White Abarrio | Horse Racing Free Tips

White Abarrio Returns To Work Tab With Holy Bull As Target

C2 Racing Stable and La Milagrosa Stable's White Abarrio, sidelined earlier this month after spiking a temperature, returned to the work tab with a sharp half-mile breeze Friday at Gulfstream Park ahead of the $250,000 Holy Bull (G3) Feb. 5.

With jockey Tyler Gaffalione up, White Abarrio went four furlongs in 47.05 seconds over a fast main track, ranking first of 40 horses. It was the Race Day colt's first breeze since a five-furlong move in 1:01 Jan. 10.

“He missed some time because he had a little virus he was fighting,” trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. said. “Thankfully, today he worked super and all is on track. All being well, we'll probably go to the Holy Bull with him.”

Joseph has been pleased with the way White Abarrio has bounced back from his illness and wasn't surprised with how fast he went Saturday.

“Timing-wise, we wanted a good, strong work. He's a good horse, and he makes it look it pretty easy,” Joseph said. “We wanted a good, strong work and that's why we worked him a little further out than closer to the race.”

White Abarrio debuted with a come-from-behind 6 ¾-length maiden special weight victory Sept. 24 at Gulfstream, returning with a front-running, four-length optional claiming allowance triumph Oct. 29. White Abarrio suffered his first loss when third to Smile Happy in the Kentucky Jockey Club (G2) Nov. 27.

Smile Happy; Ken McPeek-trained stablemate Tiz the Bomb, winner of last fall's Bourbon (G2); 2021 Remsen (G2) winner Mo Donegal; Giant Game, third in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile (G1); and Simplification, winner of Gulfstream's Mucho Macho Man Jan. 1, are all under consideration for the Holy Bull.

The 1 1/16-mile Holy Bull is the second of Gulfstream's series of 3-year-old stakes leading to the $1 million Florida Derby (G1) April 2, preceded by the one-mile Mucho Macho Man and followed by the $400,000 Fountain of Youth (G2) March 5, also at 1 1/16 miles.

“It looks like it's coming up a competitive race but we feel he's as good as anybody in there,” Joseph said. “All being well, we'll give him his chance.”

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Road To The Florida Derby: Mucho Macho Man Stakes Draws 19 Nominations

The $100,000 Mucho Macho Man, the first stakes on the Road to the Curlin Florida Derby (G1), will be the headliner of six stakes for newly turned 3-year-olds scheduled for the Jan. 1 New Year's Day program at Gulfstream Park.

The mile stakes named in honor of the Gulfstream Park-based winner of the 2013 Breeders' Cup Classic attracted 19 nominations, including the Saffie Joseph Jr.-trained trio of White Abarrio, A.P.'s Secret and Skippylongstocking. C2 Racing Stable LLC and La Milagrosa Stable LLC's White Abarrio finished third in the Kentucky Jockey Club (G2) at Churchill Downs after winning his first two career starts impressively at Gulfstream. Gentry Farms' A.P.'s Secret has run twice at Gulfstream, winning his debut by four lengths before finishing second in an optional claiming allowance. Daniel Alonso's Skippylongstocking finished a nose behind A.P.'s Secret in the Dec. 5 optional claiming allowance.

Miracle's International Trading Inc.'s Strike Hard, who defeated both A.P.'s Secret and Skippylongstocking in his most recent start, is being pointed to the Mucho Macho Man by trainer Matthew Williams. The son of Flashback has previously finished second behind White Abarrio October 29 at Gulfstream.

Robert and Lawana Low's My Prankster, trained by 19-time Championship Meet titlist Todd Pletcher, is prominent on the list of nominations. The son of Into Mischief broke his maiden at Saratoga by 10 lengths before finishing fourth in the Champagne Stakes (G1) at Belmont, second in the Bowman Mill at Keeneland, and winning a Dec. 10 optional claiming allowance.

Cheyenne Stables LLC's Cooke Creek is also a prominent nominee on the strength of a runner-up finish in the Nov. 7 Nashua (G3) at Aqueduct and a previous stakes victory at Delaware Park for trainer Michael Trombetta.

The Mucho Macho Man will be followed by the $250,000 Holy Bull (G3) on Feb. 5 and the $400,000 Fasig-Tipton Fountain of Youth (G2) leading up to the $1 million Curlin Florida Derby (G1) April 2.

The $100,000 Cash Run, a mile event for 3-year-old fillies, attracted 15 nominations, including David Bernsen and Schroeder Farm LLC's Cairo Remedies, runner-up in the Starlet (G1) at Los Alamitos last time out.

Westerberg Limited, Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith and Mrs. John Magnier's Sweet as Pie, who finished fourth in the Tempted after winning her debut at Belmont, is one of two fillies trained by Pletcher on the Cash Run noms list. The Hall of Fame trainer is also represented by Red Oak Stable's Goddess of Fire, a debut winner at Saratoga who finished third in the Pocahontas (G3) at Churchill Downs and fifth in the Tempted.

Diamond 100 Racing Club LLC, Amy Dunne and Patrick Biancone Racing LLC's Diamond Wow, who finished second by a head in the Jessamine (G2)on turf at Keeneland after winning the Our Dear Peggy on dirt at Gulfstream, and Westlake Racing Stable's Miss Mattie B., a recent maiden winner on turf at Santa Anita, are both nominated to the Cash Run, as well as the $100,000 Ginger Brew, a mile turf race for sophomore fillies.

The Ginger Brew drew 16 nominations. Cairo Memories is also nominated for both the Cash Run and Ginger Brew.

