White Abarrio at top of his game coming into Oaklawn Handicap
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HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – White Abarrio put the finishing touches on preparations for his much anticipated showdown with Horse of the Year Sovereignty next Saturday in the Grade 2 Oaklawn Handicap by breezing an easy half-mile in 49.79 seconds Friday at Gulfstream Park.
Going once again with his regular workmate Can’t Stop Munnings, White Abarrio posted a leisurely opening quarter split of 25.59 before picking up the pace down the lane while kept under wraps throughout. White Abarrio stuck his head in front while outside his partner nearing the wire before easing up purposefully on the gallop-out, completing five furlongs in 1:03.27.
White Abarrio, who kicked off his 2026 campaign finishing second to stablemate Skippylongstocking in the Grade 1 Pegasus World Cup Invitational nearly 11 weeks earlier, turned in his most serious work for the Oaklawn Handicap here eight days ago. He worked four furlongs in 47.03 before galloping out with terrific energy, getting five-eighths in 1:00, up three-quarters in 1:11.80.
“I’m extremely happy with the way he’s been training, things have been rolling along nicely with his preparations since the Pegasus World Cup,” trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. enthused after the work. “He had his strong work last week. He was just cruising this morning, and everything went in good order.”
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As well as White Abarrio ran in the Pegasus World Cup, Joseph feels he’s going to be even better prepared coming into the Oaklawn Handicap.
“He had his training get interrupted a couple of times before his last start, so from a fitness standpoint he is going into this race in far better condition,” Joseph said. “And if everything continues to go well over the next eight days, there’s no reason to believe he should not hit his top numbers in this race.
“Obviously, we’re going up against the Horse of the Year. And maybe our best won’t be good enough. But I believe he [Sovereignty] is going to have to bring his best to beat us.”
Skippylongstocking remains on course to make his next start in the Grade 2 Alysheba on May 2 at Churchill Downs. He has yet to work since his popular 5 1/4-length victory in the Grade 3 Essex on March 21 at Oaklawn Park.
“We’ve missed a ton of training at Palm Meadows this week because of all the rain, so he won’t work again until the following week,” Joseph explained. “That will give him two works going into the Alysheba, we should be just fine.”
Joseph said he also will back off a bit on his top 3-year-old prospect Bravaro following his troubled fourth-place finish in last Saturday’s Wood Memorial at Aqueduct. Bravaro was beaten just 2 1/2 lengths by Albus, despite having to take up several times along the way, including at crucial stages on the far turn and again approaching the eighth pole.
“I thought the trouble at the three-eighths pole was what really cost us the most,” Joseph observed. “He was trying to get outside to make his move but instead got pushed back in and held up. I think if he had gotten in the clear, his momentum might have shot him to the lead and from there I feel he would have had a big chance to win.
“They shut the hole on him again near the eighth pole, but if he had enough horse at that point, they might not have been able to do that.”
Joseph’s overall impression is that Bravaro, who earlier this winter finished second here in the Grade 3 Holy Bull and a tiring fourth in the Grade 2 Fountain of Youth, may have some distance limitations and could ultimately prove more effective around one turn.
“I think a cutback in distance could be best for him, so I’ll probably put him back with New York-breds and target the Mike Lee at Saratoga on Belmont Stakes weekend and hopefully move forward from there,” Joseph said.
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