C2 Racing Stable and Antonio Pagnano's White Abarrio, and Fernando Vine Ode and Michael and Jules Iavarone's O'Connor, two-thirds of trainer Saffie Joseph Jr.'s scheduled starters in the $3 million Pegasus World Cup Invitational (G1) at Gulfstream Park Jan. 28, turned in their final breezes Jan. 20.
White Abarrio, winner of the 2022 Florida Derby (G1), and the Chilean group 1 winner O'Connor are among the 12 older horses scheduled to compete in the seventh running of the 1 1/8-mile Pegasus World Cup, which will be featured on a 13-race program with the $1 million Pegasus World Cup Invitational Turf (G1T) and the $500,000 Pegasus World Cup Filly & Mare Turf (G3T).
White Abarrio geared up for the Pegasus during a half-mile workout in :47.90 at Gulfstream Park under jockey Tyler Gaffalione. The 4-year-old son of Race Day produced the third-fastest clocking of 45 recorded at the distance.
"He started off easy and finished his last quarter in 23 (seconds) flat," Joseph said of the colt, who is unbeaten in four starts at Gulfstream. "Tyler was very happy with him. We were also happy, visually."
O'Connor breezed five furlongs in 1:00.60 at Palm Meadows, Gulfstream's satellite training facility, under Hall of Fame jockey Javier Castellano.
O'Connor and White Abarriorwill be joined in the Pegasus by a stablemate, Daniel Alonso's grade 3 winner and grade 1-placed Skippylongstocking. He is expected to breeze this weekend at Palm Meadows.
