White Abarrio chases another Grade 1 win in Carter Handicap

White Abarrio will look to secure his second career Grade 1 score in Saturday’s $300,000 Carter Handicap, a seven-furlong sprint for older horses, at Aqueduct Racetrack.

The Carter is slated as Race 8 on Saturday’s 11-race program.

Trained by Saffie Joseph Jr., White Abarrio captured both the Holy Bull (G3) and Florida Derby (G1) last year at Gulfstream Park en route to finishing 16th in the Kentucky Derby. Owned by C Two Racing Stable and Antonio Pagnano, he completed a productive 7: 2-1-1 sophomore campaign in December with a third-place finish in the Cigar Mile Handicap (G1).

The 4-year-old Race Day colt, a five-time winner at Gulfstream, made his seasonal debut with an eighth-place effort in the nine-furlong Grade 1 Pegasus World Cup Invitational before Joseph decided to focus the talented gray on one-turn races.

Last out, in a seven-furlong optional-claiming sprint at Gulfstream, White Abarrio garnered a career-best 103 Beyer Speed Figure with a 4 1/2-length score over next-out winners Weyburn, who captured Saturday's Sir Shackleton at Gulfstream; and third-place Collaborate, who earned a 95 Beyer in a starter-allowance sprint at the Hallandale Beach oval.

"He won well. It was a big relief to get him back on track on the cutback to seven-eighths," Joseph said. "It turned out to be a good race. A couple horses came back from there to run well, but it just felt good to get him back to the winner's circle."

Joseph said he was pleased with how White Abarrio responded to jockey Tyler Gaffalione in the closing stages.

"He asked him a bit to finish it off, but I thought he finished it off well and did the best part of his running in the latter part of the race,” Joseph, Jr. said. “From the quarter-pole, he got into a good rhythm and I felt from there on he was going to get the job done."

Paco Lopez will guide White Abarrio for the first time Saturday when they exit post 6 carrying 119 pounds.

"I think he's versatile in these one-turn races. He can sit or, if the pace is slow, he can be the leader," Joseph said. "Paco is a good, tactical rider. Hopefully, he gets him in a good spot and White Abarrio can do the rest."

A good result Saturday could propel White Abarrio to the Metropolitan (G1) on June 10 at Belmont Park, which offers a win-and-you're-in berth to the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile in November at Santa Anita Park.

"To try and get a second Grade 1 on his resume is very important for him. If he was to win or run well, you would definitely consider the Met Mile after this,” Joseph said.

The last horse to pull off the Carter-Met Mile double was Vekoma in 2020.

Joseph, who recently defended his training title at Gulfstream’s championship meet, is hopeful he can continue that steady run of form through to the spring/summer meet at Belmont Park where he will have a strong stable.

"To come back and repeat was big for the whole team and I'm thankful to be in that position,” Joseph said. “Overall, I was happy with how consistent we were the whole meet.”

Bred in Kentucky by Spendthrift Farm, White Abarrio is out of the Into Mischief mare Catching Diamonds, who is a half-sister to multiple Group 3-winner Cool Cowboy.

Repo Rocks is undefeated since joining the barn of trainer Jamie Ness, taking the 6 1/2-furlong Let’s Give Thanks in November and six-furlong Blitzen on Jan. 4 at Parx ahead of an 8 1/2-length score in the seven-furlong Toboggan (G3) on Jan. 28 at Aqueduct that garnered a 111 Beyer Speed Figure. He'll be ridden by Anerew Wolfsont carrying 122 pounds out of post 4.

Last out, he was a strong 3 1/4-length winner of the one-mile Stymie on Feb. 25 to notch his first score beyond seven furlongs. Repo Rocks carried a field-high 124 pounds in the Stymie, overcoming a troubled trip under regular rider Andrew Wolfsont where he was boxed in behind rivals in third position before finding a way out late in the turn to best Grade 1-placed Miles D.

Ness had hoped for a prominent effort last out for Repo Rocks, who was stretching out as the well-backed mutuel favorite. This time, on the cutback, Ness said he would be happy to stalk the pace.

“He overcame it a little bit,” Ness said of the Stymie effort. “I wasn't happy with the way he was ridden and the instructions were to do the opposite of what he did, but he still got the job done. Hopefully, this time everything will go a little smoother. He's still very versatile and I'm sure going seven-eighths there will be a little more speed in the race. He likes to sit in the pocket and find a spot and make his run down the lane.”

Repo Rocks has posted a trio of bullet works out of his Stymie score, including a half-mile effort in 47.05 seconds Monday at his Parx Racing base.

Ness said the Virginia-bred gelding is thriving ahead of his Grade 1 debut.

“Six weeks between starts is probably going to benefit him. He trains hard, so this will hopefully keep him a little fresher,” Ness said.

Ness said a good result next weekend could see Repo Rocks stretch back out in the Met Mile.

“I think he wants to go even longer. If I had my druthers, I'd rather run him a one-turn mile or mile and a sixteenth,” Ness said. “He's a big horse and when he gets going seven-eighths is fine, but a little more ground would be even better for us.”

The 5-year-old Tapiture gelding posted a record of 11: 2-2-2 last year, including a third in the Tom Fool Handicap (G3), as well as completing the trifecta in the John A. Nerud (G2) at Belmont Park while in the care of trainer Juan Vazquez. He made seven starts for conditioner Gregory DiPrima from April through October before joining Ness.

Out of the Not For Love mare Hawaiian Love, has a record of 33: 8-6-6 for purse earnings of $639,621.

Today’s Flavor brings a four-race win streak into his graded stakes debut for trainer George Weaver. With Manny Franco aboard carrying 117 pounds, he'll break from post 1.

The 5-year-old son of Laoban is undefeated in his four starts since transferring to Weaver from the barn of Doug O’Neill, beginning with an 8 1/2-length romp to break his maiden at fifth asking in a state-bred sprint on Nov. 27 at the Big A. He followed with a pair of open-lengths scores against state-bred allowance company before stepping up to open company for a 6 1/2-length victory last out on Feb. 18.

“You see horses that get in the zone and feel that win, and he’s just doing well," Weaver said. "He’s always been a talented horse and he’s in a good groove right now.”

Today's Flavor has finished first or second in seven of eight lifetime outings, including runner-up efforts in his first two starts in California to subsequent graded stakes-winners Laurel River and Essential Wager.

Today's Flavor is out of the Speightstown mare Evangelical, who is a half-sister to graded-stakes placed Worship the Moon.