With Irad Ortiz Jr. aboard White Abarrio won assertively in the 2023 Breeders’ Cup Classic for trainer Rick Dutrow, Jr. (Ernie Belmonte/Past The Wire)
Multiple Grade 1 Winner Breezes 4F in 45.86 Seconds
Finding Strength Breezes 4F for FSS Susan’s Girl
David Joseph/Gulfstream Park
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – C2 Racing Stable LLC, Gary Barber and La Milagrosa Stable LLC’s White Abarrio breezed a half-mile in company Thursday at Gulfstream Park in preparation for a planned start in the $1 million Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile (G1) Nov. 1 at Del Mar.
The 6-year-old son of Race Day, who captured the 2023 Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) at Santa Anita, breezed outside Practically Dark and finished on even terms with his Saffie Joseph Jr.-trained stablemate after they covered four furlongs on a fast track 45.86 seconds, the fastest clockings of seven recorded at the distance.
“Today was 24 days out, almost three weeks, so we wanted a strong work,” Joseph said. “He put in a strong work. He worked from the half, but it was almost a five-eighths breeze – strong half, finish up past the wire and gradually gallop out. A half in 45-and-change, [five furlongs] 58, out in 1:11. It was a good work.”
Thursday’s breeze was the 2025 Pegasus World Cup (G1) winner’s third since returning to Gulfstream following a dreadful trip in the 1 ¼-mile Jockey Club Gold Cup (G1) Aug. 31 at Saratoga. He breezed a half-mile in 46.56 Oct. 2 and three furlongs in a swift 33.73 Sept. 25, both ‘bullets.’
“I think we’re going to go for two more works here,” Joseph said. “Then, we’ll ship on the 23rd.”
Work of the Day from @GulfstreamPark—White Abarrio (Outside) and Practically Dark worked 4 Furlongs in 45.86 on October 9th, 2025, for trainer @SaffieJosephJr. @BreedersCup pic.twitter.com/9F1vfQJNJg
— 1/ST TV (@Watch1ST) October 9, 2025
White Abarrio was forced into Mindframe in a dramatic incident shortly after the start of the Jockey Club Gold Cup, in which jockey Edgard Zayas lost an iron and Irad Ortiz Jr. was unseated from Mindframe and momentarily landed on White Abarrio’s back before hitting the track.
White Abarrio went on to finish fourth after Zayas somehow regained his balance and iron.Although White Abarrio hasn’t had much racing luck of late, Joseph is confident that the multiple-Grade 1 winner is gearing up for a big effort in the Dirt Mile.
“He bounced out of the race (Jockey Club Gold Cup) well,” he said. “It wasn’t what you wanted to see. It wasn’t what anyone wanted to see, but I’m grateful everyone came out of it fine. It’s part of racing.”
Also, on Thursday’s Gulfstream worktab, LNJ Foxwoods and Church Street Stable’s Finding Strength breezed a half-mile in 47.69 (3/7) in preparation for the $200,000 Susan’s Girl, the seven-furlong second leg of the FTBOA Florida Sire Stakes series scheduled for Oct. 18. The Michael Yates-trained daughter of Khozan is coming off a valiant second-place finish in the $100,000 Desert Vixen, the six-furlong first leg of the FSS series for 2-year-old fillies sired by accredited Florida stallions.
WOW! LENNILU ($4.80) fought the whole way down the lane with the ultra game Finding Strength in the $100,000 FTBOA Florida Sire Desert Vixen Stakes at Gulfstream Park. Patrick Biancone trains the 2-year-old Leinster (@PleasantAcresSt) filly, Jonathan Ocasio was on board.… pic.twitter.com/BfMwBTfaLH
— FanDuel Racing (@FanDuel_Racing) September 6, 2025
Finding Strength pressed the pace throughout the Sept. 6 Desert Vixen, only to fall just a nose short of holding off favored Lennilu, who went on to win the Leinster Hollywood Beach on turf last weekend at Gulfstream. Patrick Biancone-trained Lennilu is expected to bypass the Susan’s Girl in favor of the $1 million Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint Oct. 31 at Del Mar.
