White Abarrio, one of a bevy of the stars in the handicap division currently pointing for the Grade 1 Metropolitan Handicap at Saratoga on June 7, turned in his first serious work for that assignment, going five furlongs in 59.19 seconds over a fast but somewhat cuppy track Wednesday at Gulfstream Park.
White Abarrio, who has had a couple of easy works since his one-sided, 5 1/4-length victory over Grade 1 winner Power Squeeze in the Grade 3 Ghostzapper on March 29, broke three lengths behind a pair of mates to begin the drill. He rated off his targets through a 35.60 opening three furlong split while taking some dirt along the way, joined the trio nearing the eighth pole before readily drawing four lengths clear at the wire. He then steadily increased his advantage when set down into the clubhouse turn, easing up after six panels in 1:12.20.
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“He had two easy breezes since his last start but I wanted to get a strong work into him today before he leaves for Saratoga later this week,” trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. said Wednesday. “I wanted the two in front to set a good tempo. I wanted to simulate a race. I had him take dirt because he’s going to likely take dirt the first part of the Met Mile. They picked it up every eighth mile. Judging from other horses that worked here today, the track is still a bit on the slow side.”
White Abarrio has won three of his four starts, all in convincing fashion, since rejoining Joseph’s barn last summer, including the Grade 1 Pegasus World Cup by 6 1/4 lengths over Locked to launch his 2025 campaign.
“The Met Mile is going to be a tremendous race, but we feel our horse is as good as any, and if he comes into it in the right order he should be very tough to beat,” said Joseph, who plans to work White Abarrio three more times at Saratoga prior to his next start.
Stablemates Fierceness, who captured the Grade 2 Alysheba at Churchill Downs on Friday in a record-setting performance, and Mindframe, winner of the Grade 1 Churchill Downs Sprint the following afternoon, are both considered possibilities for the Metropolitan Handicap, a race that is certain to highlight the undercard on this year’s Belmont Stakes program.
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