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A 2022 Derby-Oaks Sire Double Could Make History

Of the 1,630 stallions who covered mares in North America in 2018, a grand total of up to 34 could have starters in the respective gates of the upcoming GI Kentucky Derby and GI Kentucky Oaks (based on a maximum of 20 Derby starters and 14 Oaks starters). That's about a 2% chance.

How remarkable is it, then, that this year we have not one, not two, but seven stallions with the potential to pull off a Derby-Oaks sire double, something that hasn't been done since Native Dancer sired the winners of both races 56 years ago? In the 147 years of Derby-Oaks history, the feat has been accomplished exactly four times.

Of course, it will be another week before the fields are drawn, but Churchill Downs currently has 28 colts eligible by points on its Derby leaderboard and 23 fillies on its Oaks leaderboard. Seven sires have progeny on both and an additional three have multiple contenders for one or the other of the races. That seems extraordinary. Almost as extraordinary is that not one of those 10 stallions with multiple contenders is Spendthrift's super sire Into Mischief, who officially became the first stallion in history to sire back-to-back Derby winners when Mandaloun was belatedly promoted as the 2021 winner.

It will come as no surprise that the Three Chimneys wunderkind Gun Runner ranks at the top of the list. The 2017 Horse of the Year was a breakout superstar with his first 2-year-olds last year and has simply continued his dominance, so much so that his one crop of 3-year-olds has him ranked among the top 15 of North America's leading sires in 2022, with all the horses above him having older runners to add to their tally. He leads the current second-crop sires in every category that matters: Grade I winners, graded winners, black-type winners, earnings, earnings per starter, and Derby and Oaks horses.

Gun Runner's first 3-year-olds include a potential three Derby colts and two Oaks fillies | Sarah Andrew

Gun Runner has three colts on Churchill's top 20 by points: Cyberknife, 'TDN Rising Star' Taiba, and Early Voting. He also has two fillies on the Oaks leaderboard by points: champion and 'TDN Rising Star' Echo Zulu, who is securely in the Oaks field, and Shotgun Hottie, who is currently sitting #15 on the list. It is truly an embarrassment of riches.

But Gun Runner isn't the only one whose cup runneth over. Airdrie's young third-crop sire Upstart just may have the favorite for both the Derby and the Oaks, a feat surely almost as rare as winning both. Upstart may not have the sheer numbers in each race Gun Runner has, but he has Zandon and Kathleen O., and it's a good bet the Airdrie stallion team wouldn't trade places with anyone.

Continuing the spate of success for young sires, two others below Gun Runner on the second-crop list also have potential starters in both the Derby and Oaks. Both Coolmore's Classic Empire and Lane's End's Connect have runners on the leaderboard of both. Classic Empire's Morello has enough points to make the Derby field, while his 'TDN Rising Star' Classy Edition and Interstatedaydream are on the Oaks bubble. Inversely, Connect has Hidden Connection guaranteed a spot in the Oaks field, while his Rattle N Roll is on the Derby bubble by points.

With a number of the industry's top sires in their late teens or early 20s, isn't it comforting to feel the future of the breed is in good hands with these prolific young stallions? Two other blossoming sires, Taylor Made's third-crop stallion Not This Time and Darley's third-crop sire Nyquist, also deserve special mention as each has three contenders, although in a single race. Not This Time has Epicenter, Simplification, and In Due Time for the Derby, while Nyquist potentially has Turnerloose, Awake at Midnyte, and Sequist for the Oaks. Also worthy of mention for multiple contenders in a single Classic is Race Day, who left Derby entrants White Abarrio and Barber Road in this country before transferring to Korea.

Returning to our potential Derby-Oaks doubles, although it seems particularly notable with these young second- and third-crop sires who have been on fire lately, we also have three more established stallions who also have a shot to pull off the rare accomplishment. Coolmore's Munnings, who is proving just about as versatile as his sire, Speightstown, ended 2021 with top 2-year-olds 'TDN Rising Star' Jack Christopher and Eda. Neither will make the Classic fields on the first Friday and Saturday in May. However, Munnings re-rallied with 'TDN Rising Star' Zozos guaranteed a spot in the Derby field and 'TDN Rising Star' Shahama among the top 14 for the Oaks.

