White Abarrio dominates the Oaklawn Handicap, Coady Photo
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Robert Yates
$1,250,000 Oaklawn Handicap (G2)
Billed as a “Race for the Ages,” Saturday’s $1.25 million Oaklawn Handicap (G2) turned into a “Race for the Aged” after 7-year-old White Abarrio turned back the clock and took down 2025 Triple Crown race winners Sovereignty and Journalism an estimated crowd of 35,000 on a cloudy, cool late Saturday afternoon at Oaklawn.
White Abarrio, a son of 2015 Oaklawn Handicap winner Race Day, finished two lengths ahead of reigning Horse of the Year Sovereignty, who was making his 4-year-old debut and first start against older horses. Sovereignty won the Kentucky Derby and Belmont Stakes last year. Preakness winner Journalism, in his 4-year-old debut, finished 1 ¼ lengths farther back in third.
The three Oaklawn Handicap headliners – White Abarrio won the 2023 Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) – were in a line across the track in the upper stretch. It was White Abarrio, the oldest horse in the field, who won the sprint to the finish in the 1 1/8-mile race for older horses.
Under Irad Ortiz Jr., White Abarrio blazed 1 1/8 miles over a fast track in 1:47.49, making it the swiftest Oaklawn Handicap since future two-time Horse of the Year Cigar ran 1:47.22 in 1995. White Abarrio carried 121 pounds, 2 pounds less than Sovereignty, the 4-5 favorite in the six-horse field.
Journalism finished eight lengths ahead of Publisher, who was followed by stablemate Duke of Duval and Liberal Arts.
Sovereignty, with Journalism glued to his flank, took the field through a :47.03 half-mile and six furlongs in 1:11.27. As the tempo quickened, White Abarrio, racing third on the inside, moved outside approaching the three-eighths pole. White Abarrio struck the front on the outside passing the furlong marker and edged away in the final sixteenth.
White Abarrio paid $9.20, $3.60 and $2.40. Sovereignty paid $2.40 and $2.10. Journalism paid $2.10.
One of the most accomplished horses in North American history, White Abarrio races for Florida-based trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. and owners C2 Racing Stable (brothers Mark and Clint Cornett), Gary Barber and La Milagrosa Stable (Antonio Pagnano).
In his only other start this year, White Abarrio finished second behind stablemate Skippylongstocking in the nine-fulrong $3 million Pegasus World Cup Invitational Stakes (G1) Jan. 24 at Gulfstream Park. Skippylongstocking, also 7, returned to win the $500,000 Essex Handicap (G3) March 21 at Oaklawn.
White Abarrio won the 2025 Pegasus, one of several high-profile victories in his 26-race career. White Abarrio also captured the 2022 Florida Derby (G1) and the 2023 Whitney Stakes (G1). An 11-time career winner, White Abarrio boasts $8,445,170 in earnings.
Oaklawn Handicap Quotes
Winning Jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. (White Abarrio): “I thought I was going to be on the lead, but, honestly, when I saw Sovereignty broke that sharp and I saw Journalism beside him – he didn’t want to let him walk – it’s going to be a match race, so I could probably take advantage of it. I was in good position inside of them, so I took my time and went to Plan B. It worked out beautiful.”
Winning Trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. (White Abarrio): “We felt like he was going to run his best when his best may not have been good enough and it surely was. Congrats to the all connections – (owners) Mark Cornett, Gary Barber and La Milagrosa. They’ve been patient and listened to the horse. Today we were rewarded in one of the best races in a long, long time. It really materialized, the matchup. Thanks for all my team that worked so hard with this horse.”
Second-Place Jockey Junior Alvarado (Sovereignty): “Just by default (going to the lead). I thought White Abarrio was going to go the lead. He ended up taking back and I had Journalism breathing down my neck. I was in the middle of both horses, so I couldn’t really take back. If I take back, they walk the dog on the lead. They’re not going to pressure each other. But we needed to get a race with the horse. I think he’ll get a lot out of this race and we’ll move forward from this race.”
Second-Place Trainer Bill Mott (Sovereignty): I was a little surprised (being on the lead). I thought White Abarrio would probably go. He had to do all the running the first out. He (Junior Alvarado) said he (Sovereignty) was kind of doing it on his own. He didn’t take anything away from him, but he wasn’t pushing him. They (White Abarrio, Sovereignty and Journalism) showed up. The two horses that have been off six, eight months probably got a little tired. There’s nothing like having a race. You can train and we trained him up. He ran a good race.”
Third-place Jockey Jose Ortiz (Journalism): “Good trip. I thought White Abarrio was going to be the speed, but he took back on the first turn. I just sat there next to Sovereignty. We were traveling very good the first half a mile. I was very happy. At the three-eighths pole, I started approaching (Sovereignty) little by little. I knew White Abarrio was right behind us. I didn’t want to get caught sleeping, so I started asking little by little at the three-eighths pole. When we hit the quarter pole, we went all in. White Abarrio’s a very nice horse. Sovereignty’s a very nice horse. For Sovereignty and me, we’re coming back. Very good race for both of them. I think it was a very good race for the fans and, hopefully, the rivalry continues.”
