2023 Breeder’s Cup Classic Champ White Abarrio. (Ernie Belmonte/Past The Wire)
Joseph Enters 19 for Pegasus Preview Day Program
David Joseph/Gulfstream Park
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. will have a busy day Saturday when Gulfstream’s leading trainer saddles 19 horses on the 11-race Pegasus Preview Day program, including five in the $140,000 The Sugar Swirl.
“It’s a lot,” said Joseph Sunday morning as he watched breezes and works from Gulfstream’s winner’s circle. “I knew we entered a bunch but didn’t know it was 19 until the van guy from Palm Meadows [Training Center] texted.”
Joseph, a third-generation horseman who has won 11 consecutive training titles at Gulfstream, will have horses in eight of the 11 races, from stakes races to claiming races.
“To put it in perspective, we’ve come a long way,” said Joseph, who came to the U.S. in 2011 from Barbados, where at age 22 he became the youngest trainer to win the Barbados Triple Crown. “We used to run 19 probably in four months…not even. We have a lot of depth, from top horses to the claimers. We’ve been very fortunate.”
Joseph is planning to run 2023 Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) and 2022 Florida Derby (G1) winner White Abarrio and Grade 2 winner Skippylongstocking in the $3 million Pegasus World Cup Invitational (G1) in January. But in Saturday’s $165,000 Harlan’s Holiday (G3), considered a prep for the $3 million Pegasus World Cup, Joseph has entered Cape Trafalgar, Digital Ops and Super Corinto. All three will seek their first stakes win.
In the $215,000 Fort Lauderdale (G3), a prep for the $1 million Pegasus World Cup Invitational Turf (G1), Joseph saddles three more in Mint Millions (G3) runner-up Cash Equity, Remington Green Stakes winner Lorenz, and Saratoga Flash. In the $165,000 Suwannee River (G3), a prep for the $500,000 Pegasus Filly & Mare Turf (G2), the stable sends out Long Island (G2) winner Be Your Best and stakes winner Be My Sunshine.
Joseph’s runners in the Sugar Swirl include Charles Town Oaks (G2) and Miss Preakness (G3) winner Mystic Lake, Honorable Miss (G2) winner Spirit Wind, Forward Gal (G3) winner R Harper Rose, and last year’s Sugar Swirl runner-up Intrepid Daydream along with stakes winner Haulin Ice.
Meanwhile, White Abarrio, preparing to prep for the Pegasus in the Dec. 28 Mr. Prospector (G3), worked five furlongs Sunday morning in 1:02.04, cruising around two other workmates in the stretch and posting a :22.88 final quarter, according to Daily Racing Form writer and clocker Mike Welsch.
“He worked super. We got him behind two horses and let him stay there. His job was to quicken by them. I thought he did it really, really good,” Joseph said. “The track isn’t on the quick side. I had his last quarter in 22-and-four (seconds). It was a super work.”
