White Abarrio delivered another dazzling performance and will now head straight to the Met Mile at Saratoga

The gray was brilliant at Gulfstream Park, extending his outstanding form with a dominant 5 1/4-length victory

White Abarrio once again showcased top form / ADAM COGLIANESE

HALLANDALE BEACH, FL – (Special for Turf Diario) – The colors of C2 Racing Stable LLC, Gary Barber, and La Milagrosa Stable shone once more last Saturday at Gulfstream Park, as White Abarrio made a spectacular return to action with a commanding 5 1/4-length victory in the $165,000 Ghostzapper S. (G3), presented by FanDuel TV. The race marked his first appearance since his breathtaking triumph in the Pegasus World Cup Invitational (G1) on January 25, where he dominated by 6 1/2 lengths.

"He's in another league right now," said trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. "He did it with incredible ease."

Ridden by Irad Ortiz Jr., the 2022 Curlin Florida Derby (G1) winner once again showcased his class over 1 1/16 milesin the Ghostzapper, one of 10 stakes races (five graded) on the card.

Breaking sharply, White Abarrio settled just off his stablemate One Sharp Cookie (Sharp Azteca), who set fractions of :22.82 for the opening quarter and led through the half in :45.98. As the field approached the final turn, Power Squeeze (Union Rags)—the 2024 Gulfstream Park Oaks (G2) winner—moved up on the outside to apply pressure. But when Ortiz asked for more, the imposing gray responded with authority, drawing off effortlessly down the stretch to stop the clock in 1:41.97, under minimal urging.

"Perfect. He broke well again, and when he does that, everything becomes easier," Ortiz said. "I didn’t have to do much—just let him be himself, and that was enough."

Joseph was particularly impressed with the final time.

"On the turn, I saw they were going fast, and I thought the race might collapse," he explained. "But he's in another league right now. Hopefully, he stays sound after this. I truly believe he's the best horse in the country."

Following this dominant performance, White Abarrio is set to return to action on June 7 in the Met Mile (G1) at Saratoga.

"It was the perfect prep. We wanted him to win as easily as possible, and he did just that, even after running so fast early," Joseph added. "I haven’t seen a horse break 1:42 on this track in a long time. I know there was some moisture in the surface, but not enough to produce a time like that."