The late Pioneerof the Nile could add to his tally | Louise Reinagel

WinStar's late Pioneerof the Nile and Coolmore's Uncle Mo, already Derby-winning sires in 2015 with American Pharoah and 2016 with Nyquist, respectively, could also pull off a Derby-Oaks double this year. Pioneerof the Nile has Tawny Port and Pioneer of Medina for the Derby, while Favor is a longshot to make the Oaks field. Unclo Mo has Mo Donegal and 'TDN Rising Star' Cocktail Moments firmly on their respective race leaderboards.

For historical perspective, Native Dancer was the most recent stallion to sire the winners of both the Derby and the Oaks, something he accomplished in 1966 with Kauai King and Native Street. It can be a challenge to find a pedigree in America today without Native Dancer buried somewhere as without him, there would have been no Northern Dancer or Mr. Prospector, making him arguably one of the–if not the–most important American stallions of the past century. The “Gray Ghost of Sagamore,” whose sole career loss ironically came by a head in the 1953 Kentucky Derby, has figured in the majority of Derby- and Oaks-winning pedigrees for the past 50 years.

Calumet's incomparable Bull Lea also scored the Derby-Oaks double in 1952 with Hill Gail and Real Delight. Bull Lea got three Derby winners in a decade with Citation (1948) and Iron Liege (1957) joining Hill Gail on the Derby podium. He also had two Oaks winners, with Bubbley matching Real Delight with an Oaks win in 1953. While Into Mischief is the only sire to win Derbies in consecutive years, Bull Lea is one of four to do it in the Oaks, joining Sir Ivor (1976-77), Spanish Prince II (1924-25), and King Alfonso (1882-83).

Farther back in the sands of time, McGee had the legendary Hall of Fame gelding Exterminator win the Derby in 1918 and his female compatriot Viva America take the Oaks the same year. His was an amazing story: an average sprinter on the track and the only foal by his own unraced sire who was gelded after he was conceived, McGee also sired another Derby winner in Donerail (1913).

Earlier still was King Alfonso in 1885, who notched Derby-Oaks sire score with Joe Cotton and Lizzie Dwyer. Obviously, stallions had far smaller crops back then than they do today, which makes King Alfonso's accomplishments even more impressive. From a reported 17 stakes winners, the Phaeton (GB) stallion had Derby winner Joe Cotton, Derby winner Fonso (1880), and three Oaks winners in four years: in addition to Lizzie Dwyer in 1885, he also had Katie Creel (1882) and Vera (1883).

Native Dancer is the last horse to sire a Derby and Oaks winner in the same year | Coglianese

Many great stallions throughout our sport have never had a Derby nor an Oaks winner. Several others–the aforementioned Northern Dancer and Mr. Prospector, for example, as well as Tapit, Storm Cat, Raise a Native, Tom Fool, Nasrullah, and dozens of others–have had a Derby or an Oaks winner, but not both. Several, like Medaglia d'Oro, A.P. Indy, Alydar, Exclusive Native, Sir Gallahad III (Fr), and even the legendary Man o' War and Lexington, have had two winners (or more) of one of the races, but none of the other.

A number of stallions have come tantalizingly close to getting the rare double, with winners of both races in different years. Seattle Slew comes to mind with Swale's Derby in 1984 and Oaks wins with both Seaside Attraction (1990) and Flute (2001). Halo came even closer, with Sunday Silence (1989) and Goodbye Halo (1998) in adjacent years, plus Sunny's Halo (1983) thrown in for good measure. Blenheim II was another good example, with Derby winners Whirlaway (1941) and Jet Pilot (1947) bookending an Oaks win by Nellie L. (1943).

There have been a number of captivating outcomes for sire lines as well. In 1993, Danzig got his lone Oaks winner in Dispute, while his son, Polish Navy, sired Derby winner Sea Hero. A similar thing happened in 1940, when Sir Gallahad III (Fr) sired Derby winner Gallahadion and his son, Insco, got the Oaks winner in Inscolassie; and again in 1933, when Black Toney sired Brokers Tip (Derby) and his son, Black Servant, sired Barn Swallow (Oaks). In 1902, Hanover sons Halma and The Commoner sired Derby winner Alan-a-Dale and Oaks winner Wainamoinen, respectively. Sire of yesteryear Leamington had a son, Reform, sire the 1892 Derby winner in Azra, and a grandson, Falsetto, sire Oaks winner Miss Dixie that same year. Falsetto would eventually sire three Derby winners and two Oaks winners. Leamington had himself sired that first of all Derby winners, Aristides, as well as Longfellow, who got his Derby winners in 1883 with Leonatus and in 1890 with Riley, and his Oaks winners in 1880 with Longitude and in 1887 with Florimore.

