White Abarrio Exits Whitney in Fine Fettle

C Two Racing Stable and Antonio Pagnano's White Abarrio (Race Day), a 6 1/4-length winner in Saturday's GI Whitney S. at Saratoga, exited his victory in good order, according to trainer by Rick Dutrow, Jr. Sunday morning.

“I don't know if it's sunk in yet,” said Dutrow, Jr. who celebrated his 64th birthday Saturday. “I kept anticipating another horse to come challenge him. I felt extremely comfortable when he broke good and was laying off the speed horse–I felt any time that he wanted him, he could have him. I waited for someone to come to our horse and they never did. It was so exciting.”

With Saturday's “Win and You're In” victory, the 2022 winner of the GI Florida Derby earned a berth to the GI Breeders' Cup Classic Nov. 4 at Santa Anita Park.

Previously trained by Saffie Joseph, Jr., he marked his debut for Dutrow, Jr. with a troubled third-place finish in the GI Hill 'n' Dale Metropolitan H. June 10 at Belmont.

“He is extremely cool on the track,” Dutrow, Jr. said. “He absolutely loves it and he is getting stronger by the minute it seems. So, when a horse has that motor, those two things add up to a whole lot more.”

Following Saturday's win, Dutrow, Jr. noted that White Abarrio thrives on spacing between his races and that he would likely ship the horse out west to train up to the Breeders' Cup Classic.

“I didn't have to think about it,” said Dutrow, Jr. of the decision. “All you have to do is read his PPs and you'll see the more time he gets between races, the more he shows up. I'd be willing to wait four months or five months to run him. He just shows up when he's fresh. I think we'll send him out to California and get him ready out there for this race.”

Dutrow, Jr. noted that he would love to see White Abarrio repeat his recent schedule in 2024.

“I guess right now we can only say that we would love to run him in the Whitney next year because we know he can get that job done–which is two turns at Saratoga,” Dutrow, Jr. said. “And I would love for the opportunity to run him in the Met Mile next year because I feel that he loves that track.”

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Met Win More Than ‘Wish’-ful Thinking

Godolphin homebred Cody's Wish (Curlin) became the third graded winner on the day for his magnificent stallion, overcoming an imperfect passage to stamp his authority on Saturday's GI Hill 'n' Dale Metropolitan H. at Belmont Park and in so doing, punching his ticket to defense of his title in the GI Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile at Santa Anita Nov. 4.

Fidgety pre-start in gate one, the bay missed the break slightly–as many drawn the inside going Belmont's one-turn mile are wont to do–and found himself near the back of the pack through the opening exchanges as Slow Down Andy (Nyquist), Dr. Schivel (Violence) and Hoist the Gold (Mineshaft) fueled a decent early pace. Stuck down inside and looking somewhat uncomfortable inside of Zandon (Upstart) as they raced past the opening half-mile in :45.86, Junior Alvarado took a bit of a tug on Cody's Wish for a stride or two, allowing Zandon to go on with it, and that gave Alvarado an opportunity to get out of jail. Steered suddenly away from the fence and into the clear at the 3 1/2-furlong marker, Cody's Wish looped his rivals and rapidly picked them off one-by-one, coming across the heels of the Zandon while surging to the front at the quarter pole. It was all academic from there, as he would go on to score by about four lengths over Zandon–whose sire was a distant third to Godolphin's Frosted (Tapit) in 2016–with White Abarrio (Race Day) third.

It was the third win on the afternoon for Curlin, who stands as the sponsor's stallion station at Xalapa in Lexington. Elite Power kicked the afternoon off in the GII True North S., while Clairiere made it back-to-back wins in the GI Ogden Phipps S.

“I was just trying to find my way out,” reported Alvarado. “At about the half-mile pole, I found my seam, moved behind the heels of horses to get into the clear, then he turned everything on. Then, I just had to get out of his way and let him do his thing. He's unbelievable.

“The key with him has always been the turn. He picks off a lot of horses there. His ability to move well in the turn helped us today. We took advantage of the big sweeping turn in Belmont and it worked out unbelievably.”

