White Abarrio, thoroughbred racing’s warrior who has excelled and faltered in many of the sport’s richest events, is ready to go again.
This time, the 7-year-old nearly white gelding is primed for the $1 million Whitney Stakes (G1) at Saratoga on Saturday in what could be the Race of the Year. Plus, the winner earns a fees-paid berth to the Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) on Oct. 31 at Keeneland.
It’s easy to see why the 2023 Whitney Stakes winner is listed at generous odds of 8-1 in the field of eight in the 1 1/8-mile test, arguably the most prestigious event in the country for older horses other than the BC Classic.
The field is loaded with the sport’s top stars: Dubai World Cup (G1) and recent Stephen Foster Stakes (G1) winner Magnitude [the 9-5 morning-line favorite], 2025 Kentucky Derby (G1), Belmont Stakes (G1) and Travers Stakes (G1) winner Sovereignty (3-1), Stephen Foster runner-up Baeza (7-2) and champion filly Nitrogen (4-1).
| # | Horse | Jockey | Trainer | M/L |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Magnitude | J L Ortiz | S M Asmussen | 9/5 |
| 2 | Nitrogen | J R Velazquez | M E Casse | 4/1 |
| 3 | Antiquarian | M Franco | T A Pletcher | 10/1 |
| 4 | Forged Steel | M J Husbands | S A Joseph, Jr. | 20/1 |
| 5 | White Abarrio | I Ortiz, Jr. | S A Joseph, Jr. | 8/1 |
| 6 | Sovereignty | J Alvarado | W I Mott | 3/1 |
| 7 | Tiztastic | T Gaffalione | S M Asmussen | 30/1 |
| 8 | Baeza | F Prat | W I Mott | 7/2 |
Last Updated on 08/03/2026
Bettors would be wise to keep White Abarrio in the mix. When he’s on, he can be awesome: In April, he upset Sovereignty and Journalism in the $2 million Oaklawn Handicap (G2); in 2025, he won the $3 million Pegasus World Cup Invitational (G1); in 2023, he won the $6 million Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1); and in 2022 he won the Florida Derby (G1).
“On his best day, his best numbers, he’s as fast as anybody in the race and if he shows up, he’ll be right there,” Florida-based trainer Saffie Joseph, Jr., told drf.com. “He’s running just as fast now as he did when he won this race three years ago. It’s hard to say why he still should be this good at this age. But he is.”
On Saturday (Aug. 1), White Abarrio breezed 4 furlongs in 49.86 seconds at Saratoga in his final work before the Whitney. Joseph, meanwhile, has been on a nice roll in 2026. On the same day White Abarrio worked, Joseph watched Eunomia with the Clement L. Hirsch Stakes (G1) at Santa Anita, a Breeders’ Cup “Win and You’re In’’ race to the BC Distaff (G1) at Keeneland on Oct. 31.
“I think he’s going into the race [Whitney] doing very well. I know the last race he didn’t fire [fourth behind Magnitude, Sovereignty and Baeza], so it’s obviously something you think about, although we knew the [sloppy] track was against us,’’ Joseph said. “Hopefully we get a fast track this time.”
But bettors also are aware that White Abarrio has faltered in the biggies, too. Last year, he finished fourth in the three consecutive Grade 1 races at Saratoga – the Met Mile, the Whitney and the Jockey Club Gold Cup; in 2024, he finished 10th in the Saudi Cup; and in 2022, he was 16th in the Kentucky Derby (G1).
White Abarrio is 1-for-5 at Saratoga, but will be ridden again by Irad Ortiz, Jr., the nation’s leading jockey and Saratoga’s top rider for the past four years.
White Abarrio has raced in eight states – Arkansas, California, Florida, Kentucky, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania – and ran once in Saudi Arabia.
While the top contenders Saturday are in their 4-year-old campaigns, White Abarrio is set for his 28th career start. He’s totaled 11 victories, three seconds and three thirds for earnings of $8,583,170 for owners C2 Racing Stables, Gary Barber and La Milagrosa Stables.
White Abarrio has a huge following in his six years of competing. In his most recent start, at Churchill Downs, Joseph took notice of the fans cheering him on.
“At Churchill when he came in the paddock, everybody cheered for him, and how many people come out on the tours here and are like, ‘wow, White Abarrio!’ To see people appreciate a horse like that, it’s special to be a part of that,” Joseph said. “He’s been going for so long, and with so many accomplishments, he’s created a big fanbase. We are grateful to him and thankful to have a horse like that.”
Richard Rosenblatt is an award-winning journalist and former Associated Press Horse Racing Editor. Currently, he serves as the news editor at US Racing, overseeing exclusive content from contributors worldwide.