Will the young guns Upstart, Gun Runner, Connect, or Classic Empire add their names to the very short list of stallions to sire a Derby-Oaks double? Or will Munnings, Pioneerof the Nile, or Uncle Mo add to their sire exploits? Or perhaps the late Arrogate's Secret Oath will win the Oaks and Japan will continue its recent international dominance with Reach the Crown (Jpn)'s Crown Pride (Jpn) taking the Derby, making this entire discussion a moot point.

That's part of the allure surrounding the Derby and Oaks each year. It's the delicious wondering and speculating about the Classics and what may happen that makes the magic.

The post A 2022 Derby-Oaks Sire Double Could Make History appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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No Denying Tiz A Gamble On Dirt

There's nothing like giving up on a stallion, and offloading him overseas, to guarantee a sudden transformation in his fortunes. The latest exile to rebuke his vendors is Race Day, who was exported to Korea 18 months ago but last Saturday turned out to have left behind not only GI Florida Derby winner White Abarrio but also GI Arkansas Derby runner-up Barber Road.

But if this industry is too unpredictable for even a team as alert as Spendthrift to win every time, their program will reliably even things out. And just 15 minutes before the success of White Abarrio, who was bred on the farm before being cheaply sold, another Spendthrift graduate had booked a GI Kentucky Derby starting gate of his own.

Tiz The Bomb's success in the GIII Jeff Ruby S. quickly ended talk of an audacious raid on the storied British Classic, the G1 Qipco 2,000 Guineas. However he fares at Churchill, this colt is already a feather in the cap of a stallion still fighting his corner at the same end of the Spendthrift roster that once featured Race Day–and, in the process, serving a key priority of the farm's late owner B. Wayne Hughes, in trying to look after its less affluent clients.

Hit It A Bomb was launched at $7,000 in 2017 before slipping to $5,000 even before he made what proved a fairly low-key debut at the yearling sales. The fact is that the GI Breeders' Cup Turf Juvenile winner, though an unbeaten juvenile by War Front, has never mustered the kind of support enjoyed by so many other young stallions on this farm–presumably because of the usual aversion of Kentucky's commercial breeders to grass pedigrees and performance. His first two books did not quite reach 50 mares, and his third dwindled to just 20.

Obviously there's a limit to what can be sensibly gleaned from his commercial performance, from such a modest footprint, but he showed what he could do with the right opportunity when Spendthrift paired him, in his second season, with a Tiznow mare whose aristocratic family we'll consider shortly. As a yearling the resulting colt sold (through Eaton Sales) to Kenny McPeek for $330,000 at the post-lockdown “Showcase” auction staged by Fasig-Tipton.

Needless to say, that transaction was central to Hit It A Bomb's unusual achievement in advancing the average of his second crop of yearlings ($47,916 from $30,153), but it's worth noting that his median also improved ($23,500 from $13,000).

Anyway this colt was, of course, Tiz The Bomb. He offered little immediate promise in his first venture onto the Churchill dirt, beating only one rival in a sprint maiden a year ago next week, but his tour of the other Kentucky tracks has told us rather more. Stepped up to a mile for an off-the-turf maiden at Ellis Park, he won by over 14 lengths before switching to grass to win a stakes at Kentucky Downs and a Grade II at Keeneland. He then left the state to prove best of the home team in the race won by his sire at the Breeders' Cup despite a messy trip. We have to put a line through his resumption in the GII Holy Bull S., but back in Kentucky he has now regrouped with consecutive wins on the synthetic track at Turfway Park.

Tiz The Bomb will plainly take one or two question marks into the Derby, and the answers lurking in his pedigree do not appear terribly encouraging. Its most consistent element, however, is quality–with Hit It A Bomb's own family tree stacking up pretty respectably against the exceptional maternal line introduced by Tiz The Bomb's dam.

