Florida Derby Hero on Track for Cigar Mile
First-Race Post Saturday Set for 12:10 P.M.
Florida-Bred 2YO Stakes Featured on 11-Race Card

HALLANDALE BEACH, FL – C2 Racing Stable LLC and La Milagrosa Stable LLC’s White Abarrio produced a ‘bullet’ five-furlong workout at Gulfstream Park Friday morning in preparation for a planned start in the Dec. 3 Cigar Mile (G1) at Aqueduct.

The 3-year-old son of Race Day breezed the five furlongs in 59.05 seconds to record his second straight ‘bullet’ for trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. in a series of four workouts since finishing fifth in the Sept. 24 Pennsylvania Derby (G1).

White Abarrio captured the 1 1/16-mile Holy Bull (G3) and the 1 1/8-mile Florida Derby (G1) during Gulfstream’s 2021-2022 Championship Meet before finishing far back in the Kentucky Derby. The flashy gray colt is winless in his four starts since his 1 ¼-length victory over Charge It in the Florida Derby, coming up short of negotiating the two turns in each subsequent loss.

“I know he’s won going a mile and an eighth but cutting him back in distance is probably going to help him,” Joseph said. “Obviously, he’s going to have to go there and prove it, but I feel like it’s going to be his strong point because he has enough speed to put himself in the race and he should stay the distance quite well.”

White Abarrio hasn’t run around one turn since capturing a mile optional claiming allowance Oct. 29, 2021 at Gulfstream in his first start since being privately purchased by his current connections following a brilliant debut victory.

In the 1 1/8-mile Pennsylvania Derby, White Abarrio showed the way into the stretch before weakening.

“We gave him a little freshening and started him up with the Cigar Mile always being the goal,” Joseph said. “Everything has gone as well as we can ask.”

First-Race Post Saturday Set for 12:10 P.M.

The first-race post time for Saturday’s 11 race program has been moved to 12:10 P.M.

The $60,000 Juvenile Fillies, a mile-and-70-yard stakes for 2-year-old Florida-bred fillies on Tapeta, is carded as Race 7, while the $60,000 Juvenile, a mile-and-70-yard stakes for 2-year-old Florida-breds on Tapeta, will be run as Race 10.

Both stakes will offer a $35,000 purse supplement for Florida Sire Stakes-nominated winners and will be included in the 20-cent Rainbow 6 sequence that spans Races 6-11.