White Abarrrio Triumphs in Breeders' Cup Classic

Mark Smith - Sunday November 5

A $7,500 yearling by a stallion that stood for $5,000 and is now in South Korea, and a trainer not long returned from a 10-year suspension, the $6 million Breeders' Cup Classic at Santa Anita Park had something for just about everyone.

Punters rallied behind the ghostly grey White Abarrio despite coming off a 91-day break since thrashing Zandon and Cody's Wish by over six lengths in the Grade 1 Whitney stakes at Saratoga.

Advertisement

Zandon franked the form with a four-and-a-quarter length romp in the Grade II Woodwood Stakes at Belmont on October 1 and Cody's Wish defended his Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile title earlier in the day at Santa Anita.

With Irad Ortiz Jr in the saddle for Richard Dutrow Jr, White Abarrio stalked the early pace set by Arabian Knight and Saudi Crown before switching out to the three-wide line rounding the home turn.

White Abarrio (image Longines/Racingfotos)

Keeping up a strong gallop, the 4-year-old son of Race Day (USA) defeated the Japanese-trained 3-year-old Derma Sotogake (Mind You Biscuits) by a length with one and a quarter lengths back to Proxy (Tapit) in third.   

Back training for six months after his lengthy suspension, Dutrow said, "he's my horse of the decade."

"I don't think I'm back at the top, but I feel the white horse is. I'm just hanging around him.

"As soon as I get stables like Todd (Pletcher) and Chad (Brown), then I'll feel like I'm back on top. Right now I just feel lucky to be around him. I feel like he's on top and I love being around good horses like that. It just makes you feel like a good horseman, and that's what I always wanted to be."

Owned by C2 Racing Stable and La Milagrosa Stable, White Abarrio advances his record to seven wins, one second and three thirds from 15 starts, with earnings of $4,946,350.

Bred by Spendthrift Farm, White Abarrio was a $7,500 OBS Winter yearling and a $40,000 OBS March 2-year-old purchase for Carlos L. Perez.

His sire Race Day, a multiple Grade II-winning son of Tapit, stood at Spendthrift before being exported to South Korea in 2020 and now stands at KRA Stud Farm.

White Abarrio's dam Catching Diamonds (Into Mischief) retired a maiden. 

A $425,000 Keeneland September yearling, Catching Diamonds is a half-sister to dual Grade III winner Cool Cowboy (Kodiak Kowboy) and to the dam of Grade II winner and Grade 1 placed Mutasaabeq (Into Mischief).

Catching Diamonds has a yearling colt by Lord Nelson, a filly foal by Yaupon and was covered by Constitution.

 

Advertisment
More Reading...
Vale, Danny Champion
The thoroughbred racing industry is in mourning following the passing of respected horseman Danny Champion.
One to Watch – Hawkesbury
Castelvecchio has gone from nowhere to somewhere during the course of this spring with three stakes-winners putting his name in lights and he had a promising three year-old colt salute at Hawkesbury on Thursday that has now won two of three starts.
Castelvecchio Out for Remainder of Season
Aeliana’s late charge into second place in the $1.5million Group I MRC Thousand Guineas last Saturday stamped her as the filly to follow out of the race, but it wasn’t quite enough to put her sire Castelvecchio to the top of the second season sires list and he is now out of service at Arrowfield following surgery last week.
Blockbuster Sale as NZB Ready to Run Records Tumble
Expectations were exceeded at Karaka with tremendous results witnessed across two days of selling at NZB’S 2024 Ready to Run Sale, confirming the demand for proven racetrack results and quality New Zealand-prepared horses.
Churchill Colt Pulls Off Stunning Pinhooking Result at NZB Ready To Run
Chad Ormsby has enjoyed plenty of racetrack success this year with pinhooks that he has been unable to sell at the Ready to Run Sale, but the multi-talented horseman had a very different outcome with the standout member of his 2024 Riverrock Farm draft at Karaka on Thursday.
Arkansaw Kid Brother Sells for $520,000
A well-related son of Harry Angel provided a late highlight in the final hour of the 2024 NZB Ready to Run Sale at Karaka on Thursday when he was knocked down to a $520,000 bid from bloodstock agent Morgan Carter.
Sires With Winners - Thursday November 21
Here is the full list of 32 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Million-dollar Hour for Leung at NZB Ready To Run
Hong Kong bloodstock agent Willie Leung had a big hour at Karaka early on Thursday afternoon, spending more than $1 million to secure two well-credentialled colts at the NZB Ready to Run Sale.
City of Troy Crowned 2024 Cartier European Horse of the Year
Outstanding Justify colt City of Troy was crowned Horse of the Year at the 2024 Cartier awards on Wednesday night in London at a star studded ceremony at the Dorchester Hotel.
Ka Ying Rising connection draws Hayes team to Shamexpress at Karaka
With one of the world’s most exciting sprinters flying the flag for David Hayes in Hong Kong, it has been no surprise to see the trainer’s sons zeroing in on progeny of Windsor Park Stud stallion Shamexpress during the Ready to Run Sale at Karaka this week.