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| Sumita Pawar |
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After winning the US$6 million Breeders' Cup Classic at Santa Anita Park, White Abarrio's trainer, Rick Dutrow, immediately set his sights on the US$20 million Saudi Cup at King Abdulaziz Racecourse in Riyadh. Despite the victory creating a Horse of the Year honours scramble, Dutrow is focused on securing the world's richest race title for his horse, owned by C2 Racing Stable and La Milagrosa. White Abarrio's future looks bright, with the 24th Feb race circled on the calendar as the next big challenge.
"I want to win the Saudi Cup and the Dubai World Cup. I want to do that so bad. So, that's where my attention is. I'm having breakfast today with Doctor (Larry) Bramlage and we're talking about little, little, little things," Dutrow said.
Rick Dutrow discusses his thoughts with the media the morning after White Abarrio's thrilling victory in the Breeders' Cup Classic. Mark Cornett, who represents C2 Racing, believes that the upcoming nine-furlong Saudi Cup is an ideal race for a talented 4YO colt named Race Day. This colt has already achieved two remarkable Group One wins at 1 1/8 miles in the Florida Derby and Whitney Stakes.
"I'm thinking about the next step," he said. "If you were to tailor a race for the horse, I would draw it up at a mile and an eighth at one turn. I'd put a US$20 million purse behind it. That's what happened with the Saudi Cup."
One possible obstacle to consider is the presence of foot issues that were successfully resolved for the Classic using glue-on shoes applied by Ian McKinlay.
"That's going to be an on-going thing," Dutrow said about the son of the Into Mischief mare Catching Diamonds. "I think we're probably going to have to let him tell us when they need to be taken off instead of us taking them off. Maybe we'll just wait until he takes a bad step or just doesn't reach out and then we'll know what to change. When it gets like that it's not bad, it's just like you are rubbing your heel but you have to get it changed and make it right or it's going to get worse and worse."
The Classic was the highlight of Dutrow's year. He had been suspended for multiple offences for 10 years before making a comeback in May. Since then, he has been working on rebuilding his once-successful career. Notable achievements include winning the 2005 BC Classic with Saint Liam and the 2008 Gr,1 Kentucky Derby and Gr.1 Preakness Stakes with Big Brown.
"He's an easy horse to train. Ian's the one that glued him. The grooms feed him. I just oversee it. I haven't done anything but help a good horse along the way. I love doing that," said Dutrow, whose weekend included a 19-1 victory by Where's Chris in the Nashua Stakes Sunday at Aqueduct Racetrack.
The C2 Racing team expressed their satisfaction in being a part of Dutrow's big moments, including the Classic and White Abarrio's victory in the Whitney three months ago.
"It's not vindication but Rick being able to get back on this stage with the right horse and showing the whole world how the horse can perform at that level," said Clint Cornett. "I'm glad we're a part of helping Rick get back to where he should be and should have been all long, to be honest."
The White Abarrio saga has been quite the adventure. The horse, bred by Spendthrift, was the first Breeders' Cup Classic winner bred by the renowned Kentucky Farm. Originally purchased for US$7,500, he was later pinhooked for US$40,000 by the original trainer Carlos Perez. After a victorious debut on 24th, 2021 September with a 6 3/4 length lead at Gulfstream Park, the Cornetts acted fast to acquire him.
"He ran a 16 (Ragozin speed figure) first time out, but it's more than that," Mark Cornett said. "It's the mind of the horse. You don't see 2-year-olds do that. You might see a 2YO go to the lead and sprint away and run a big number but this horse broke dead last out of the one hole. Weaved his way through traffic, split horses, and galloped out with his ears pricked. He did it the right way."
White Abarrio began his 3YO season with impressive wins in the Gr.3 Holy Bull Stakes and the Floride Derby under the guidance of trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. Unfortunately, he finished 10th in the Kentucky Derby and lost his next four races at 3. However, he started off 2023 with a solid eighth in the Gr.1 Pegasus World Cup Invitational Stakes and then claimed victory on 4th March with an allowance optional claiming win at Gulfstream.
The situation became complicated when two of Joseph's horses passed away from apparent heart attacks in early May, leading to his indefinite suspension by Churchill Downs and White Abarrio being barred from racing there. The team then set their sights on the Gr.1 Metropolitan Handicap at Belmont Park, where the colt was permitted to race, and began searching for a New York-based trainer. Eventually, Mark Cornett connected with Dutrow, whom he had met around twenty years ago when the latter trained for Paul Pompa Jr.
On 30th June, Joseph's suspension in Kentucky was lifted after being cleared. During Dutrow's supervision, White Abarrio came in third in the Met Mile. Afterwards, the horse remained in New York and achieved a dominant victory in the Whitney on 5th August. This would be the horse's final race before the Classic, which marked the end of a tumultuous year.
"It has been the most difficult management job we've ever had to do because of the roadblocks and hurdles that are out of our control," said Mark Cornett, who noted Joseph did an "unbelievable" job with White Abarrio and that C2 has about 15 horses with him in Florida.
"It's hard enough managing a horse based on the horse. But we had to factor in politics and some other things that happened at Churchill Downs and (the New York Racing Association) and had to go from Plan A to B to C. In the middle of that, we had to decide what to do with a trainer's switch. There's been a lot of obstacles to overcome but when you have a good horse like this, they'll do it."
It appears that the race for Horse of the Year will be closely contested among three top contenders: White Abarrio, who was the favorite in the Classic and is up against Gr.1 Dirt Mile winner Cody's Wish and Gr.1 Distaff winner Idiomatic. Following them in the rankings are Up to the Mark, the 3YO Arcangelo, and the Gr.1 Sprint winner Elite Power. It's hard not to get excited about the possibility of White Abarrio winning the prize.