The most blatant genetic note in Hit It A Bomb himself is an extremely proximate combination of the two principal international conduits of the Northern Dancer revolution: with Danzig as grandsire, and Sadler's Wells as damsire. (Additionally his second dam is by Danzig's grandson Danehill Dancer (Ire), while his fourth dam is by another fount of Northern Dancer in Be My Guest.) A more understated duplication meanwhile features Forli (Arg), whose excellence as a distaff influence is attested here by both Special, granddam of Sadler's Wells, and also War Front's second dam.

Overall there's no getting away from the fact that Hit It A Bomb's family carries a ton of chlorophyll. Four of his first five dams are by sires branded principally by their work in Europe: Sadler's Wells, Danehill Dancer, Be My Guest and Vaguely Noble (Ire). His third dam is by Private Account—primarily associated with dirt in the U.S., as we'd expect of a son of Damascus standing in Kentucky, but also sire of a couple of notable turf achievers for the Niarchos family in East Of The Moon and Chimes Of Freedom.

Hit It A Bomb was bred by the venerable Mrs. Evie Stockwell (mother of Coolmore boss John Magnier) from Liscanna (Ire), who had mustered both her wins, one at Group 3 level, over just six furlongs—hardly a common distinction in a daughter of Sadler's Wells. No fewer than five of Liscanna's nine named foals are by War Front, and two of them won elite prizes as juveniles for Mrs. Stockwell: Hit It A Bomb himself, and Brave Anna, who like her mother majored in speed by adding the G1 Cheveley Park S. to her G3 Albany S. success at Royal Ascot. (Winning both those races, incidentally, by a short head!)

Liscanna's mother Lahinch (Ire) (Danehill Dancer {Ire}) was another brisk performer, as a stakes winner at five and seven furlongs. She did introduce a little more stamina to the family record through two daughters of Galileo (Ire), respectively runners-up in the G1 Epsom Oaks and a nine-furlong Group 2; and while Galileo obviously loaded a ton of staying power into his stock, Lahinch also produced a son by the miler Hawk Wing to win a Listed race at 10 furlongs.

On the whole, however, this family is flavored by quite a bit of speed and War Front was hardly going to dilute that. Admittedly Hit It A Bomb only ran them down on the line at the Breeders' Cup, but that was primarily down to a very wide draw. So you could argue that the obvious caveats about Tiz The Bomb, regarding the dirt, should possibly also extend to the extra furlong awaiting him on the first Saturday in May.

So what help can Tiz The Bomb find, on both fronts, from his maternal family? Well, at first sight, you would take heart from his first two dams–both being by copper-bottomed two-turn dirt influences in Tiznow and A.P. Indy. (And don't forget that Tiznow's remarkable dam Cee's Song is by Seattle Song, like A.P. Indy a son of Seattle Slew.)

But the name that really pegs down Tiz The Bomb's pedigree is that of his fifth dam. For she is none other than Gay Missile, the granddam of A.P. Indy's mother Weekend Surprise. (Weekend Surprise, of course, was by Secretariat–whose half-brother Sir Gaylord sired Gay Missile.)

The daughter of Gay Missile who opened this branch of the dynasty founded by her dam Missy Baba (My Babu {Fr}) is Gallanta (Fr), runner-up in the G1 Prix Morny as a sprinting juvenile. The speed of her sire Nureyev would also come through in Gallanta's best daughter, Gay Gallanta (Woodman), who was rated the fastest young filly of her crop in winning the G1 Cheveley Park S. and the G3 Queen Mary S. at Royal Ascot–and would herself produced a pretty quick horse in Byron (GB) (Green Desert).

Though at one remove, with some sturdy influences arising in between, these are not the kind of names to shore up any holes in the stamina of Tiz The Bomb. Gay Gallanta did have a half-brother who lasted 10 furlongs well, earning a place at stud in South Africa, but he was by an extreme stamina influence in Alleged.

Gallanta produced Tiz The Bomb's third dam Mayville's Magic by that diverse influence Gone West. It's hard to draw any conclusions from the career of Mayville's Magic in Britain, as she regressed after winning a sprint maiden on debut. With her illustrious family she had cost as much as $725,000 as a Keeneland September yearling and, given corresponding covers in her second career, she did eventually produce four black-type performers. One, by Giant's Causeway, ran fourth in the GI American Oaks; while A.P. Indy's daughter Cabbage Key had won three in a row before twice placing in minor stakes company.

