Skippylongstocking, O’Connor Breeze for Harlan’s Holiday
Simplification Tunes Up for Pegasus World Cup Prep
Trainer Antonio Sano Notches Win No. 900 in U.S.

HALLANDALE BEACH, FL – Trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. is planning to go straight to the $3 million Pegasus World Cup Invitational (G1) at Gulfstream Park with Florida Derby (G1) winner White Abarrio off a series of workouts.

“He runs well fresh. He’s proven he runs well fresh,” Joseph said. “He’s 4-for-4 at Gulfstream, so that’s a good thing. It’s his home track.”

White Abarrio captured the 1 1/16-mile Holy Bull (G3) prior to winning the Florida Derby at the Pegasus distance of 1 1/8 miles.

C2 Racing Stable LLC and La Milagrosa Stable LLC’s White Abarrio, who is scheduled to return to the Gulfstream worktab next Saturday, is coming off a third-place finish in the Dec. 3 Cigar Mile (G1) at Aqueduct, where he finished less than a length behind victorious Mind Control.

Joseph has two other candidates for the Pegasus World Cup.

Daniel Alonso’s Skippylongstocking and Fernando Vine Ode’s O’Connor breezed at Palm Meadows, Gulfstream Park’s satellite training facility in Palm Beach County, Saturday morning in preparation for scheduled starts in the $150,000 Harlan’s Holiday (G3), 1 1 16-mile Pegasus World Cup prep at Gulfstream Dec. 31.

Skippylongstocking, who finished third in the Belmont Stakes (G1) and won the West Virginia Derby (G3), was timed in 1:00.35, the fourth fastest clocking of 18 at the distance.

“Skippy, he had a good work this morning. He worked well for the Harlan’s Holiday,” Joseph said.

O’Connor, a Chilean import who dazzled in his Oct. 16 at Gulfstream while winning a 1 1/16-mile optional claiming allowance by six lengths, was timed in 1:03.20.

“He had a quick breeze last week. He’s plenty fit so we’re just keeping him ready for the race,” Joseph said.

Joseph also sent three debut-winning 2-year-olds to the Palm Meadows track for breezes Saturday morning – Vegso Racing Stable’s Lord Miles, Legacy Racing LLC’s Mr. Ripple and Bassett Stables’ Swirvin.

Lord Miles, a son of Curlin who captured his Nov. 19 debut at Gulfstream by 5 ¾ lengths, breezed five furlongs in 1:00.65 for a likely start in the $150,000 Mucho Macho Man Jan. 1 at Gulfstream.

Mr. Ripple, who scored by 9 ¼ lengths in his Oct. 15 debut at Gulfstream, breezed three furlongs in 37.45 seconds. Swirvin, a son of Girvin who shook off race-long pressure to graduate Dec. 3 at Gulfstream, breezed in 39.80.

Simplification Tunes Up for Pegasus World Cup Prep

Tami Bobo and Tristan De Meric’s Simplification took another positive step toward the $3 million Pegasus World Cup Invitational (G1) Saturday morning at Gulfstream Park with a five-furlong workout.

The Antonio Sano trainee was timed in 1:00.23 for his fourth solid five-furlong breeze since finishing a troubled seventh in the Nov. 5 Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile (G1) at Keeneland.

“He went very well. He galloped out [six furlongs}in 1:13,” said Sano, whose hard-trying 3-year-old was ridden Saturday morning by jockey Junior Alvarado.

Sano celebrated his 900th victory in the U.S. in the Gulfstream Park winner’s circle Saturday following Major Pryce’s impressive win in Race 2.

“This is important for me and my family. I work hard every day for my owners and my family. I have nothing but gratitude for the people of the United States for opening their arms for me,” said Sano, who saddled 3300 winners in Venezuela before venturing to South Florida.

Simplification is being pointed to the $150,000 Harlan’s Holiday (G3) at Gulfstream Dec. 31 that Sano hopes will be a steppingstone to the Pegasus World Cup at Gulfstream Jan. 28.

Simplification captured the Fountain of Youth (G2) and finished third in the Florida Derby at Gulfstream prior to a late-closing fourth in the Kentucky Derby (G1). The son of Not This Time finished third in the West Virginia Derby (G3) and fourth in the Pennsylvania Derby (G1) prior to the Dirt Mile.