better than running and him running poorly.”
Joseph said White Abarrio would remain in New York and point to the Grade 3, $175,000 Westchester Stakes at Belmont Park on May 5.
The scratch of White Abarrio figures to leave Repo Rocks, a winner of four consecutive races, an odds-on choice in the Carter, which is now down to six horses.
Joseph said the two 3-year-olds he shipped to New York for Saturday’s Grade 2, $750,000 Wood Memorial -- Lord Miles and Knox -- were fine and will run as scheduled.
:: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.