Thursday works: White Abarrio fires a bullet ahead of Pegasus

Multiple Grade 1 winner White Abarrio breezed Thursday morning at Gulfstream Park ahead of his next scheduled start in the Grade 1, $3 million Pegasus World Cup Invitational on Jan. 25.

With regular exercise rider Vicente Gudiel aboard, White Abarrio went four furlongs in 47.81 seconds over the main track, the fastest of 23 horses at the distance. It was the first work for the 5-year-old earner of more than $5.2 million since his runner-up finish in the Mr. Prospector (G3) on Dec. 28.

“We were kind of looking for a steady kind of half with a long gallop out, and it kind of went beyond our expectations. It went really, really well. He worked super with an even longer gallop out than we wanted, but he did it the right way,” trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. said. “We’re very pleased with where he’s at. If he can hopefully stay this kind of form into the Pegasus, he’ll be very tough.”

White Abarrio has won six of eight lifetime starts at Gulfstream, including the Holy Bull (G3) and Florida Derby (G1) in 2022. He spent the summer and fall of 2023 with trainer Rick Dutrow Jr., winning the Whitney (G1) and Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1), and returned to Joseph after running fifth in the Met Mile (G1) last June.

Making his first start in 168 days, White Abarrio romped by 10 1/4 lengths in a seven-furlong optional-claiming allowance Nov. 22 at Gulfstream to set him up for the Mr. Prospector. Also at seven furlongs, he got off slowly and raced far back before making a dramatic late run to come up 1 1/4 lengths short of multiple graded-stakes winner Mufasa.

“Obviously you always want to win, but you try to look for the positives in every situation. We felt like we ran a winning race without winning. He got a lot of education as far as taking dirt, and it was a gallant effort,” Joseph said. “He’s in good order right now. We need it to continue like this, and we feel like we’re bringing a horse in with a very good chance.”

White Abarrio will put in his final work next week for the Pegasus.

“We worked today so it gives us options,” he said. “Now we can work next week anywhere between Thursday and Sunday. We’ll kind of decide next week when we’re going to do it.”

Joseph’s other Pegasus candidate, Daniel Alonso’s multi-millionaire Skippylongstocking, is scheduled to put in his penultimate work Friday morning. After his sixth-place finish in the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile on Nov. 2, he has breezed four times since mid-December at Palm Meadows.

White Abarrio was one of eight graded-stakes winners with published works on Thursday.

White Abarrio (Race Day), a three-time Grade 1 winner (2023 Breeders' Cup Classic, 2023 Whitney, 2022 Florida Derby), worked four furlongs in 47.8 seconds at Gulfstream Park on Thursday morning. It was the fastest of 23 works at the distance. This was his first work since his last race. In his last start, he placed second in the Mr. Prospector (G3) going seven furlongs on the main track at Gulfstream Park on Dec. 28 for trainer Saffie Joseph Jr.

East Avenue (Medaglia d'Oro), a Grade 1 winner (2024 Breeders' Futurity), worked four furlongs in 49.2 seconds at Fair Grounds on Thursday morning. It was the 15th fastest of 116 works at the distance. His previous work was six days ago going four furlongs at Fair Grounds. In his last start, he placed ninth in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile going 1 1/16 miles on the main track at Del Mar on Nov. 1 for trainer Brendan Walsh.

Buchu (Justify), a two-time Grade 2 winner (2024 Appalachian, 2023 Jessamine), worked four furlongs in 50.0 seconds at Fair Grounds on Thursday morning. It was the 58th fastest of 116 works at the distance. This was her first work since her last race. In her last start, she placed fifth in the Pago Hop going 1 1/16 miles on the main track at Fair Grounds on Dec. 28 for trainer Phil Bauer.

Hoosier Philly (Into Mischief), a Grade 2 winner (2022 Golden Rod), worked four furlongs in 49.8 seconds at Fair Grounds on Thursday morning. It was the 44th fastest of 116 works at the distance. This was her first work since her last race. In her last start, she won the Joseph E. Spanky Broussard Memorial going one mile and 70 yards on the main track at Fair Grounds on Dec. 26 for trainer Tom Amoss.

Chop Chop (City of Light), a two-time Grade 3 winner (2024 Dowager, 2024 Bewitch), worked five furlongs in 1:01.3 at Palm Beach Downs on Thursday morning. It was the only works at the distance. Her previous work was six days ago going four furlongs at Palm Beach Downs. In her last start, she won the Dowager (G3) going 1 1/2 miles on the turf at Keeneland on Oct. 20 for trainer Brad Cox.

Happy American (Runhappy), a Grade 3 winner (2023 Louisiana), worked four furlongs in 50.0 seconds at Fair Grounds on Thursday morning. It was the 58th fastest of 116 works at the distance. His previous work was six days ago going five furlongs at Fair Grounds. In his last start, he placed eighth in the Tenacious going 1 1/16 miles on the main track at Fair Grounds on Dec. 21 for trainer Neil Pessin.

Liberal Arts (Arrogate), a Grade 3 winner (2023 Street Sense), worked four furlongs in 49.6 seconds at Fair Grounds on Thursday morning. It was the 30th fastest of 116 works at the distance. This was his first work since his last race. In his last start, he won an allowance race going 1 1/16 miles on the main track at Fair Grounds on Dec. 26 for trainer Brad Cox.

Skinner (Curlin), a Grade 3 winner (2024 Native Diver), worked five furlongs in 1:02.6 at Fair Grounds on Thursday morning. It was the 19th fastest of 31 works at the distance. His previous work was nine days ago going four furlongs at Fair Grounds. In his last start, he won the Native Diver (G3) going 1 1/8 miles on the main track at Del Mar on Nov. 23 for trainer John Shirreffs.