That was on grass, however, despite the input of A.P. Indy. In producing Tiz The Bomb's dam Tiz The Key from Cabbage Key, then, Tiznow really needs to have poured his love of dirt into the genetic equation–and by the barrel–if Tiz The Bomb is to vindicate the switch back to that surface.

Tiz The Key certainly restored some ability to this rather slumbrous corner of the Gay Missile legacy. Her physique got a $330,000 vote of confidence from Spendthrift as a September yearling and, sent to Richard Mandella, she did break her maiden on the dirt. But she was then stepped up to 10 furlongs of grass to follow up in an allowance race, and then emulated her “aunt” by running fourth in the GI American Oaks.

It cannot augur well for Tiz The Bomb's Derby challenge that his first two dams, though by avowed dirt influences in Tiznow and A.P. Indy, both ended up on the grass. With very little help available from his sire, in terms of dirt, this pedigree looks a pretty fragile foundation for the “Derby fever” that has, understandably with all those gate points in the bank, now altered his schedule.

On one level, it feels rather a shame that Tiz The Bomb won't be going to Newmarket. He has shown exciting talent on turf/synthetics and would have introduced an exotic factor on the Rowley Mile. But if the renewed dirt gamble does not pay off, he will naturally retain every chance to regroup.

Let's hope he can do so, as his sire deserves credit for stoking up embers of quality in a rather dormant branch of the Gay Missile family. Though facing some pretty steep commercial odds, Hit It A Bomb has also had a Grade I winner on dirt in Argentina; while his debut crop did include GII Best Pal S. winner Weston, albeit that horse has slithered down the grades since.

It must be said that the Guineas looked like Tiz The Bomb's best shot in the British Classics: the severe stamina test at Epsom, certainly, would look a highly speculative next move should the Kentucky Derby not work out. That's because the unusually “green” tinge under the dirt influences along the bottom line is complemented, in his sire's own family, by the kind of speed you wouldn't normally expect around Sadler's Wells.

But there would still be a ton of other exciting turf options, either side of the water, to capture the imagination of Tiz the Bomb's adventurous trainer. So it should be a fun ride ahead, regardless, and he's already a five-for-eight millionaire–as much as anyone could ask, clearly, of a stallion standing for $5,000.

The post No Denying Tiz A Gamble On Dirt appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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White Abarrio Triumphs in Florida Derby

HALLANDALE BEACH, FL–With no heavy favorite, the GI Curlin Florida Derby looked like it would likely go one of four ways on paper. The three winners of the four Florida-based GI Kentucky Derby preps–Simplification (Not This Time), White Abarrio (Race Day) and Classic Causeway (Giant's Causeway)–were 2-1, 5-2 and 7-2, respectively, and 'TDN Rising Star' Charge It (Tapit), a flashy maiden winner hailing from the Todd Pletcher barn, was dispatched at 3-1.

While all four of those runners were a factor in this event, it was C2 Racing Stable's White Abarrio who punched his way to victory under a jubilant Tyler Gaffalione.

It was a beautiful day for racing at Gulfstream Park with temperatures in the mid-80s and sunny skies throughout the day as thunderstorms soaked Central Florida. The threat of those storms heading south diminished throughout the afternoon, but just as horses loaded in the gates for the grand finale, gray clouds swarmed over the Hallandale oval. Luckily, the rain held off during the 1:50.64 it took to run the nine-furlong event.

The top four betting choices were all in the mix early, but it was GII Lambholm South Tampa Bay Derby hero Classic Causeway who took control going into the first turn.

He clocked an opening quarter in :23.67 with Simplification breathing down his neck and Pappacap (Gun Runner) keeping the pressure on to that one's outside. Charge It and White Abarrio ran in tandem just behind the top three, keeping a close eye on things as the half went in :47.24. Classic Causeway called it quits just moments later and Simplification and Pappacap charged ahead, neck and neck. White Abarrio wasn't going to let them get away that easy, coasting up behind them with Charge It hot on his heels.

White Abarrio swept up outside of the leading duo entering the far turn and Luis Saez guided Charge It to confront him in the four path. Simplification showed the way into the stretch and a stubborn Pappacap finally yielded as White Abarrio swept in front of him to lock eyes with Simplification. That meeting was quite brief however, as White Abarrio charged to the front with just a furlong left to run. Simplification tried his hardest to keep up with White Abarrio, but the gray kept on rolling to win by 1 1/4 lengths. The twice-raced 8 1/2-length maiden winner Charge It proved worthy of his conditioner's confidence, greenly, but gamely running on in the final furlong to be a clear second with Simplification a length back in third. GIII Best Pal S. winner Pappacap, a 16-1 shot, held fourth and Classic Causeway faded to a disappointing last.

