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On to Derby for White Abarrio

White Abarrio (Race Day) came out of his victory in Saturday's GI Curlin Florida Derby in fine shape and will now be aimed at the GI Kentucky Derby, trainer Saffie Joseph, Jr. confirmed Sunday.

“He was further back than we envisioned and to see him be able to sit back that far off the pace and make his move, it gives you a lot of confidence, because you know he can run close to the pace and now sit back and be as effective,” Joseph said of his charge's Florida Derby win.

White Abarrio, third in last year's GII Kentucky Jockey Club S., is now two-for-two at three. He opened the year with a 4 1/2-length victory in the Feb. 5 GIII Holy Bull S.

Saffie said he continues to see improvement in the gray colt.

“Physically, he's not an overly big horse. He's filled out and he's grown a bit. He's a changed horse,” Joseph said. “He's changed from November to now, and he's showing it on the track. That's what you want. You want to be improving at this time of year. I feel he's making forward progressions.”

Whisper Hill Farm's Charge It (Tapit) came up with a gritty performance against more experienced colts while finishing second in the Florida Derby in only his third career start. The Todd Pletcher trainee, who hit the gate at the start, made a solid run at White Abarrio before racing greenly in the stretch.

“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 that horse and I 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,” said Pletcher, who added the Kentucky Derby will be under consideration for the well-bred colt.

Also aiming for the Kentucky Derby is the Florida Derby's third-place finisher Simplification (Not This Time).

“I am so happy with the race because the horse ran well and came back well,” trainer Antonio Sano said.

Simplification was second to White Abarrio in the Holy Bull before winning the GII Fasig-Tipton Fountain of Youth S.

“The plan was to be up front, but the pressure from Pappacap outside made Jose [Ortiz] move the horse before it was time,” Sano said. “It was a good field and my horse ran very good. In the Kentucky Derby, I believe he will run great.”

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Florida’s Best Face Off in FL Derby

HALLANDALE BEACH, FL–The three winners of Florida's four previous GI Kentucky Derby prep races meet Saturday as they make their final starts ahead of the First Saturday in May in Gulfstream's GI Curlin Florida Derby.

Classic Causeway (Giant's Causeway) ruled the Tampa Bay Downs preps, scoring decisive victories in both the GIII Sam F. Davis S. Feb. 12 and the GII Tampa Bay Derby Mar. 12. He hit the board in all three of his juvenile races, starting with a dominant debut at Saratoga Sept. 4. Finishing third after setting the pace in the GI Claiborne Breeders' Futurity S. at Keeneland Oct. 9, he was a good second in the GII Kentucky Jockey Club S. at Churchill Downs Nov. 27.

Irad Ortiz, who rode Classic Causeway to victory in both Tampa races, will remain aboard for Saturday's test. Conditioner Brian Lynch said he will leave the race in that leading rider's hands.

“Irad and Classic Causeway have some kind of chemistry there,” Lynch said. “They've got it going on. I'm not going to get involved too much. He's ridden him well the last two times. He is a good gate horse, so I am sure he is going to break running and I will let Irad take it from there.”

Classic Causeway's good gate speed usually leaves him on or near the front end. With a few other speedy runners signed on, it could set things up for Simplification (Not This Time), whose last two stellar efforts came from back off the pace. A front-running winner of the local Mucho Macho Man S. on New Year's Day, the bay was tossing his head when the gates sprang in the Feb. 5 GIII Holy Bull S. and got away last of them all. He rallied in the lane, but refused to switch leads, just holding off favorite Mo Donegal (Uncle Mo) to be second to White Abarrio (Race Day). Away better next out under new pilot in Jose Ortiz, Simplification settled in mid-pack and made a wide late run to take the GII Fasig-Tipton Fountain of Youth S. by 3 1/2 lengths, earning a 96 Beyer Speed Figure.

“I'm very happy with the way he is coming into the race,” Ortiz said. “He has two great works [5f in :59 4/5 Mar. 26 and 5f in 1:01 4/5 Mar. 19]. There seems like there will be some pace in the race. The main thing for us will be to have a good start and get good position.”

White Abarrio was a well-beaten third behind Classic Causeway in the Kentucky Jockey Club after winning his first two starts at Gulfstream last year. He opened his 2022 account with a dominant score in the Holy Bull, stalking and pouncing his way to a 4 1/2-length success. Connections decided to bypass the Fountain of Youth to give the colt more time after a minor illness and he spiked another fever last week, but connections report he is back to normal. (Read more in Friday's C2 Racing Stable feature).

Six-time Florida Derby winner Todd Pletcher steps an impressive maiden winner up to the big leagues here in Charge It (Tapit). Missing by just a neck in his Jan. 8 unveiling here, the gray zipped home to an 8 1/2-length graduation next out going a mile at this oval Feb. 12, good for a 93 Beyer Speed Figure.

