BY OBS PRESS OFFICE
C2 Racing Stable, Prince Faisal bin Khaled bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud and Antonio Pagnano’s White Abarrio was the star of a banner weekend for Ocala Breeders’ Sales Company graduates as he turned in a stakes-record, six-and-a-quarter-length triumph in the $3 million Pegasus World Cup Invitational (Grade 1) at Gulfstream Park Saturday. White Abarrio surpassed the previous largest margin of victory, five-and-three-quarters lengths, set by City of Light in the 2019 Pegasus.
By Race Day out of Catching Diamonds, by Into Mischief, the winner of the 2023 Longiness Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) covered the distance in 1:48.05 over a fast main track.
“I thought the Breeders’ Cup Classic was the best race of his life, but this was very close behind,” trainer Saffie Joseph Jr., told the Gulfstream Park publicity team. “Everything just aligned. You come up with a plan and more often than not it doesn’t work, but today it did.”
A two-time OBS graduate, White Abarrio was sold by Francis and Barbara Vanlangendonck’s Summerfield as agent, at the 2020 Winter Mixed Sale and then purchased for $40,000 out of the Nice and Easy Thoroughbreds consignment at the 2021 March Sale after breezing an eighth in :10.20. (White Abarrio’s Under Tack video).
White Abarrio was one of four OBS graduates to earn Grade/Group wins the past week.
The undercard of the Pegasus World Cup saw C2 Racing Stable LLC and Stefania Farms’ Mystic Lake captured the $215,000 Inside Information (G2).
The 3-year-old filly by Mo Town out of Salty Soul, by Itsmyluckyday, is a two-time OBS graduate.
Bred in Florida by Peggy Costanzo, Mystic Lake was sold by Summerfield as agent at the 2022 October Yearling Sale and then purchased for $130,000 out of the Tom McCrocklin consignment at the 2023 March Sale after breezing in :20.80. (Mystic Lake’s Under Tack video).
At Oaklawn Park Jan. 25, Speed King (Volatile – Athenian Beauty, by Corinthian) led a one-two finish for OBS Grads when he bested Sandman to score a gate-to-wire victory in the $1 million Southwest (G3) for owner Ted Bowman of Triton Thoroughbreds. Speed King was purchased by Triton Thoroughbreds for $100,000 out of the A.G Sale consignment at the 2024 OBS Spring Sale.
On Friday, Golden Vekoma (Vekoma – Sticks Wondergirl, by Stevie Wonderboy) earned his first Grade/Group victory when he annexed the UAE 2000 Guineas S. (G3), winning the 1,600-meter race by two lengths at Meydan Racecourse in Dubai for owner Mohammed Ahmad Ali Al Subousi. Golden Vekoma was purchased by Harmash Racing for $90,000 from the 2024 OBS Spring Sale from the Grassroots Training and Sales consignment.
Other stakes winners on the weekend included The Wine Steward (Vino Rosso – Call to Service, by To Honor and Serve) taking the $150,000 Fifth Season at Oaklawn Park Jan. 25 for owners Peter Proscia (Paradise Farms Corp.) and David Staudacher. The Wine Steward was purchased for $340,000 by trainer Mike Maker from the Sequel Bloodstock consignment at the 2023 March Sale (The Wine Steward’s Under Tack video).
At Turfway Park Jan. 25, Lithe Spirit (Speightstown – Spooky Woods, by Ghostzapper) won the $125,000 Wishing Well for an ownership group that includes Bradley Thoroughbreds, Gainesway Stable, et al. The filly was purchased by Bradley Thoroughbreds for $485,000 from the Scanlon Training & Sales consignment at the 2023 OBS Spring Sale (Lithe Spirit’s Under Tack video).
Return to the January 27 issue of Wire to Wire