White Abarrio will be moving to a new distance when he seeks to win a second career Breeders’ Cup race in the Grade 1, $1 million Dirt Mile on Nov. 1 at Del Mar.
“He’s already won the Classic,” said trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. “If he could add the Dirt Mile to his résumé, it would be a pretty impressive résumé that puts him in elite company.”
White Abarrio, who won the Classic at 1 1/4 miles in 2023, was one of 13 horses pre-entered in this year’s Dirt Mile. Of those runners, the connections of three designated another Breeders’ Cup race as their first preference, with Dr. Venkman and Patriot Spirit stating a preference for the Sprint and Dry Powder favoring the Distaff. Final entries will be taken on Monday.
Full Serrano will be back to defend his title in this year’s Dirt Mile, which will again be run around two turns. Citizen Bull will meet older rivals for the first time in the race, a year after he won the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile.
Others pre-entered are 2024 Kentucky Derby winner Mystik Dan, multiple Grade 1 winner Chancer McPatrick, Grade 2 winner Nysos, Grade 3 winner Tumbarumba, Breeders’ Cup Challenge winner Touch of Destiny, stakes winner Will Take It, and the Grade 1-placed Goal Oriented.
White Abarrio is a four-time Grade 1 winner who has earned $7.1 million. He comes into the Dirt Mile off a fifth-place finish in the Jockey Club Gold Cup on Aug. 31 at Saratoga. White Abarrio faced unusual circumstances in that race, as a rival jockey was unseated early on and was able to briefly hold himself up on White Abarrio. In the chain-reaction incident, White Abarrio’s rider also was nearly unseated.
“We thought last time he was set to run a big race and, unfortunately, what happened with the horse stumbling, you can’t really count that against him,” Joseph said. “It’s [not easy] to run with one jockey, let alone two riders, on top of your back. Thankfully, everybody came out good, riders were good, horses were good. You just have to move forward. We feel like he’s shown in his works he’s sitting on a big race. Hopefully, everything goes well this time.”
Since the start, White Abarrio has turned in a series of bullet drills at his base of Gulfstream Park. His latest move came Tuesday, when he went a half-mile in company in 47.63 seconds. Joseph said White Abarrio galloped out five furlongs in 59 seconds and change, and six furlongs in 1:12.
“He worked super,” Joseph said later Tuesday. “Strong work.”
Joseph said White Abarrio was to have shipped to Southern California on Thursday. Irad Ortiz Jr. has the mount in the Breeders’ Cup.
It will be the first start at Del Mar for White Abarrio, who won his Classic at Santa Anita.
“Speed’s his game,” Joseph said. “He’s a forwardly placed horse, so I don’t think the surface is going to be a problem for him. And I think he’ll like the cooler weather, for sure.”
As for the future, White Abarrio, who is now 6, may or may not close out his career in this year’s Breeders’ Cup.
“Everything’s on the table,” Joseph said. “There’s a possibility he could go to stud. There’s a possibility he could run in the Pegasus again. It would be nice to win the Pegasus again before he goes to stud. And then there is the possibility he could race next year, too.
“So, I think we don’t want to jump the gun. We want to go one step at a time. We’d love to win the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile with him. That’s all we’re thinking right now, Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile.”
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