White Abarrio works, leaves Tuesday for Saudi Cup

White Abarrio was pronounced ready for the $20 million Saudi Cup in Saudi Arabia on Feb. 24 by exercise rider Emily Ellingwood after working a half-mile in 47.40 seconds at Santa Anita on Monday.

White Abarrio “was eager to do more,” according to Ellingwood.

White Abarrio has not raced since a win in the Breeders’ Cup Classic at Santa Anita last November. He is one of five American-based hopefuls for the Saudi Cup at 1 1/8 miles, along with National Treasure and Senor Buscador, the first two finishers of the Grade 1 Pegasus World Cup at Gulfstream Park on Jan. 27, as well as Louisiana Stakes winner Saudi Crown and Hoist the Gold, winner of the Grade 2 Cigar Mile.

National Treasure, a game second to 2023 Horse of the Year Cody’s Wish in the BC Dirt Mile in November, worked five furlongs in 1:01.60 for trainer Bob Baffert at Santa Anita on Saturday.

National Treasure and White Abarrio were scheduled to be flown from California to Saudi Arabia early Tuesday.

White Abarrio has remained at Santa Anita since the BC Classic, with Ellingwood working the 5-year-old on behalf of trainer Rick Dutrow.

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Monday’s workout for White Abarrio had a slight disruption when Ellingwood was forced to pull up her mount after a siren was sounded, alerting riders of a loose horse.

“He worked a solid half-mile and the buzzer went off and I had to pull him up,” she said. “He was eager to do more. We wanted him to gallop out a little more.”

There will not be a trip to Saudi Arabia for the California-based turf stakes winner Planetario, trainer Richard Mandella said.

Planetario won the Grade 2 Hollywood Turf Cup at 1 1/2 miles at Del Mar in his final start of 2024 in November, and was second to Missed the Cut in Saturday’s Grade 3 San Marcos Stakes at 1 1/4 miles on turf at Santa Anita. The San Marcos Stakes was intended to be a prep for the $2.5 million Red Sea Handicap at 1 7/8 miles on turf in Saudi Arabia on Feb. 24, but Mandella said that race is no longer on the 6-year-old horse’s agenda.

“He’s tired out of the race,” Mandella said. “I canceled the trip. We’re going to think about Dubai.”

Options in Dubai include the Group 2 Dubai Gold Cup, a $1 million race at two miles, or the Group 1 Sheema Classic, a $6 million race at 1 1/2 miles that annually draws an exceptional field. Both races are March 30 at Meydan Racecourse.

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