The $3 million Pegasus World Cup Invitational (G1) is Saturday, Jan. 25, at Gulfstream Park in Hallandale Beach, Florida. The race is for 4-year-olds and up going 1 1/8 miles. usracing.com is publishing profiles of the horses entered.
WHITE ABARRIO
Few horses ever had a roller-coaster career like White Abarrio’s. After sweeping the Holy Bull Stakes (G3) and Florida Derby (G1) as a 3-year-old, he finished 16th in the Kentucky Derby (G1). He lost his next four races, capped by an eighth-place dud in the 2023 Pegasus World Cup (G1).
White Abarrio. Ryan Thompson/Coglianese Photo.
White Abarrio seeks a return to the winner’s circle in the Pegasus World Cup Invitational.
He won an optional claimer before being switched from trainer Saffie Joseph, Jr. to Rick Dutrow, who supervised a spectacular turnaround. He ran third in the Met Mile (G1) before dominating two of the country’s most prestigious events, the Whitney Stakes (G1) and Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1). If not for the great season by Cody’s Wish, White Abarrio would have been 2023 Horse of the Year.
Then his form deteriorated dramatically with flops in the Saudi Cup (G1) — he was 10th – and the Met Mile (fifth). He was returned to Joseph and won and ran second since the barn change. Joseph is upbeat about his Pegasus chances after a 5-furlong workout in 1:00.39 Jan. 9 at Gulfstream Park, White Abarrio’s favorite track. He followed that work with a 4-furlong breeze in 48.13 on Jan. 16. He’s a certified horse for course there (6-for-8, with two stakes wins).
“I thought it was a phenomenal work, the best I’ve ever seen him work in the times I’ve had him,” Joseph said following the Jan. 9 work.
After his most recent work, Joseph said: “I thought it was a very good work. He did a lot last week so we kept him in hand this time. We were very happy with it.”
Betting advice: Has plenty of back class, training well, and loves the track. Win contender.
Post position: 4
Odds: 3-1
Jockey: Irad Ortiz, Jr.
Trainer: Saffie Joseph, Jr.
Owners: C 2 Racing Stable, Prince Faisal bin Khaled bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud, Antonio Pagano
Career record: 19-8-2-3
Career earnings: $5,241,850
Last race: Mr. Prospector Stakes (G3), Dec. 28, 2nd
Top Equibase speed figure: 122
Pedigree: Race Day-Catching Diamonds, by Into Mischief
Age: 6
Color: Gray/roan
Running style: Stalker/frontrunner
Notes: White Abarrio’s name combines his coat’s color and the Spanish town of Abarrio … Joseph has more than 1,200 career wins and about $60 million in earnings, according to Equibase statistics … In 2009, at age 22, the third-generation horseman trained Barbados Triple Crown hero Areutalkintome … Joseph also has Skippylongstocking in the Pegasus, where that horse is 0-for-2.