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White Abarrio captures the Breeders’ Cup Classic (Jenny Doyle/Past The Wire)
NYRA Press Office
OZONE PARK, N.Y.— C2 Racing Stable and La Milagrosa Stable’s White Abarrio was chief among the initial entries for the Group 1, $20 million Saudi Cup in February at King Abdulaziz Racecourse.
The Rick Dutrow, Jr. trainee, last-out winner of the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Classic in November at Santa Anita Park, could face a rematch in the about nine-furlong Saudi Cup with Classic runner-up Derma Sotogake.
White Abarrio entered the Classic from a powerful 6 1/4-length score in the Grade 1 Whitney in August at Saratoga Race Course. He has remained at Santa Anita following the Classic where he has worked back four times, including a half-mile effort this morning in 50.60.
“He just breezed this morning and he’s doing great – fantastic. Not a straw in his path,” Dutrow, Jr. said.
Dutrow, Jr. said White Abarrio is thriving since his Breeders’ Cup coup.
“It’s just unbelievable that we have him in the stable. He’s a very special horse,” Dutrow, Jr. said. “He’s so beautiful and his body is all filled out. He takes your breath away. Even a regular person looking at him says, ‘What a beautiful horse.’ He carries himself like that and he’s just great, man. He’s on it.”
The 5-year-old Race Day horse is nominated for an Eclipse Award in the Older Dirt Male category which includes Cody’s Wish and Elite Power and he is expected to be in the mix for Horse of the Year honors.
“He should be,” Dutrow, Jr. said. “He showed up his last two starts the right way. He should be in the mix without a doubt.”
White Abarrio makes claim for Horse of the Year:
Dutrow, Jr. has a pair of promising Kentucky-bred sophomores for P and G Stable in maiden winner El Capi and last-out optional-claiming winner Guanare.
El Capi, by Maclean’s Music, is out of the Flatter mare Nightlife Baby, who is a half-sister to stakes-placed Eddington’s Note. He earned a 99 Beyer Speed Figure for his first-out graduation sprinting seven furlongs over muddy and sealed footing here on December 2. The third-place finisher of that event, Conquest Warrior, graduated impressively Saturday at Gulfstream when overcoming a difficult start to win by a half-length and garner an 84 Beyer.
El Capi, a $220,000 OBS March Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training purchase, worked a half-mile in 49.65 on New Year’s Day.
Dutrow, Jr. said he has yet to select a spot for El Capi’s next start.
“You won’t see him on the tab for a bit – maybe a couple weeks,” Dutrow, Jr. said.
Guanare, by Runhappy, is out of the stakes-placed City Zip mare Cast in Silver, who is a half-sister to Palace Malice – winner of the 2013 Grade 1 Belmont Stakes and 2014 Grade 1 Met Mile.
Guanare debuted in August at Gulfstream Park for trainer Rodolfo Garcia and is 2-for-2 in 6 1/2-furlong sprints here since joining Dutrow, Jr. in New York, taking a maiden claimer in October over sloppy and sealed going ahead of a 6 3/4-length optional-claiming romp over next-out winner Iridescent. The last-out effort garnered an 88 Beyer.
The $27,000 Keeneland September Yearling Sale purchase worked a half-mile in 51 flat Friday over the Belmont Park dirt training track.
“He’s doing good. We’re very happy with Guanare,” Dutrow, Jr. said. “All of his breezes since he’s come to us from Florida have been good.”
Dutrow, Jr. said Guanare is under consideration for a stakes start on January 27 in either the six-furlong $100,000 Jimmy Winkfield here or the seven-furlong Spectacular Bid on January 27 at Laurel Park.
“Hopefully we can run him in one of those spots. That will be a big day for him and we’ll be hoping that he shows up,” Dutrow, Jr. said.
J and N Stables and Diamond M Stable’s New York-bred Dancing Buck finished a game second in the Grade 2 Joe Hernandez on December 30 at Santa Anita in his debut for Dutrow, Jr.
“We were very happy with him. He’s a hard-knocking horse,” Dutrow, Jr. said. “He’ll stay out there for now and if we can find a nice little spot for him and he’s doing good, we’ll run him. If not, we’ll bide our time and come back here to face the New York-breds.”
One Santa Anita option for Dancing Buck is the 6 1/2-furlong Grade 3 San Simeon on March 9.
The 6-year-old War Dancer gelding, bred by J and N Stables, made the grade in the 2022 Grade 3 Belmont Turf Sprint.
