Pegasus: White Abarrio ‘Strong’ in Pegasus World Cup Tune-Up

By David Joseph —-

White Abarrio; Ryan Thompson

White Abarrio ‘Strong’ in Pegasus World Cup Tune-Up

HALLANDALE BEACH, FL – Florida Derby (G1) winner White Abarrio breezed five furlongs over Gulfstream Park’s main track Friday morning in preparation for a scheduled start in the $3 million Pegasus World Cup Invitational (G1) presented by Baccarat Jan. 28 at the historic Hallandale Beach racetrack.

C2 Racing Stable LLC and La Milagrosa Stable LLC’s 4-year-old son of Race Day, one of 12 horses on the Pegasus World Cup’s list of invitees released Wednesday, was timed in 59.16 seconds, the fastest of eight workouts recorded at the distance.

“He went very well – his last quarter was 22-and-4 [seconds]. He had a very strong finish – just what we were looking for,” trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. said. “He’s in good order right now.”

The morning exercise was White Abarrio’s third breeze at Gulfstream since finishing third in the Dec. 3 Cigar Mile (G1) at Aqueduct. The flashy gray colt was withheld from last Saturday’s Harlan’s Holiday (G3), a Pegasus World Cup prep won by the Joseph-trained Skippylongstocking. Joseph-trained O’Connor finished fourth.

“[White Abarrio’s] best races come when he is fresh. He runs well fresh. Probably one of the reasons is that he puts so much into his works, you can get him fit with works,” Joseph said. “He’s not a horse that’s heavy that needs a race.”

White Abarrio, an athletic colt who won the Holy Bull (G3) at Gulfstream two months before winning the Florida Derby, has impressed his trainer with his physical presence.

“He’s never been this strong. It’s probably the best he’s been in his life,” Joseph said. “That was the way he was three weeks before the Cigar Mile.”

White Abarrio was joined by stablemates Skippylongstocking and O’Connor on the invitation list for the Pegasus.

“We’re thankful to our owners for the opportunities. We’re thankful to be in a position like this,” Joseph said.

The Stronach Group is a world-class technology, entertainment and real estate development company with Thoroughbred horse racing and pari-mutuel wagering at the core. The company’s consumer facing brand 1/ST (pronounced “First”) powers The Stronach Group’s forward-thinking 1/ST RACING & GAMING, 1/ST CONTENT, 1/ST TECHNOLOGY, 1/ST EXPERIENCE, and 1/ST PROPERTIES businesses, while advocating for and driving the 1/ST HORSE CARE mission. 1/ST represents The Stronach Group’s continued movement toward redefining Thoroughbred horse racing and the ecosystem that drives it. 1/ST RACING & GAMING drives the best-in-class horse racing operations and gaming offerings at the company’s premier racetracks and training centers including: Santa Anita Park, Golden Gate Fields and San Luis Rey Downs (California); Gulfstream Park – home of the Pegasus World Cup Championship Invitational Series, Gulfstream Park West and Palm Meadows Thoroughbred Training Center (Florida); the Maryland Jockey Club at Laurel Park, Pimlico Race Course – home of the legendary Preakness Stakes, Rosecroft Raceway and Bowie Training Center (Maryland). 1/ST CONTENT is operating group for 1/ST’s media and content companies including: Monarch Content Management, Elite, TSG Global Wagering Solutions (GWS) and XBTV. 1/ST TECHNOLOGY is horse racing’s largest racing and gaming technology company offering world-class products via its AmTote, Xpressbet, 1/ST BET, XB SELECT, XB NET, PariMAX and Betmix brands. 1/ST EXPERIENCE blends the worlds of sports, entertainment and hospitality through innovative content development, elevated national and local venue management and hospitality, strategic partnerships, sponsorships, and procurement development. 1/ST PROPERTIES is responsible for the development of the company’s live, work and play communities surrounding its racing venues including: The Village at Gulfstream Park (Florida) and Paddock Pointe (Maryland). As the advocate for critical industry reforms and by making meaningful investments into aftercare programs for retired horses and jockeys, 1/ST HORSE CARE represents The Stronach Group’s commitment to achieving the highest level of horse and rider care and safety standards in Thoroughbred horse racing on and off the track. For more information, please email david.joseph@gulfstreampark.com, visit www.1st.com or follow @1ST_racing on Twitter or @1stracing on Instagram and Facebook.