Cody's Wish posted four wins from his five trips postward last season, besting champion Jackie's Warrior (Maclean's Music) by a widening 1 1/4 lengths in the GI Forego S. at Saratoga in August before closing the campaign in the Dirt Mile, where he overcame a slow start and bridged a double-digit deficit to account for Cyberknife (Gun Runner) by a neck. He made his seasonal debut in the GI Churchill Downs S. May 6, rallying from well off the pace over a track that was kind to speed to score by 4 3/4 lengths over Hoist the Gold.

Cody Dorman, the 16-year-old from Richmond, Kentucky, for whom the winner is named, could not be on hand, and trainer Bill Mott admitted that he is as big a fan of Cody's journey as anyone.

“It's as heartwarming for me as it is for the fans watching,” the conditioner said. “I had a lot of people tell me what a great story this is. For sure, it's a great story, but it goes along with a good horse. He's developed nicely. I thought he had a possibility of being a good horse before we ever ran him. It took us a couple of races to get him going in the right direction and to get him educated enough to where he knew how to use his run. He's finally figured it out.”

Godolphin's GI Longines Kentucky Oaks winner 'TDN Rising Star' Pretty Mischievous (Into Mischief) got the weekend off on a high note in Friday's GI Acorn S., and the operation's Michael Banahan reflected on the achievements.

“It's just an unbelievable story and we're so lucky and proud to have this horse,” he said. For our founder Sheikh Mohammed, to have this unbelievably popular horse and to come and win the Met Mile, it's just a great, great day for us.”

Pedigree Notes:

Sheikh Mohammed's operation acquired Cody's Wish's dam for $750,000 at the 2011 Fasig-Tipton Florida Sale and validated her purchase price with a victory in the 2012 GI Gazelle S. in a career that also featured a third-place effort behind Groupie Doll (Bowman's Band) in the 2013 GI Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint.

Cody's Wish is one of eight of Curlin's top-level scorers that descends from the line of 1992 GI Belmont S. hero A.P. Indy, he, of course, a son of 1977 Triple Crown sweeper Seattle Slew. When including mares by the latter's sire sons, that number extends to 11 and includes Elite Power and Exaggerator–both out of mares by Vindication–and Off the Tracks, by Capote's Eclipse Award-winning son Boston Harbor.

Dance Card is responsible for the 2-year-old colt Hunt Ball (Into Mischief), a yearling filly by Street Sense and was most recently covered by Gun Runner.

Saturday, Belmont Park
HILL 'N' DALE METROPOLITAN H.-GI, $1,000,000, Belmont, 6-10, 3yo/up, 1m, 1:34.36, ft.
1–CODY'S WISH, 126, h, 5, by Curlin
                1st Dam: Dance Card (GISW, $502,200), by Tapit
                2nd Dam: Tempting Note, by Editor's Note
                3rd Dam: Tempt, by Devil's Bag
O/B-Godolphin (KY); T-William I. Mott; J-Junior Alvarado.
$550,000. Lifetime Record: 13-9-1-3, $2,328,530. *1/2 to
Endorsed (Medaglia d'Oro), MGSW, $970,133.
Werk Nick Rating: A+++. *Triple Plus*
Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Zandon, 122, c, 4, Upstart–Memories Prevail, by Creative
Cause. ($170,000 Ylg '20 KEESEP). O-Jeff Drown; B-Brereton C.
Jones (KY); T-Chad C. Brown. $200,000.
3–White Abarrio, 120, c, 4, Race Day–Catching Diamonds, by
Into Mischief. ($7,500 Ylg '20 OBSWIN; $40,000 2yo '21
OBSMAR). O-C Two Racing Stable and Antonio Pagnano;
B-Spendthrift Farm LLC (KY); T-Richard E. Dutrow, Jr. $120,000.
Margins: 3 1/4, HD, 2 1/4. Odds: 0.65, 7.20, 20.20.
Also Ran: Charge It, Dr. Schivel, Slow Down Andy, Repo Rocks, Hoist the Gold, Doppelganger.
Click for the Equibase.com chart and the TJCIS.com PPs. VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.

