White Abarrio, winner of the Holy Bull Stakes (G2) last month, continued to train briskly for a scheduled start in the $1million Curlin Florida Derby (G1), racing through five furlongs on Sunday morning at Gulfstream Park in the fastest time recorded at the distance.
Race Day’s 3-year-old son of C2 Racing Stable LLC and Milagrosa Stable LLC was clocked in: 59.49 under jockey Tyler Gaffalione, fastest of 15 distance timed moves, in preparation for Gulfstream’s Triple Crown prep .
“He galloped in 1:12. It was a good, solid job,” coach Saffie Joseph Jr. said. “He’ll probably be back next week in company five-eights.”
Sunday’s breeze was his third training session since dominating victory in the February 5 Holy Bull (G3) at Gulfstream on his 2022 debut. Simplification, who finished second in the Holy Bull, returned to let off steam on a victory of 3 and a half lengths in the Fountain of Youth (G2) of March 5.
“No second thoughts on (jumping the fountain of youth) at all. Going into the Holy Bull, he had missed a few works, so he ran like a new horse, which can take a toll on them,” Joseph said. “From the Holy Bull he’s shown everything you’d want a horse to show. He’s going in the right direction – how you’d want a 3-year-old to go at this time of year.
White Abarrio debuted with an impressive 6 ¾ length win at Gulfstream on September 24 before being privately purchased by his current connections, for whom he took an optional four length win claiming an allowance on October 29 . He concluded his juvenile campaign with a third-finish behind Smile Happy and Classic Causeway at the Kentucky Jockey Club (G2) Nov. 27 at Churchill Downs.
