Works: White Abarrio smokes 4 furlongs in 1st post-Whitney work

Multiple Grade 1-winner White Abarrio returned to the work tab on Thursday over the Saratoga main track, posting a bullet half-mile in 47.04 seconds - the fastest of 62 works at the distance

Trained by Saffie Joseph Jr., the 6-year-old son of Race Day worked in company with stablemate Alexander Helios for his first breeze since finishing a respectable fourth, four lengths behind Sierra Leone, in the Whitney (G1) on Aug. 2 at the Spa.

The work came 12 days after the Whitney, which was the same amount of time Joseph gave the gray horse before working him again after winning the Mr. Prospector (G3) in December at Gulfstream Park. That began a series of works that led to a 6 1/4-length romp in the Pegasus World Cup Invitational (G1) the following month at the Hallandale Beach oval.

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“I thought he worked great,” Joseph said of Thursday’s move. “That’s the first time I’ve worked him back in 12 days since the Pegasus, and I feel like it was a Pegasus work, so hopefully we stay as is and we’re very happy with where the horse is at at the moment. It’s the happiest we’ve been in a long time.

“It was a credible effort, we just didn’t have him at his optimum yet,” Joseph added of the Whitney, where White Abarrio raced wide throughout and made a bid in the final turn. “We thought it was a good guideline because we were within four lengths of Sierra Leone and as wide as we were, he and Sierra Leone ran the fastest race on the Ragozin sheets. We feel we have moved forward since the race.”

White Abarrio is targeting a stretch-out to 10 furlongs in either the Pacific Classic on Aug. 30 at Del Mar, or the Jockey Club Gold Cup on Aug. 31 at the Spa, both Grade 1s. Both races award the winner a “win and you’re in” berth into the Breeders’ Cup Classic on Nov. 1 at Del Mar, a race White Abarrio won in 2023 when in the care of trainer Rick Dutrow Jr.

“The older he gets, you feel more confident,” Joseph said of the added distance. “Earlier in his career, we weren’t sure if he wanted to go a mile and a quarter, but obviously he won the Classic and it was a fast-run race. I think that was probably the most impressive race of his life because of how hard he ran and how he was able to hold on. I think as he’s gotten older, longer seems to be no problem for him.”

White Abarrio was one of 14 graded-stakes winners on the work tab at North American racetracks on Thursday. The others were:

Straight No Chaser (Speightster), a Grade 1 winner (2024 Breeders' Cup Sprint), worked five furlongs in 1:01.0 at Del Mar on Thursday morning. It was the fifth fastest of 28 works at the distance. His previous work was seven days ago going four furlongs at Del Mar. In his last start he placed eighth in GR going about six furlongs on the dirt at Meydan on April 5 for trainer Dan Blacker.

Major Dude (Bolt d'Oro), a three-time Grade 2 winner (2024 Fort Lauderdale, 2023 Penn Mile, 2022 Pilgrim), worked four furlongs in 49.6 seconds at Saratoga on Thursday morning. It was the 35th fastest of 62 works at the distance. His previous work was seven days ago going four furlongs at Saratoga. In his last start he placed third in the United Nations (G2) going 1 3/8 miles on the turf at Monmouth Park on July 19 for trainer Todd Pletcher.

First Peace (Funtastic), a Grade 2 winner (2024 Eddie D), worked five furlongs in 1:01.4 on turf at Del Mar on Thursday morning. It was the fastest of six works at the distance. His previous work was seven days ago going four furlongs at Del Mar. In his last start he won the Eddie D (G2) going 6 1/2 furlongs on the turf at Santa Anita on Sept. 28 for trainer Mark Glatt.

Gun Song (Gun Runner), a Grade 2 winner (2024 Black-Eyed Susan), worked four furlongs in 48.9 seconds at Saratoga on Thursday morning. It was the 16th fastest of 62 works at the distance. Her previous work was seven days ago going four furlongs at Saratoga. In her last start she placed fourth in the Shuvee (G2) going 1 1/8 miles on the main track at Saratoga on July 18 for trainer Mark Hennig.