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Doppelganger On Target For Met Mile

Doppelganger (Into Mischief), last seen recording a 17-1 upset over Repo Rocks (Tapiture) in the GI Carter H. at Aqueduct Apr. 8, remains on target for a rematch with that foe in the GI Hill 'n' Dale Metropolitan H. at Belmont Park June 10.

The $570,000 Fasig-Tipton Selected Yearlings Showcase purchase has registered his three most recent works over the Laurel main track, including a best-of-12 five furlongs that was timed in 1:01.60 May 24.

“Since the Carter, he's quite sharp,” trainer Brittany Russell said. “He thinks he's a bear. Each race, each win, he seems to get higher on himself.”

Though Russell says that connections contemplated a start in the GIII Pimlico Special S. going a mile and three-sixteenths, the decision has been made to continue to race the colt over shorter trips.

“We were thinking Special, but if we want[ed] Special we were going to kill the idea of the Met Mile. If he's a Grade I horse and he's going to be a better miler, that's the way we've got to go,” she said. “We need to pick a path and stay with it and we feel like one turn right now is probably the best way to go. Yes, it's going to be tough up there but as good as he's doing, we're going to take a big swing.”

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Flightline Overcomes Eventful Trip in Hill ‘n’ Dale Met Mile

A few strides into the running of Satuday's GI Hill 'n' Dale Metropolitan H. at Belmont Park, John Sadler, the trainer of 'TDN Rising Star' Flightline (Tapit), admitted to a bit of a queasy feeling in the pit of his stomach.

“When I saw him behind early, I wanted to throw up on myself,” he said.

Despite some very anxious moments, particularly at multiple junctures during the opening 440 yards of the stallion-making test, the $1-million Fasig-Tipton Saratoga graduate proved more than equal to the task, as he strode clear late to score by a half-dozen lengths over fellow 'Rising Star' Happy Saver (Super Saver). The Met is a 'Win and You're In' qualifier for the GI BigAss Fans Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile.

“He overcame trouble. That's the storyline,” Sadler continued. “He had a rough trip and took up a couple times but still circled around and proved much the best.”

Drawn gate one going Belmont's one-turn mile–tricky enough for seasoned horses, let alone one making just the fourth start of its career and first of the season–Flightline was slowly into stride, but quickly recovered and looked as if he was going to sneak through underneath his chief market rival and GI Carter H. romper Speaker's Corner (Street Sense) to make the running nevertheless. That was not the case, as the door was soon slammed shut by Junior Alvarado aboard the progressive Godolphin galloper, and Flightline was eventually–wisely–eased back and into the two path by Flavien Prat to do the chasing through a quarter that was posted in :22.78.

Already niggled at as they hit the half-mile following a taxing internal quarter mile in :22.23, Flightline still traveled well and took it to the front-runner in earnest on the turn, poking a head in front fully three furlongs from home and daring the likes of Happy Saver–already a Grade I winner around Big Sandy–and GI Breeders' Cup Sprint hero Aloha West (Hard Spun) to come and get him. But there were no such miracles, as Flightline pinched a break after six furlongs in 1:08.54–a split faster than that posted by champion Jackie's Warrior (Maclean's Music) in Friday's GII True North S.–and was kept to his task in the final furlong, as Happy Saver ran past Speaker's Corner to claim second.

“We're just thrilled to have an undefeated horse, who won easy again today,” Sadler commented. “Things didn't really go well for him early in the race. He suffered from a slow start because of the one post. Then he got cut off a little bit going down the backside. He just overcame the adversity and proved himself best.”

Few horses–if any–have put together a streak to begin their careers as impressive as Flightline.

