Joseph plans Pegasus preps for White Abarrio, Skippy
Looking forward to seeking a fifth consecutive championship meet title when the 2025-26 season gets underway Thursday at Gulfstream Park, trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. plans to follow a winning formula with stable star White Abarrio.
Last season, two-turn specialist White Abarrio prepped for his victory in the Grade 1, $3 million Pegasus World Cup Invitational with a late-closing second in the seven-furlong Mr. Prospector (G3) at Gulfstream.
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“The plan is to run him in the Mr. Prospector. We’re going to go back to what worked last year, cutting him back to seven-eighths,” said Joseph, who clinched his 14th Gulfstream Park title in a row Sunday, closing day of the fall meet.
The $150,000 Mr. Prospector will be renewed on Dec. 27.
White Abarrio bounced back from his narrow upset at odds of 2-5 in the Mr. Prospector last season to score by 6 1/4 lengths in the 1 1/8-mile Pegasus World Cup, which will celebrate its 10th anniversary at Gulfstream Jan. 24.
“The Pegasus is where we want to be, and I think he has a good chance to repeat,” Joseph said.
In addition to winning the Pegasus World Cup, White Abarrio has three other career-boosting Grade 1 victories in the $1 million Florida Derby in 2022 at Gulfstream, the 2023 Whitney at Saratoga and the 2023 Breeders’ Cup Classic at Santa Anita.
“He has been my career as far as (training) a horse with international recognition,” Joseph said. “He’s always going to be special.”
White Abarrio was scratched by veterinarians ahead of the 2025 Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile, a decision that is being challenged by co-owners C2 Racing Stable and Gary Barber.
Joseph also is preparing Skippylongstocking, the third-place finisher behind White Abarrio last season, for a planned start in the Pegasus World Cup.
“Skippy is doing good. I love what I see right now. He’s on target for the Pegasus,” Joseph said. “We’re going to the Harlan’s Holiday and on to the Pegasus.”
The $150,000 Harlan’s Holiday (G3), a 1 1/16-mile stakes for 3-year-olds and up, will be run Dec. 20.
The 6-year-old son of Exaggerator’s 2025 season was highlighted by a victory in the Hollywood Gold Cup (G2) at Santa Anita.
In addition to achieving continued success with his stable’s highly accomplished veterans, Joseph is looking forward to developing several talented 2-year-olds-turning-3 during the Championship Meet.
“We like our roster. We have some promising horses. We have quite a bit of them that have run well,” Joseph said.
“Solitude Dude was very impressive. Is he going to be a two-turn horse? That’s a question, but I think he’s going to be a serious horse,” said Joseph of the son of hot first-crop sire Yaupon who debuted with a front-running 9 1/2-length victory in a 6 1/2-furlong maiden special weight Nov. 1 at Gulfstream.
Bull by the Horns gave Joseph the impression that his future may be around two turns while rallying to win a mile maiden special weight race at Gulfstream Nov. 1 in his second start.
“I know his number wasn’t fast, but he did exactly what we thought he would do going from his first to second race,” Joseph said. “I think he’s a horse who’ll go a lot of ground.”
Joseph, who snapped Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher championship meet domination during the 2021-22 season, expressed confidence that his stable has the numbers and the quality to capture another Championship Meet title.
“I grew up watching Todd all the time dominating. To have a chance to eventually beat Todd, it’s something you want to make sure that it’s real,” Joseph said. “To do it once is one thing, but to keep it going, you’re really thankful.”