It was the first Florida Derby win for both trainer Saffie Jospeh and rider Gaffalione, who have worked together since the start of their careers. It was Gaffalione's fifth win on the card and Joseph is leading trainer for the winter meet.

“It means the world to me,” said Joseph, choking back tears. “The Florida Derby is up there with the Kentucky Derby because we're based at Gulfstream. I'm just thankful and blessed that we have this opportunity. It's amazing.”

He added, “Tyler, as I said, when he started, I only had like 12 horses, but I rode him on my first ever good horse, a horse named Saraguera.”

“I don't even know what to say right now,” added Gaffalione, who was all smiles from the finish line straight through the post-race presser. “I feel like I'm on cloud nine. I'm just so thankful and I feel so blessed. This is all my childhood dreams come true. To win the Florida Derby, growing up down here, it's just so amazing.”

He continued, “Like Saffie said, we've been together for the past eight years now, and we've had a lot of success. We work well together, great communication. I have a lot of confidence in him and vice versa. I just feel so blessed and thankful to be given this opportunity, especially with them.”

Earning 100 points with this win to add to the 12 he already had, White Abarrio moves into third on the Derby leaderboard and will be Joseph's first Derby starter and Gaffalione's second, following War of Will (War Front).

It was the first Grade I win for brothers Mark and Clint Cornett's C2 Racing Stable. Mark Cornett picked White Abarrio out after his flashy maiden win and they negotiated a private purchase.

A $7,500 OBSWIN yearling purchase, White Abarrio was purchased by trainer Carlos Perez for $40,000 at OBS March after breezing in :10 2/5 for Clap Embroidery. Unveiled in a 6 1/2-panel event at Gulfstream Sept. 24, he split foes and kicked clear to graduate by 6 3/4 lengths, earning an 81 Beyer Speed Figure. Privately purchased by the Cornett brothers and transferred to Saffie Joseph after that victory, White Abarrio wired a one-mile optional claimer at this oval Oct. 29, matching his debut Beyer. Shipped to Churchill Downs next out, the gray checked in third in the GII Kentucky Jockey Club S. Nov. 27 and called it a season.

“I saw him win,” Mark Cornett said. “He came out of the one-hole, which as a first-time starter going 6 1/2 furlongs is very difficult to do, and raced inside the horses down the back side. He did something young 2-year-old first-time starters don't usually do, which is split horses at the quarter pole. He actually split three horses, went through like a seasoned horse and drew off, actually did it internally into some pretty good fractions.

So he ticked all my boxes and what I look for when I buy a horse, physically, pedigree-wise. That's why we ended up and bought it. We were lucky enough to be able to work a deal with the owner, and here we are today winning the Florida Derby.”

Making his seasonal debut in Gulftream's GIII Holy Bull S. Feb. 5, he stalked and pounced his way to a 4 1/2-length score over next-out GII Fasig-Tipton Fountain of Youth S. winner Simplification. White Abarrio had spiked a fever shortly before the Holy Bull, causing him to miss two works, so his connections opted to skip the Fountain of Youth and make sure their colt was fully recovered with an eye on the Florida Derby. He spiked another fever just 12 days out from this event, but Joseph was more confident in his fitness this time around. However, he still gave the colt a three furlong blowout in :34 4/5 this past Tuesday.

“Going into the Holy Bull, we had missed time, we had missed two works,” Joseph said. “I didn't believe in the Holy Bull we were going to win because he missed two key works in a big race. We were giving up a big fitness edge. To see him win that day, I thought it was remarkable.”

The Barbados native continued, “After that, we talked it over. He ran such a big race, and we figured, if he's good enough and able to win that race, he should be good enough to give him a good chance to win in the Florida Derby. Everything went perfect from then until 12 days ago, and we had a hiccup. In the back of your mind, you're like, geez, we should have run him in the Fountain of Youth, but it worked out.”