“This is a big step up off of two starts,” Pletcher said. “He's been very impressive, not only in his training, but in his maiden win and I thought even in his debut, even though he didn't win. It was a strong race. We think he has the talent for it. Hopefully he has enough experience and seasoning because we are giving up a lot of that to some nice horses. We are optimistic at the same time.”

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White Abarrio Given Green Light For Florida Derby

C2 Racing Stable LLC and La Milagrosa Stable LLC's White Abarrio (Race Day) was confirmed a starter for Saturday's GI Curlin Florida Derby presented by Hill 'n' Dale at Xalapa Tuesday morning by trainer Saffie Joseph, Jr. The gray colt, last seen (No dominating in the GIII Holy Bull S. Feb. 5, spiked a fever the on the Tuesday before his final drill, which was to be Sunday. He signaled his readiness for this weekend's task by blowing out three furlongs in :34.96 over a glib Gulfstream Park main track the morning of Mar. 29.

“He breezed phenomenal. He went super easy,” Joseph, Jr. said. “The track was probably faster because of the [Fasig-Tipton Gulfstream Sale breeze show] yesterday. Visually, he looks well. Energy-wise he looks well. I think we've been more worried than he is. As a trainer, you're always concerned about something.

He continued, “He had his major work two weeks ago. He checked out good on Monday. On Tuesday [last week], he was supposed to go to the track to jog and he had a temp of 101.5, so we had to back off him for two days,” Joseph said. “We had to change things around.”

Winner of his first two local appearances last season, the $7,500 OBS January short yearling turned $40,000 OBS March breezer was third–with future GIII Sam F. Davis S. and GII Lambholm South Tampa Bay Derby hero Classic Causeway (Giant's Causeway) second–in the GII Kentucky Jockey Club S. last November. He sat a perfect trip in the Holy Bull, easily defeating a troubled Simplification (Not This Time) by 4 1/2 lengths.

Joseph, Jr. said he is unconcerned about the final work coming essentially on top of the race.

“As far as blow-out, working close, that's how I grew up in Barbados,” he said. “We always blew out on Wednesday or Thursday before the race. I learned that style, but obviously I train different over here, but sometimes I would work three days before a race. I'm not concerned about that. The thing in the back of your head is he did spike a temperature last week. That's always a concern.”

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Simplification, Smile Happy Highlight Saturday Gulfstream Worktab

Tami Bobo's Simplification (Not This Time) returned to the Gulfstream Park worktab Saturday morning for the first time since scoring a dominant 3 1/2-length victory in the GII Fasig-Tipton Fountain of Youth S. Mar. 5 in Hallandale. The Antonio Sano trainee breezed five furlongs in 1:01.81 (15/28) under jockey Jose Ortiz before galloping out six furlongs in 1:14.85.

“It was a very good work. The horse worked in hand. He went very easy,” Sano said. “The gallop was good. The horse came back very good. That's what's important for me.”

Simplification rated well off the early pace before making a sweeping move to the lead and drawing away with authority to capture the Fountain of Youth. In the Feb. 5 GIII Holy Bull S., the Florida-bred colt, who had won the Jan. 1 Mucho Macho Man in frontrunning style, broke last from the starting gate and was caught wide throughout before rallying to finish second behind loose-on-the-lead White Abarrio (Race Day).

Trainer Kenny McPeek sent Lucky Seven Stable's Smile Happy (Runhappy) and Rattle N Roll (Connect) to the Gulfstream track to breeze in company following the break Saturday morning. Rattle N Roll on the inside and Smile Happy on the outside were credited with a joint bullet workout after breezing five furlongs in 58.81 (1/28).

“They worked super. They both needed a steady one and they both zipped along,” McPeek said. “I was really pleased with both of them.”
McPeek said he hadn't yet chosen between the GI Florida Derby and the Apr. 9 GI Toyota Blue Grass S. at Keeneland for Smile Happy's next start. Rattle N Roll, who finished fifth in the Fountain of Youth, is being pointed to next Saturday's GII Louisiana Derby at Fair Grounds.

Smile Happy closed to be second behind pacesetting Epicenter (Not This Time) in the Feb. 19 GII Risen Star S. in his 2022 debut after winning both of his races, including the GII Kentucky Jockey Club S. at Churchill Downs, in 2021.

OGMA Investments and Jack Hardin Towell Jr.'s O Captain (Carpe Diem), who closed from last to finish third in the Fountain of Youth at 87-1, breezed five furlongs at Gulfstream in 1:01.14 (11/28) Saturday morning. The Gustavo Delgado pupil, who broke his maiden at first asking and finished third in the Limehouse S. in his two prior starts, is being pointed to the Florida Derby.

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