By Bill Finley
White Abarrio (Race Day), the winner of the 2023 GI Breeders Cup Classic, is close to his first workout after being given a freshener by his connections. However, co-owner Mark Cornett reports that the now 5-year-old horse will not be ready in time to defend his title in this year's Breeders' Cup.
“The Breeders' Cup Classic is not in our plans,” Cornett said. “We're not going in that direction. There's no way he can be ready for that and we want to get a good race in him off this layoff. We'll start looking for a race and races we will consider are the Harlan's Holiday and the Pegasus.”
White Abarrio has not run since finishing fifth in the GI Metropolitan Handicap June 8. After that race, he was sent back to his original trainer, Saffie Joseph Jr., after being in the Rick Dutrow barn. He has not worked since the Met Mile.
“He's doing great,” Cornett said. “He is scheduled to breeze either Friday or Monday in Saratoga. He's ready to come back after we gave him a little breather on the farm. He's been galloping and doing super and it's time for his first breeze back. Then we'll be on our way with him.”
Cornett said that while there was nothing wrong with White Abarrio, he and his partners decided he could benefit from a lengthy rest.
“I just gave him time off,” Cornett said. “He ran just so so in the Met Mile and then I switched from Rick to back to Saffie. The horse had never been away from the track since he was a 2-year-old. We let him freshen up, get some sun, some pasture time and then brought him back.”
White Abarrio's other big win last year came in the Whitney Stakes, but he was not the same horse after his Breeders' Cup victory. He finished tenth in the GI Saudi Cup before failing to hit the board in the Met Mile.
White Abarrio will be six at the time of next year's GI Pegasus World Cup. Cornett said that if he returns in good form he will have likely have a full campaign in 2025 rather than going off to stud.
“We'll take it race by race and see,” he said. “If he were to come back like he ended last year we'd seriously consider running him another year.”
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