Bred by Spendthrift Farm, White Abarrio carries the stamp of the late B. Wayne Hughes's operation top to bottom. He hails from the third and final American crop of their former stallion Race Day, who was exported to Korea in 2020, and is out of an Into Mischief mare named Catching Diamonds, who the farm purchased for $425,000 at KEESEP. White Abarrio is her first foal and she has since produced a juvenile colt named Cage Match (Gormley) and a yearling colt by the late Lord Nelson. She is expecting another foal by that stallion this term. Catching Diamonds is a half to MGSW Cool Cowboy (Kodiak Kowboy) and the dam of GSW & GISP 'TDN Rising Star' Mutasaabeq (Into Mischief).

White Abarrio is the only graded winner and one of eight black-type scorers for Race Day, who was also responsible for GI Arkansas Derby runner-up Barber Road. He is the only Grade I winner, one of two graded winners and six black-type achievers out of a daughter of Into Mischief. The Tapit/Harlan's Holiday cross is also responsible for graded winners My Miss Lily and Just Wicked.

What They're Saying at the Florida Derby…

Todd Pletcher (Charge It, second): “Super pleased with the effort. To get a real education in a race like that was very encouraging. He got a little green down the lane. He kind of drifted in behind [White Abarrio] and felt like if he could have just run straight that last 100 yards, he was going to be right there. But I thought it was a huge effort, considering everything. Overcame some adversity, took some dirt, and did a lot of things right. Just didn't quite polish it off.”

It kind of took him a little while to get his wheels going, but once he straightened away it looked like he was going to punch on. But then he drifted in, and he had to correct. The inexperience hurt him a little in the end. I think he earned enough points and showed he's good enough now. Just got to see how he comes out of it and come up with a plan.”

Antonio Sano (Simplification, third): “I'm so happy today. We made the decision to run near the front today, because [Classic Causeway] was speed and [Pappacap] all the time is behind me. [Jockey] Jose [Ortiz] and I talked this morning and we said the last three-eighths you move the horse. I'm just so happy with him. He's very good. It's very important he ran well, and comes back well.”

Mark Casse (Pappacap, fourth): “I thought he ran great. He got me excited. I was just happy to see him show up again because of his last race, I just couldn't understand it. I thought [jockey] Edwin [Hernandez] gave him a great trip. He just got a little late. Maybe it's too far, I don't know. He showed up and gave his best. That's all I can ask.”

Brian Lynch (Classic Causeway, 11th): “[Jockey Irad Ortiz Jr.] said he thought he was traveling until about halfway down the backside and then he just sort of ran out of horse. So, we'll do a little investigating but he look sound and he said he felt good. We'll regroup.”

Saturday, Gulfstream Park
CURLIN FLORIDA DERBY PRESENTED BY HILL 'N' DALE FARMS AT XALAPA-GI, $1,010,000, Gulfstream, 4-2, 3yo, 1 1/8m, 1:50.64, ft.
1–WHITE ABARRIO, 122, c, 3, by Race Day
                1st Dam: Catching Diamonds, by Into Mischief
                2nd Dam: Grand Breeze, by Grand Slam
                3rd Dam: Breeze Lass, by It's Freezing
1ST GRADE I WIN. ($7,500 Ylg '20 OBSWIN; $40,000 2yo '21 OBSMAR). O-C2 Racing Stable LLC and La Milagrosa Stable, LLC; B-Spendthrift Farm, LLC (KY); T-Saffie A. Joseph, Jr.; J-Tyler Gaffalione. $582,800. Lifetime Record: GSW, 5-4-0-1, $823,650. Werk Nick Rating: A++. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Charge It, 122, c, 3, Tapit–I'll Take Charge, by Indian Charlie. 'TDN Rising Star' 1ST BLACK TYPE, 1ST GRADED BLACK TYPE, 1ST G1 BLACK TYPE. O/B-Whisper Hill Farm, LLC; T-Todd A. Pletcher.$188,000.
3–Simplification, 122, c, 3, Not This Time–Simply Confection, by Candy Ride (Arg). 1ST G1 BLACK TYPE. ($50,000 RNA Wlg '19 KEENOV). O-Tami Bobo; B-France & Irwin J. Weiner (FL); T-Antonio Sano. $104,000.
Margins: 1 1/4, 1, 3HF. Odds: 2.90, 3.20, 2.30.
Also Ran: Pappacap, O Captain, Steal Sunshine, Strike Hard, Cajun's Magic, King of Truth, Clapton, Classic Causeway.
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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Cornett Brothers Back in a Big Way

HALLANDALE BEACH, FL–While C2 Racing Stable is in its infancy, its founders, brothers Clint and Mark Cornett are not new on the racing scene. In fact, Mark Cornett has worked as a racing manager and bloodstock agent for over 25 years and even put together the partnerships that owned champions Blind Luck and Dubai Majesty. He and Clint campaigned horses a decade ago under a different banner.

