Breeders' Cup winners White Abarrio and Nobals have amped up their training in recent weeks, recording recent workouts toward starts in June or later in the year.
Breeders' Cup Classic (G1) winner White Abarrio worked April 27 at Belmont Park, covering a half-mile in :46.94 over the dirt training track, fastest at the distance of 169 works. Aboard the 5-year-old son of Race Day was jockey Irad Ortiz, Jr., who rode him to victory in the Nov. 4 Breeders' Cup Classic and the Whitney Stakes (G1) last summer at Saratoga Race Course.
Trainer Rick Dutrow Jr. said White Abarrio, who was last seen finishing 10th in the Saudi Cup (G1) in February at King Abdulaziz Racecourse, has been in fine order since his return from Saudi Arabia. The gray/roan is on target for another try at the $1 million Metropolitan Handicap (G1), a race in which he was third last year. This year's renewal will take place June 8 at Saratoga Race Course during a week of Belmont Stakes activity there. Belmont is not open for racing due to ongoing construction.
"We're very happy with him. He's in good shape right now and there hasn't been any issue since he ran. It's all good with him right now," Dutrow said.
Owned by C2 Racing, Anthony Pagnano, Mark Cornett and Prince Faisal Bin Khaled Bin A/Aziz, White Abarrio has a 7-1-3 record in 16 starts and earnings of over $5.1 million. He won the 2022 Florida Derby (G1) earlier in his career for prior trianer Saffie Joseph Jr.
Elsewhere, Patricia's Hope's multiple graded stakes-winner Nobals returned to the work tab after a six-month respite following victory by a neck in the five-furlong Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint (G1) on the Santa Anita Park turf.
In his first breeze back, the 5-year-old Noble Mission gelding covered three furlongs in :39 April 21 over the Hawthorne Race Course dirt. He is a 10-time winner through 18 starts with earnings of more than $1.4 million.
"We just gave him some time off for really no reason. It was just to give him some time, he was fine," said Rivelli. "We're going to come back and try to do the same thing this year. We're going to map out a few races leading up to the Breeders' Cup and try to do it again."
Rivelli said that he hasn't officially mapped out a plan for Nobals, but a possible return to Saratoga could come in the Jaipur Stakes (G1T) on Belmont day, just like the Metropolitan Handicap. The race is at 5 1/2 furlongs at Saratoga Race Course rather than at six furlongs when the race was staged at Belmont Park.
A Jaipur victory awards a "Win and You're In" berth into the Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint in November at Del Mar.
This press release has been edited for content and style by BloodHorse Staff.