No secret when unveiled at 9-10 going six panels at Santa Anita last Apr. 24, he earned 'Rising Star' honors with a 13 1/4-length success (105 Beyer) and graced the final days of last year's Del Mar meeting with a 12 3/4-length demolition of a first-level allowance/optional claimer Sept. 5 (114 Beyer). Despite his vast inexperience, Flightline was, for a time, under consideration for a start in the GI Breeders' Cup Sprint, but connections ultimately passed, opting for a preparation towards the age-restricted GI Malibu S. He won that seven-furlong event Dec. 26 with similar condescension, crossing the line some 11 1/2 lengths clear (118 Beyer) of Baby Yoda (Uncaptured), with future Grade II winner Stilleto Boy (Shackleford) back in third. Flightline was to have made his 4-year-old debut in the GII San Carlos S. at the Great Race Place Mar. 5, but he missed some time with a strained hock. Three months and one week later, he turned one of this country's most prestigious races into a one-horse rodeo.

“It's really gratifying to get here after the hiccup we had with him,” Sadler explained. “We weren't rushed. We had plenty of time to train him for this. To his credit, he's a very good trainer. He's such an athlete. Winning the Met Mile is so gratifying. It's such a historic race and a stallion-making race and he's all of those things. He's the whole package.

“He'll go back to California Tuesday. Ask me what we're going to do from there and I don't know. Flavien says distance is no issue and we want to try two turns. That's in the plans. But we go one step at a time. He's lightly raced. This is his first start this year.”

If Sadler was playing it close to the vest, part-owner Kosta Hronis was slightly less coy.

“It looks like [GI] Pacific Classic at Del Mar next. If him and Mr. Sadler want to do it, that's the direction we'll go.”

Pedigree Notes:

Flightline becomes the second of his tremendous sire's progeny to win the Met, joining Frosted, who led home a Tapit one-two when defeating Anchor Down by better than 14 lengths in 2016.

Jane Lyon's Summer Wind Equine acquired Flightline's dam, winner of the GIII Edgewood S. and placed in the GI American Oaks, GI Starlet S. and GI Frizette S., for $2.35 million when carrying to War Front at the 2016 Keeneland November Sale.

Feathered, whose own granddam won the 2000 GI Acorn S. for Ogden Phipps, is responsible for three winners from as many to race, including the War Front filly she was carrying at the time of her purchase, Good On Paper, who produced a colt by Sir Prancealot (Ire) for her first foal this year. The mare's 3-year-old Voron (Pioneerof the Nile) is a winner in one juvenile start in Russia and her 2-year-old Olivier–a full-brother to Flightline–is in training and breezed three-eighths of a mile in :37.20 at the WinStar Training Center May 21. Feathered is also represented by the yearling colt Eagles Flight (Curlin) and foaled an Into Mischief filly May 17. She has since been bred back to Tapit.

Saturday, Belmont Park
HILL 'N' DALE METROPOLITAN H.-GI, $925,000, Belmont, 6-11, 3yo/up, 1m, 1:33.59, ft.
1–FLIGHTLINE, 124, c, 4, by Tapit
1st Dam: Feathered (GSW & MGISP, $577,474), by Indian Charlie
2nd Dam: Receipt, by Dynaformer
3rd Dam: Finder's Fee, by Storm Cat
'TDN Rising Star' ($1,000,000 Ylg '19 FTSAUG). O-Hronis Racing
LLC, Siena Farm LLC, Summer Wind Equine LLC, West Point
Thoroughbreds & Woodford Racing, LLC; B-Summer Wind
Equine LLC (KY); T-John W. Sadler; J-Flavien Prat. $535,000.
Lifetime Record: 4-4-0-0, $794,800. Werk Nick Rating: A+++.
*Triple Plus* Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Happy Saver, 122, h, 5, Super Saver–Happy Week, by
Distorted Humor. 'TDN Rising Star'. O/B-Wertheimer Et Frere
(KY); T-Todd A. Pletcher. $185,000.
3–Speaker's Corner, 125, c, 4, Street Sense–Tyburn Brook, by
Bernardini. O/B-Godolphin (KY); T-William I. Mott. $100,000.
Margins: 6, 2 3/4, 2 1/4. Odds: 0.45, 6.40, 2.75.
Also Ran: Aloha West, Informative.
Click for the Equibase.com chart, the TJCIS.com PPs or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.

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