Imagination (Into Mischief), a Grade 2 winner (2024 San Felipe), worked four furlongs in 49.4 seconds at Del Mar on Thursday morning. It was the 29th fastest of 43 works at the distance. His previous work was six days ago going five furlongs at Del Mar. In his last start he placed fourth in the San Pasqual (G2) going 1 1/8 miles on the main track at Santa Anita on Jan. 25 for trainer Bob Baffert.

Steal Sunshine (Constitution), a Grade 2 winner (2024 Gulfstream Park Mile), worked four furlongs in 48.6 seconds at Gulfstream Park on Thursday morning. It was the fourth fastest of 12 works at the distance. His previous work was 12 days ago going four furlongs at Gulfstream Park. In his last start he placed second in an allowance race going 1 1/16 miles on the turf at Gulfstream Park on June 15 for trainer Bobby Dibona.

Wynstock (Solomini), a Grade 2 winner (2023 Los Alamitos Futurity), worked four furlongs in 53.7 seconds at Saratoga on Thursday morning. It was the slowest of 62 works at the distance. This was his first work since his last race. In his last start he placed ninth in the John Morrissey going seven furlongs on the main track at Saratoga on July 31 for trainer Fernando Abreu.

Alexander Helios (Cairo Prince), a Grade 3 winner (2025 Razorback Handicap), worked four furlongs in 47.2 seconds at Saratoga on Thursday morning. It was the second fastest of 62 works at the distance. His previous work was eight days ago going five furlongs at Saratoga. In his last start he placed seventh in the Blame (G3) going 1 1/8 miles on the main track at Churchill Downs on May 31 for trainer Saffie Joseph Jr.

Banishing (Ghostzapper), a Grade 3 winner (2025 Oaklawn Mile), worked four furlongs in 51.8 seconds at Churchill Training on Thursday morning. It was the 11th fastest of 16 works at the distance. His previous work was eight days ago going three furlongs at Churchill Training. In his last start he won the Jeff Hall Memorial going 6 1/2 furlongs on the main track at Ellis Park on July 20 for trainer David Jacobson.

Bizzee Channel (English Channel), a Grade 3 winner (2021 Arlington), worked four furlongs in 50.4 seconds at Colonial Downs on Thursday morning. It was the 15th fastest of 20 works at the distance. His previous work was seven days ago going four furlongs at Colonial Downs. In his last start he placed fourth in a starter allowance race going one mile on the turf at Santa Anita on April 6 for trainer Jonathan Thomas.

Clicquot (Quality Road), a Grade 3 winner (2025 Daily Racing Form Indiana Oaks), worked four furlongs in 49.2 seconds at Churchill Downs on Thursday morning. It was the 17th fastest of 31 works at the distance. Her previous work was 11 days ago going four furlongs at Churchill Downs. In her last start she won the Daily Racing Form Indiana Oaks (G3) going 1 1/16 miles on the main track at Horseshoe Indianapolis on July 5 for trainer Brendan Walsh.

Komorebino Omoide (California Chrome), a Grade 3 winner (2025 Steve Sexton Mile), worked three furlongs in 37.6 seconds at Churchill Training on Thursday morning. It was the second fastest of four works at the distance. This was his first work since his last race. In his last start he placed sixth in the Kentucky Downs Preview Mint Millions Turf Mile going one mile on the turf at Ellis Park on Aug. 2 for trainer Robertino Diodoro.

Raqiya (Blue Point), a Grade 3 winner (2024 Goldikova), worked four furlongs in 49.3 seconds at Saratoga on Thursday morning. It was the 27th fastest of 62 works at the distance. Her previous work was six days ago going four furlongs at Saratoga. In her last start she placed eighth in the Beaugay (G3) going 1 1/16 miles on the turf at Belmont at the Big A on May 4 for trainer Todd Pletcher.

Whatchatalkinabout (Dialed In), a Grade 3 winner (2025 John A. Nerud), worked five furlongs in 1:01.1 at Saratoga on Thursday morning. It was the faster of two works at the distance. This was his first work since his last race. In his last start he placed seventh in the John Morrissey going seven furlongs on the main track at Saratoga on July 31 for trainer Wesley Ward.