$200,000 Valley of the Vapors Stakes
In one of two other stakes races Saturday at Oaklawn, Holly’s Holiday, the longest shot on the board, split horses in the upper stretch enroute to a 1 ¾-length victory over Grace Is Free in the $200,000 Valley of the Vapors for 3-year-old fillies at one mile.
Emmanuel Esquivel rode Holly’s Holiday ($45.20) for trainer Kenny McPeek and Arkansas owners 4 G Racing (Brent and Sharilyn Gasaway), Gregg Day and Steven Crain. Holly’s Holiday, a daughter of Maxfield, is named after Crain’s wife, Holly. The Gasaways, in partnership, bred and raced 2024 Kentucky Derby winner Mystik Dan.
Holly’s Holiday, who was making her stakes debut, ran the mile over a fast track in 1:38.18. Holly’s Holiday has a 2-0-0 record from four lifetime starts and earnings of $160,734.
Valley of the Vapors Quotes
Winning Jockey Emmanuel Esquivel (Holly’s Holiday): “We (dead-heated) last race, but she ran a huge race coming off the break. And we worked her back with (stablemate and Valley of the Vapors entrant) Spitfire last week. She dragged me around there. I told Mike (Kleier), the assistant: ‘I love her. She worked like a monster.’ She was stepping up into a stake, with some really good fillies, too, but she was there for me today.”
Winning Co-Owner Sharilyn Gasaway (Holly’s Holiday): ‘Honestly, I think we knew that she really needed a race last time and so when she got there, were like, ‘Hey, this is impressive.’ So, we thought, ‘OK, let’s just see.’ Kenny said it would be great if he could her some black type. So, with this group of horses we were running against, we were going to be excited if she hit the board. So, to win so convincingly, we’re very excited about the horse that we have for this great partnership.”
$200,000 Bathhouse Row Stakes
Robert H. Zoellner’s Crupper grabbed the lead early, then held off several challengers late to win the $200,000 Bathhouse Row Stakes Saturday at Oaklawn.
Ridden for the first time by Junior Alvarado, Crupper finished a half-length ahead of late-running Chad Allan in the 1 1/8-mile race for 3-year-olds. It was another neck back to third-place finisher Honey’s to Blame, who was squeezed at the start. Western Warrior, the 2-1 favorite in the eight-horse field, faded to fourth after drawing abreast of Crupper on the second turn.
Honey’s to Blame and Western Warrior were both poised to sweep past Crupper on the outside approaching the three-eighths pole. But after six furlongs in a moderate 1:13.10, Crupper found another gear and turned into the stretch with a clear lead. Crupper maintained a one-length advantage in midstretch and held Chad Allan safe under steady right-handed urging.
Western Warrior was followed, in order, by Highly Connected, Royalamerican, Thebabeslayer and Khon Han.
Crupper paid $15.60, $7.40 and $4.80. Chad Allan paid $9.60 and $5.80. Honey’s to Blame paid $3.20. The winning time over a fast track was 1:50.89. Because he’s Triple Crown nominated, Crupper earned automatic entry into the Preakness Stakes – the second leg of the Triple Crown – May 16 at Laurel.
Crupper is trained by Donnie K. Von Hemel, who has worked for Zoellner since 2004. Crupper is by Candy Ride out of She’s All In, a millionaire multiple stakes winner campaigned by Zoellner and Von Hemel. She’s All In had already produced multiple stakes winner She’s All Wolfe and Grade 2 runner-up Bolzy for the duo. She’s All In died foaling last year, Zoellner said.
Crupper was exiting a third-place finish in a Feb. 28 allowance race at 1 1/16 miles. The winner, Exosome, made his next start in Oaklawn’s fourth and final Kentucky Derby qualifying race, the $1.5 million Arkansas Derby (G1) March 28. Crupper broke his maiden at 1 1/16 miles Feb. 6.
Crupper, who is named after Keith Crupper, Zoellner’s Kentucky farm manager, has a 2-0-3 record from six lifetime starts and earnings of $210,665.
Bathhouse Row Quotes
Winning Jockey Junior Alvarado (Crupper): “He was very keen the first part of the race. I think right when we passed the five-eighths pole, he kind of came back to me. Took a nice breather and I think that kind of helped him rebreak at the end when I asked him for run. Nice horse. He was very good today.”
Winning Trainer Donnie K. Von Hemel (Crupper) “He hung in there. I liked what I saw today. He was forwardly placed like we wanted to be. He’s just one of those horses that kind of keeps going. His family has run that way in the past. We’ll get to talk about it (Preakness) for a few weeks and see, but it’s something exciting to think about it, anyways. Thanks to (breeder/owner) Robert Zoellner. He just keeps breeding and sending them and we have a great time. He’s a great client and can’t say enough thanks to him.”
Winning Breeder/Owner Robert H. Zoellner (Crupper): “I’ve knocked on the door and just about got it done several times, but this is the first (stakes victory) here. So excited. Homebred – and I lost She’s All In last year, so her legacy carries on. Just so excited.”
