Santa Anita
Friday, Oct. 27
Weather: Cloudy
Temperature: 55°
Track: Fast
ARCADIA, Calif. – Any worries handicappers may have had regarding White Abarrio after he had a scheduled work postponed here earlier this week due to foot issues were likely laid to rest in the 59.63 seconds it took the Grade 1 Whitney winner to work five furlongs shortly before dawn on a crisp Friday morning at Santa Anita.
White Abarrio was the No. 1 star on a relatively light Breeders’ Cup work tab here Friday, a tab that wound up one work lighter than expected after another Classic contender, Geaux Rocket Ride, had his scheduled breeze postponed at least one day shortly after warming up for the work on the training track with jockey Mike Smith aboard. The decision was reportedly due to a foot and shoeing issue similar to the one that delayed White Abarrio’s final Classic drill for a full 96 hours.
The wait for both the connections and supporters of White Abarrio proved well worth it. With regular exercise rider Emily Ellingwood aboard, White Abarrio eased away from the five-furlong pole barely shading 13 seconds for his opening furlong. He then began to pick up the pace upon entering the turn, responding to a little prodding nearing the quarter pole and steady urging from midstretch to the wire to really pour it on when it counted most, completing his final three-eighths in 34.54 and quarter in 23 flat before continuing willingly into the clubhouse turn and galloping out six panels in 1:13.26. Even better yet was the energy he showed jogging home, eager and on his toes as if the work took little, or nothing, out of him at all.
White Abarrio briefly crossed paths on his way back to the barn with Dubai World Cup winner Ushba Tesoro, another of the likely favorites in the Classic. Ushba Tesoro is an imposing-looking sort who has made an extremely favorable impression in the his brief time since arriving locally along with the rest of the Japanese Breeders’ Cup contingent earlier this week. That group also includes Classic hopeful Derma Sotogake who, as was the case when preparing for the Kentucky Derby this spring at Churchill Downs, put in a lengthy training session that lasted about an hour.
Early workers in semi-darkness just prior to White Abarrio included the 2-year-olds Slider, Where’s My Ring, and Dark Vintage.
Slider (Juvenile Turf Sprint) breezed five-eighths in company with regular workmate Baj in 59.78 off a crisp 35.43 opening quarter split but was just average on the gallop-out, easing up three-quarters of a mile in 1:14.11.
Both Where’s My Ring (Juvenile Fillies Turf)and Dark Vintage (Juvenile Turf Sprint) zipped a half-mile in 47 and change while finishing off the rail in and amongst traffic, with Where’s My Ring chasing and readily running down a team of workers along the way.
Chatalas, who looked good breezing for the Juvenile Fillies here last week, impressed again Friday morning immediately after the second renovation break. She cruised five furlongs in 36.16 and 1:00.76, easing up after three-quarters in 1:14.28. Minutes later, trainer Michael McCarthy sent out Endlessly to go an easy half-mile in 47.97 working inside Smooth Salute while being asked a bit more to keep pace on the gallop-out.
Elm Drive, Flattery, and her stablemate Stay Hot all got in their final Breeders’ Cup trials on the training track. Elm Drive, generally a very fast work horse, was well within herself breezing her final four furlongs in a relatively even 25.03 and 49.87. Flattery looked very sharp, particularly on the gallop-out, after completing the same distance, going easily, in 48.28, while Stay Hot was full of run from the outset, zipping a half in 23.42 and 47.41 while also never asked for her best.
Ushba Tesoro wasn’t the only one to really catch the eye among Breeders’ Cup gallopers Friday morning. The star of that show, without a doubt, was defending Dirt Mile champion Cody’s Wish who was breathing fire and absolutely dragging his rider out of the saddle in a super-impressive session during which he galloped from the half-mile pole to the wire in 56.15 while clearly wanting to do more, more, more every step of the way.
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