The Cornett brothers returned to the game just last year under their new moniker with the goal of running in the GI Kentucky Derby. That dream could come true if their colt White Abarrio (Race Day) runs well Saturday in the GI Curlin Florida Derby at Gulfstream.

“We have actually been in racing a while,” said Texas-based Clint Cornett, who was in Hallandale Beach to attend his colt's big race, as well as Wednesday's Fasig-Tipton Gulfstream Sale. “We used to run under Turf Express in the early 2000s. In 2021, we decided to get back in the game and started C2 Racing Stable. We had been out of it since 2010.”

He continued, “I called Mark in the middle of 2021 and said let's get back in. I had a personal goal to run on the First Saturday in May and I told Mark to find us a horse. Little did I know, the second one we purchased is potentially going to be the horse.”

The Cornett brothers grew up in Texas and traveled to Louisiana to attend the races in their youth.

“Out of high school in the late eighties, we would head to Louisiana Downs from Dallas to watch the races,” Clint Cornett said. “It peaked our interest in becoming owners and we are pretty passionate about it.”

Their current stable is comprised of about 10 horses, most based at Gulfstream with Saffie Joseph, Jr. However, they do have a few at Oaklawn with Chris Hartman.

“Most of them are private purchases,” Clint Cornett said of their string. “We claim a few here and there and bought a filly [Wednesday] at the Gulfstream auction.”

That filly was Hip 83, a $250,000 daughter of the late Laoban. Consigned by Randy Bradshaw, she breezed in :10 1/5.

“Mark identified her and we were lucky enough to get her,” Clint Cornett said. “She will go to a training facility in Ocala until about August and then come back to the track.”

White Abarrio was one of the Cornett brothers' private purchases after he opened his account with a 6 3/4-length score at Gulfstream in his Sept. 24 debut, earning an 81 Beyer Speed Figure.

“Mark was at the track and saw him break his maiden at Gulfstream,” Clint Cornett said. “He called me and said, 'I just saw this horse run and I think we need to pull the trigger on him.' We talked to the owners and we were able to put together a private purchase. Luckily they were willing to sell.”

Part of the original ownership group, La Milagrosa, stayed in for a small piece and the colt was transferred to Joseph. He wired a one-mile optional claimer at Gulfstream in his first start for C2 Racing Stable Oct. 29 and finished third next out in the GII Kentucky Jockey Club S. at Churchill Downs Nov. 27.

“He won his first start for us at Gulfstream, then we shipped him up to Churchill to run in the Jockey Club because we wanted to get him a run over that track,” Clint Cornett said. “That was his first time going two turns as well. He did not have the cleanest of trips. He got in some trouble, but we were pleased with the effort. It showed us everything we needed to know going forward.”

White Abarrio called it a season after that effort and made his sophomore debut back in Hallandale Beach in the GIII Holy Bull S. Feb. 5. Dispatched at 6-1, the gray pressed the pace early and drew off to win by 4 1/2 lengths over next-out GII Fasig-Tipton Fountain of Youth S. victor Simplification (Not This Time), who also runs back here (video).

“He ran very well in the Holy Bull,” Clint Cornett said. “You have to have some racing luck and he got a clean trip. Prior to that race, he missed two works because he got ill, so we did not know how he was going to perform. He came out of that race well, but we decided to give him a few weeks off since he had been a little sick prior to the Holy Bull. We wanted to give his body time to recover. That is one reason we skipped the Fountain of Youth, but he has been training well into the Florida Derby.”

The businessman added, “He had a slight fever about a week and a half ago for a day or two, but that broke. He did a quick little blowout on Tuesday [3f in :34 4/5] for the race on Saturday.

Cornett said he is raring to go ahead of Saturday's big race and feels good about White Abarrio's chances.

“We feel pretty confident,” he said. “We feel he is a versatile horse with good tactile speed. We have Tyler [Gaffalione] aboard him and have all the confidence in Tyler that he will put him in a great position to be successful.”

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