Dutrow has high hopes for White Abarrio, Master Piece

Trainer Rick Dutrow, whose promising 3-year-old El Capi is sidelined with a shin problem, has much better news about White Abarrio.

"He's doing better than any horse I've trained in my life," Dutrow said. "He is looking for action, and he's going to get it."

Dutrow trained 2008 Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner Big Brown as well as 2005 Breeders’ Cup Classic winner Saint Liam.

Dutrow left White Abarrio at Santa Anita with his brother, Chip, after the his one-length score in the Breeders’ Cup Classic. The newly turned 5-year-old son of Race Day has strung together a series of impressive works ahead of the Group 1, $20 million Saudi Cup on Feb. 24, most recently blazing four furlongs in 47.60 seconds on Jan. 19 to rank sixth of 75 at the distance that morning at Santa Anita.

Dutrow, continuing a dramatic comeback from a 10-year suspension related to repeated medication and other violations, plans to fly to Saudi Arabia on Feb. 12. That would allow him to arrive one day ahead of his horse.

He is not the only one hugely impressed by what he is seeing. Prince Faisal Bin Khaled Bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud, who won the Saudi Cup with Mishriff in 2021, purchased a minority share in White Abarrio in a bid to add to his laurels. White Abarrio will bear the prince’s colors as part of the agreement with C2 Racing Stable and La Milagrosa Stable.

Dutrow also is delighted with the progress he is making with Master Piece, who would have to take a significant step up to contend in Saturday’s $1 million Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational (G1) at Gulfstream Park. Trained at the time by Saffie Joseph Jr., he finished seventh in last year’s race.

“He is doing absolutely better than I’ve ever seen him,” said Dutrow. “He is just full of himself.”

The trainer thinks the key to the 8-year-old ridgling son of Mastercraftsman is to keep him in cold weather as much as possible. It has been bitter cold at Belmont Park, where Master Piece most recently worked four furlongs in 49.55 seconds, ranking 12th of 44.

Master Piece comes off a win in the Nov. 11 Red Smith Stakes (G2), going 1 3/8 miles at Aqueduct. There is some concern about how well he can transition to the much warmer weather in South Florida.

“We’re going to fly him out at the last second and hope it works for him,” Dutrow said. “If it does, I’m sure he’s going to run a big race.”