Barn Tour: In peak form, Joseph updates on stars, juveniles

Trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. had his best earnings year ever in 2024, and he would have done so even without the big paycheck from his first Breeders’ Cup win.

Joseph’s 2025 earnings stand at $12.9 million, compared with $16.6 million last year, and he’s confident about his chances to top his career high.

“I think we're on pace to maybe go past that, as good as we did last year,” Joseph told Horse Racing Nation this week as he was driving from Saratoga to Kentucky Downs. “That's always a goal, to get better.”

Joseph has about 200 horses in training, “probably the max we've ever had,” and 12 graded-stakes wins this year. Fresh off winning his 13th consecutive training title at Gulfstream Park, he provided updates on some of his stable stars and promising 2-year-olds for HRN’s Barn Tour series.

White Abarrio. The 6-year-old son of Race Day started the year with wins in the Grade 1 Pegasus World Cup Invitational and the Ghostzapper (G2) but then had fourth-place finishes in the Met Mile (G1), Whitney (G1) and Sunday’s Jockey Club Gold Cup (G1), where he was involved in the chain-reaction bumping. “He bunked out of the race good,” Joseph said. “Obviously, (Sunday) was a mess. Thankfully, the horses are good and most importantly, Irad (Ortiz Jr., who was unseated) seems like he bunked out of it well too. It could have been worse, and we're grateful that everyone came out safe and sound. As far as what we do, I'm not exactly sure yet. We're going to try to work backwards from the Breeders' Cup Mile. He might run before then, and the ownership group is going to talk it over and then decide on that.”

Indy Bay. The 3-year-old Take Charge Indy filly is Joseph’s most recent graded-stakes winner after scoring in the Charles Town Oaks (G2). She has four wins from five starts since she began racing for Joseph in March, her only flaw coming in the Victory Ride (G3) at Saratoga two starts back. Joseph said her next start hasn’t been determined, though the Cotillion (G1) at Parx on Sept. 20 is a possibility. “The only time she's run poorly, when she was third, is we brought her back quick in the race at Saratoga. She didn't fire that day, but we definitely gave her time, and she regrouped last time. She ran big, very proud of her.”

Skippylongstocking. The 6-year-old son of Exaggerator has had an up-and-down win, scoring in the Challenger (G3) and Hollywood Gold Cup (G2) but 0-for-4 otherwise, including an eighth-place finish last out in the Charles Town Classic (G2), which he had won the previous two years. “Really disappointing last time at Charles Town. Kind of a puzzling performance. Just waiting right now, haven't decided on anything just yet. We're going to breeze him back a few times before we decide on what spot. He ran second in the Woodward (G2) last year, that is a possibility, but nothing really set in stone yet.”

Be Your Best. The 5-year-old Muhaarar mare has won graded stakes in four of her last seven starts but finished third in the Beverly D. (G2) and Flower Bowl (G2) in her last two outings. In the Aug. 30 Flower Bowl, “she got a little aggressive down the back. She missed the break ... and she got a little aggressive, probably opened up a little too early. She ran creditable. Obviously not the result that we wanted but numbers-wise, she's running pretty quick still so we hope we can freshen her” and go to the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf. “There is a slight possibility she could run in the Rodeo Drive (G2) before the Breeders' Cup, but as of right now she might go straight to the Breeders' Cup.”

Mystic Lake. The 4-year-old Motown filly has won her last three starts, including a gate-to-wire win over Vahva last out in the black-type Misty Bennett Pink Ribbon at Charles Town. “She won last time, she beat Vahva, who is a very good horse in her own right. Obviously we got soft fractions, I think that was a big contributor. But she kind of got back in a good streak, and we have been choosing easier races for her to get her confidence and our confidence up. The last one wasn't easy with Vahva in there, but she ran lights out. I think we're probably going to go to some stake, whether it be Delaware or Parx.”

Haulin Ice. The 4-year-old Coal Front filly had won three stakes in a row before finishing second in the Sheer Drama Handicap at Gulfstream Park last out. “They kind of handicapped her pretty steep. They gave her, I think, 127 pounds. So they handicapped to beat her, and they got her beat. She could possibly go back to the Princess Rooney (G3).”

Neoequos. The 3-year-old Neolithic colt is 1-for-3 since his ninth-place finish in the Kentucky Derby, winning the Jersey Shore Stakes and finishing second last out in the Robert Hilton Memorial  at Charles Town. He probably will make his next start in the Gallant Bob (G2).

Alexander Helios. The 5-year-old son of Cairo Prince won his first two starts of the year, including the Razorback Handicap (G3) but is 0-for-3 since, finishing seventh last out in the Charles Town Classic. “Two poor races back to back. Very poor. Nothing decided just yet. He’s going to work back a couple times, but we need to go to an easier spot. We need to maybe go to an allowance if possible. … Just need to try to get back on track.”

R Disaster. This 4-year-old Awesome Slew filly has won six of her 11 career starts and finished second in the others. She was a close second in the Honorable Miss (G2) two starts back but returned with an optional-claiming allowance win at Saratoga. “She's still trying to get that graded-stakes win. She probably is going to go to a race at Keeneland. There's a Grade 2 in October at Keeneland for her. She'll probably go straight there.”

Dazzling Move. The 4-year-old filly by Not This Time won the Royal Delta (G3) to open the year but is winless in five starts since, with runner-up efforts in the Ogden Phipps (G1) and Shuvee (G2). Her last four starts were at 1 1/8 miles, the longest she has tried. “We might cut her back one more time, she might go to the Princess Rooney.”

2-year-olds

Rileytole. Owned by William and Corinne Heiligbrodt, this Mitole filly won her July 27 debut at Gulfstream Park and was third in the Spinaway (G3) on Saturday. “She picked up the Grade 1 placing the other day. That was big.” One possibility for her next start is the Frizette (G1) on Oct. 4.

Day to Day. This McKinzie filly won her July 31 debut at Colonial on turf and also tried the Spinaway, finishing fourth. “We tried her on the dirt for the first time, and we thought she ran OK. She could possibly go to the Frizette as well.”

Spirit Doll. Owned and bred by Peachtree Stable, this Tiz the Law filly won her Aug. 7 debut at Saratoga despite stumbling at the start then was sixth in the Spinaway. “Gave her a chance, but disappointing effort. So, just get back to the basics. I don't know yet where we’ll go.”

Dr. Kapur. This McKinzie colt is named for Dr. Sandip Kapur, who performed a kidney transplant on owner-breeder Kenneth Ramsey. He was second by a neck in his debut at Saratoga on Aug. 23, “but he ran very good against the Tom Amoss horse,” Big Dom. “ He ran a big number, a big Beyer 84. He could possibly go to the Champagne (G1) or something at Keeneland.” 

Strategic Reserve. This Munnings colt was bred by Bobby Flay Thoroughbreds and sold as a yearling for $435,000. He’s owned by C2 Racing Stable, JRM Stables, Mathis Stables and Ken Reimer. He debuted Aug. 23 at Gulfstream Park, going gate to wire to win by six lengths as the odds-on favorite. “I would say he’ll most likely probably come back in some allowance somewhere and then maybe try stakes company after that,” Joseph said.