White Abarrio to Aim for Saudi Cup

A day after his victory in the GI Breeders' Cup Classic, trainer Rick Dutrow was already mapping out a plan to take White Abarrio (Race Day) to the Feb. 24 G1 Saudi Cup. Dutrow said he hopes to leave the 4-year-old at Santa Anita for a while and probably will take him to Saudi Arabia to be prepared for the race.

“I would be comfortable running him in the Saudi Cup in his next start,” Dutrow said. “I'm going to be pushing for it. I think that's where this horse belongs.”

Dutrow said White Abarrio has established himself as one of the top horses in the world.

“From all the horses we've seen run, I think that it's going to take a big effort for a good horse to beat him in his next start,” the trainer said. “It's going to take a good horse to run a big race to beat them because this next race seems like it is absolutely tailor-made for him, a mile and an eighth around one turn.”

Should everything go to plan in Saudi Arabia, Dutrow said White Abarrio could head to the G1 Dubai World Cup in March before returning stateside to defend his titles in the GI Whitney S. and Classic.