White Abarrio Scratched from the Mr. Prospector, Targets the Pegasus World Cup Directly
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The champion will not start this Saturday at Gulfstream Park and will instead be trained specifically with the Pegasus World Cup on Jan. 24 as his primary target
HALLANDALE BEACH, Florida (Special to Turf Diario)— The Mr. Prospector Stakes (G3) field has lost a major name, as White Abarrio will not take his place in Saturday’s Dec. 27 running at Gulfstream Park. The decision was confirmed by co-owner Mark Cornett via a post on X and later in conversation with Thoroughbred Daily News, removing any doubt about the champion’s immediate path.
The plan is clear and deliberate. The son of Race Day, campaigned by C2 Racing Stable LLC, Gary Barber and La Milagrosa Stable LLC, will head straight to the Pegasus World Cup Invitational (G1) on Jan. 24, without a prep. “As we’re keeping him in training for a 7-year-old campaign, we’ll go directly to the Pegasus so he arrives fresh for the rest of the year,” Cornett explained. “This race wasn’t going to add anything for us.”
Trained by Saffie Joseph Jr., White Abarrio had been entered in the Mr. Prospector as a possible tightener, mirroring approaches taken in prior seasons. Ultimately, however, the team chose to prioritize freshness and carefully manage his workload—an approach that has already paid dividends. Last year, after finishing second in this same sprint, he returned to capture the Pegasus with authority.
The roadmap extends well beyond January. Cornett added that, should White Abarrio come out of the Pegasus in good order, the next target would be the Dubai World Cup, scheduled for Mar. 28 at Meydan Racecourse. The outline underscores a campaign designed with precision, aiming to maximize performance on the sport’s biggest stages.
White Abarrio’s absence reshapes the Mr. Prospector, removing its headline act and opening the door for other sprinters and cutback milers on the circuit. At the same time, it heightens anticipation for the Pegasus, where the champion will arrive without recent wear—an edge his connections view as pivotal to launching an ambitious 7-year-old season with international aspirations.
For now, the champion waits. With the Mr. Prospector off the agenda, all eyes turn to January—and, if all goes to plan, to March as well.
