White Abarrio on track for Whitney start

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – White Abarrio, who had a run of good races come to an end when he finished fourth in the Grade 1 Metropolitan Handicap on June 7, remains on target for a start in the Grade 1, $1 million Whitney at Saratoga on Aug. 2, trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. said.

White Abarrio won the Whitney in 2023.

On Sunday, White Abarrio worked a half-mile in 48.87 seconds in company with Neoequos, who is coming off a ninth-place finish in the Grade 1 Woody Stephens.

“He went good,” Joseph said. “Second work, let him pick it up a little bit.”

White Abarrio went a slow three furlongs on June 29.

White Abarrio will be joined in the Whitney by his Joseph-trained stablemate Skippylongstocking, who is coming off a win in the Grade 2 Gold Cup at Santa Anita on May 26. Joseph said he scratched Skippylongstocking out of the Grade 1 Stephen Foster because it was back too soon and came up too strong. Joseph wants to get Skippylongstocking to the Charles Town Classic at the end of August. Skippylongstocking has won the last two Charles Town Classics.

“Timing-wise it works,” Joseph said. “Last year we did it.”

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