The $100,000 Dania Beach, a mile turf stakes for 3-year-olds, received 20 nominations, including Klaravich Stables Inc.'s Unanimous Consent, a British-bred colt who has been unraced since debuting at Monmouth in September with a dominating triumph. D J Stable LLC's Massetto, a Group 2-placed finish in Europe who finished fourth in her U.S. debut in Kentucky Downs' Juvenile Filly Sprint; and Whisper Hill Farms' Grand Sonata, a sharp maiden winner at Keeneland before encountering a trouble trip in the Nov. 27 Central Park at Aqueduct; are also prominent nominees.

The $100,000 Limehouse, a six-furlong sprint, attracted 16 nominations, while the $100,000 Glitter Woman, a six-furlong sprint for fillies, drew 18 nominations.

Three stakes for 3-year-olds and up are also scheduled Friday, Dec. 31 – the $100,000 Abundantia, a five-furlong turf sprint for fillies and mares, the $100,000 Janus, a five-furlong turf sprint, and the $100,000 Via Borghese, a 1 3/8-mile turf race for fillies and mares.

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Trainer Saffie Joseph Planning Make It Big’s Next Start

Red Oak Stable's Make It Big gave trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. good reason to start making plans along the Road to the Kentucky Derby when he captured the $400,000 Springboard Mile at Remington Park in Oklahoma City, Okla., Friday night.

The Gulfstream Park-based 2-year-old son of Neolithic earned 10 qualifying points for this year's first leg of the Triple Crown with a thoroughly professional half-length victory over Osbourne as the 6-5 favorite.

“We are, obviously, very excited. He was stepping up in class, shipping for the first time and going two turns [for the first time]. He handled it all as good as you could ask for,” said Joseph, who didn't venture to Oklahoma for the Springboard Mile. “He sat in the pocket, made a move down the backside, and was gutsy enough to hold off Osbourne.”

The Florida-bred colt, who was purchased at the OBS April sale for $120,000, sat off a contested pace, made a three-wide sweep on the far turn, and prevailed over Osbourne following a stretch-long battle to remain undefeated in three starts.

“The [Feb 5] Holy Bull might come a little quick, but everything is still in play. Maybe the Fountain of Youth,” Joseph said. “We'll talk it over with the ownership group and Rick Sacco, the stable manager. He was the one that recommended after he won last time that we should try this race [Springboard Mile]. It turned out a perfect choice of race.”

Distance wouldn't seem to be a concern for the long-striding colt.

“You would think the more distance the better. That's how he trained. Up until six weeks before he made his debut, he kind of seemed he'd go long, long, long,” Joseph said. “He was lacking that early speed. When we put blinkers on him, they gave him that dynamic, showing some speed. We already knew he had the stamina. He's really turned around.”

Make It Big debuted with a front-running 8 ½-length victory at seven furlongs Oct. 8 before winning the seven-furlong Juvenile for Florida-breds by 2 ¼ lengths following an awkward break Oct. 30.

“He led the first time. The second time, he sat off [the pace]. This time, he sat between horses. He keeps getting better and better, slowly but surely. He's going in the right direction, that's what you want,” Joseph said.

Jose Ortiz rode Make It Big Friday night, filling in for Edgard Zayas, who recently underwent shoulder surgery.

“I want to give credit to Edgard. He was going there to ride him, but then the shoulder surgery came up. Edgard was going to have surgery on a Monday, and he came out to work him on Sunday,” Joseph said. “Edgard showed the class and work ethic that he has. Full credit to him. He's a big part of the team and he's a big part of this horse's success.”

Joseph also trains Triple Crown prospect White Abarrio, who captured his first two races impressively before finishing third in the Grade 2 Kentucky Jockey Club at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky., Nov. 27.

“He's doing well. We gave him a little freshening. He's galloping, and he's going to have his first breeze back [Sunday],” Joseph said. “He's most likely going in the Holy Bull.”

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Smile Happy Gives McPeek Another Kentucky Jockey Club Win

The horse that brought Kenny McPeek to the winner's circle for the Grade 2 Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes at Churchill Downs was not the one that most fans would have expected. Instead of Tiz the Bomb, who scratched out of the G2 stakes earlier Saturday, it was Smile Happy, a son of Runhappy, who brought McPeek his third win in the early prep race for the 2022 Kentucky Derby.

With the field scratched down from 14 to 11, Smile Happy broke from post eight, taking up position in fifth around the first turn and onto the backstretch. Setting early fractions of :23.95 and :48.74, early leader Howling Time had a 1 1/2 length lead down the backstretch, his lead shrinking as the field moved into the far turn.

Around the far turn, Smile Happy was among the challengers pressing Howling Time, who gave way as they approached the top of the stretch. Smile Happy went five-wide to find racing room to challenge, with Classic Causeway and Ben Diesel driving to his inside. Down the stretch, Smile Happy took the lead at the eighth pole and pulling away late to take the G2 Kentucky Jockey Club by 3 1/4 lengths. Classic Causeway was second and White Abarrio was third.

The final time for the 1 1/16 miles was 1:43.94. Find this race's chart here.

Smile Happy paid $11.60, $4.60, and $3.60. Classic Causeway paid $3.40 and $2.80. White Abarrio paid $4.00.

Bred in Kentucky by Moreau Bloodstock International and White Bloodstock LLC, Smile Happy is out of the Pleasant Tap mare Pleasant Smile. He is owned by Lucky Seven Stable, who purchased him from Hunter Valley Farm for $185,000 at the 2020 Fasig-Tipton Selected Yearlings Showcase. The Kentucky Jockey Club is his second win in his two lifetime starts, for career earnings of $284,810. Smile Happy earns 10 points toward the 2022 Kentucky Derby, with Classic Causeway getting four points, White Abarrio two points, and Ben Diesel one point for his fourth-place finish.

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