It was a rough morning to be a clocker at Santa Anita Monday. With thick fog setting on The Great Race Place, at least two contenders for the Breeders' Classic worked. Only one received an official time.
With trainer Rick Dutrow Jr. in from New York to observe, White Abarrio worked five furlongs at about 6:45 a.m. He was clocked in 1:00.20. About an hour later, Geaux Rocket Ride went to the track to work with Hall of Fame jockey Mike Smith up. Due to the fog, Equibase clockers were unable to determine a final time and distance.
Geaux Rocket Ride's trainer, Richard Mandella, said the Candy Ride colt worked six furlongs.
“We'd liked to have seen it,” the Hall of Famer said. “I saw him come through the finish line, that was it. He worked six furlongs. Mike rode him and said he went well. We'll go with that.”
The official Santa Anita Park Workout Tab for Monday notes “dense fog from 7:00 a.m. to 8:30 a.m.”
Geaux Rocket Ride, a 3-year-old, is exiting a runner-up effort to Arabian Knight in the Grade 1 Pacific Classic Sept. 23 at Del Mar. Prior to taking on older, Geaux Rocket Ride shipped to New Jersey and won the Grade 1 Haskell at Monmouth Park.
White Abarrio's work was his third since arriving at Santa Anita from New York. Jockey Emily Ellingwood was in the irons.
“He did his business,” said Chip Dutrow, Rick Dutrow's brother and assistant. “He does everything so easy. Just a very smart, classy horse. We thought he nailed it and Emily was happy. It looked like he got just enough out of the breeze.”
A 4-year-old Raceday colt, White Abarrio most recently won the Grade 1 Whitney going 1 1/8 miles at Saratoga on Aug. 5.
The $6 million Breeders' Cup Classic at 1 ¼ miles will be run Nov. 4 at Santa Anita.
Also working Wednesday towards a potential start in the Breeders' Cup Sprint was Speed Boat Beach for trainer Bob Baffert. He went three furlongs in 36.40 seconds. It was Speed Boat Beach's first work since a game second-place effort to Dr. Schivel in the GII Santa Anita Sprint Championship Sept. 30, which came after a nearly nine-month layoff.
The post ‘He Does Everything So Easy’: White Abarrio Works Toward Breeders’ Cup Classic appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.
