White Abarrio conquers the Pegasus World Cup (Angelo Lieto)
David Joseph/Gulfstream Park
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – C2 Racing Stable LLC, Gary Barber and Antonio Pagnano’s White Abarrio is set to make a highly anticipated return as the 1-9 morning-line favorite in Saturday’s $165,000 Ghostzapper (G3) presented by FanDuel TV at Gulfstream Park.
The Ghostzapper, a 1 1/16-mile stakes for 4-year-olds and up, will be one of 10-stakes, five graded, on Saturday’s 14-race program, which will be headlined by the $1 million Curlin Florida Derby (G1).
When last seen in action at Gulfstream Park, the flashy gray 6-year-old son of Race Day dominated a star-studded field by nine lengths in the $3 million Pegasus World Cup Invitational (G1) Jan. 25. Winning a prestigious $3 million stakes would be a thrill for every trainer, but for trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. the rewards from White Abarrio’s tour-de-force Pegasus performance were far greater than just the lucrative winner’s share.
“It was awesome, especially with the journey we’ve been on with the horse,” Joseph said.
That journey has included many twists and turns, highs and lows.
Joseph saddled White Abarrio for a victory in the 2022 Curlin Florida Derby (G1), only to lose him to trainer Richard Dutrow Jr. the following year when Churchill Downs took the highly controversial action of refusing entries from his stable. Joseph watched from the outside when White Abarrio captured the 2023 Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) at Santa Anita, but he would eventually welcome the multiple Grade 1 stakes winner back into his Gulfstream-based stable last year after Churchill Downs lifted the restrictions against him.
“Having the horse, then losing him, then going through what we did with Churchill, and him going on to win the Breeders’ Cup Classic… At that point, I never had a Breeders’ Cup winner and you never know if you’re ever going to get one. All those things go on through your head,” said Joseph, who saddled Soul of an Angel for a victory in the 2024 Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint (G1) at Del Mar. “Him coming back to me, it was a blessing to get a horse with all that he accomplished. I never wanted him back at first because I wasn’t mentally in the capacity to want him back. It took a long time to get over it. To get him back means a lot and for him to come back and win the Pegasus….”
White Abarrio made a triumphant return to Joseph’s stable with a 10 ½-length romp in a Nov. 22 optional claiming allowance before prepping for the Pegasus with a late-charging second in the seven-furlong Mr. Prospector. He was at his very best in the Pegasus while notching a decisive victory over subsequent Santa Anita Handicap (G1) winner Locked and multiple graded stakes-winning stablemate Skippylongstocking, who captured the Challenger (G3) at Tampa Bay Downs in his next start.
“He had a perfect preparation going from the Mr. Prospector into that race,” Joseph said.
White Abarrio settled in mid-pack before making a four-wide sweep to the lead and drawing off to victory in a sharp 1:48 for the 1 1/8 miles.
“When he gets a good trip, he’s brilliant. You see some brilliant races from him. I thought watching him win the Breeders’ Cup Classic was one of his most brilliant races because they went so fast and he was inside for a while, which he didn’t like, and he still kept going,” Joseph said. “I thought his Pegasus – you’re always biased because he’s yours – as many times as I’ve watched it, was very impressive.”
Joseph is hoping White Abarrio’s return in the 1 1/16-mile Ghostzapper will set him up nicely for a start in the Met Mile (G1) June 7 at Saratoga Race Course.
“The next main goal is the Met Mile. That’s the important one, he said. “This race is at home. It makes sense from a timing standpoint.”
Irad Ortiz Jr. has the return mount aboard White Abarrio.
Joseph will also be represented in Saturday’s seven-horse field by Daniel Alonso’s One Sharp Cookie (15-1; Edgard Zayas), a stakes-place Florida-bred, and Super Corinto (30-1; Tyler Gaffalione), a multiple Group 1 winner in Chile who finished off the board in the Dec. 21 Harlan’s Holiday (G3).
Spendthrift Farm LLC’s Tuscan Sky is rated second on the morning-line at 5-1. The stakes-winning 4-year-old son of Vino Rosso, who has finished off the board in the Harlan’s Holiday and Mineshaft (G3) at Fair Grounds in his two most recent starts, is trained by Hall of Famer Todd Pletcher.
Dylan Davis is scheduled ride Tuscan Sky for the first time Saturday.
Lea Farms LLC’s Power Squeeze, the 2024 Gulfstream Park Oaks (G2) winner who went on to capture the Alabama (G1) at Saratoga, is slated to take on the boys in the Ghostzapper. The 4-year-old daughter of Union Rags, who is rated at 8-1 on the morning line, finished eighth behind White Abarrio in the Pegasus World Cup in her most recent start.
Javier Castellano has the return call on the Jorge Delgado-trained filly.
JC Racing Stable’s Lightning Tones is also rated at 8-1 on the morning line while coming off a third-place finish in the March 1 Gulfstream Park Mile (G2), in which he encountered bumping and a wide trip.
Jorge Ruiz returns aboard the 5-year-old son of Tonalist.
Claim to Fame Racing LLC’s The Thor, a veteran stakes performer in his native Chile before arriving at Gulfstream, enters the Ghostzapper off three on-the-board finishes in his three U.S. starts against optional claiming allowance company.
The Amador Sanchez-trained 6-year-old son of Gemologist, who is rated at 30-1 on the morning line, will be ridden for the first time by Luis Saez.
