ARCADIA, Calif. — White Abarrio won the $6 million Breeders’ Cup Classic by a length on Saturday, putting trainer Rick Dutrow back on top months after his 10-year exile from the sport ended.
A celebratory Dutrow hugged anyone he could in the winner’s circle before throwing his arms around White Abarrio. He previously won the Classic in 2005 with Saint Liam.
“It feels unbelievable,” Dutrow said. “I love it.”
Ridden by Irad Ortiz Jr., White Abarrio ran 1 1/4 miles in 2:02.87. Sent off as the 5-2 favorite, the gray colt paid $7.20 to win.
“I thought that he was a winner the whole way around the track,” Dutrow said.
Dutrow saddled White Abarrio for just the third time. The 4-year-old colt was previously trained by Saffie Joseph Jr., but the owners moved him to Dutrow’s barn after two of Joseph’s other horses died this spring.
Dutrow returned to training earlier this year after serving a 10-year suspension by New York racing officials for a history of violations. The 64-year-old trained Big Brown to victories in the 2008 Kentucky Derby and Preakness.
Japan-bred Derma Sotogake was second and Proxy was third.
Cody’s Wish rallied from last and survived a stewards’ inquiry to defend his title in the $1 million Dirt Mile.
Ridden by Junior Alvarado, Cody’s Wish ran the distance in 1:35.97. Sent off as the 4-5 favorite, the 5-year-old horse paid $3.60 to win.
Cody’s Wish dueled leader National Treasure down the stretch. Cody’s Wish twice bumped National Treasure and jockey Flavien Prat before the Preakness winner made contact with Cody’s Wish, triggering the inquiry.
“Right when I got next to National Treasure, I know he kind of came out and tried to meet with my horse,” Alvarado said. “I just think at that point where he’s brushing my horse, I had the bigger horse and the mean horse, probably. I think my horse was feeling a little bit of a fight, and he tried to go right after the other horse.”
While fans chanted “Cody! Cody!,” the stewards studied video replays for seven minutes while the two horses were walked in circles on the track, waiting to see which one would get his picture taken in the winner’s circle.
It was Cody’s Wish by a nose.
“I knew it was nothing really to change the outcome,” Alvarado said. “My horse was already in front; he was never going to let that other horse go by again.”
Bob Baffert, who trains National Treasure, nodded his head at the finish, seemingly knowing that he had lost by the slimmest margin in horse racing.
The victory ensured a storybook ending for Cody’s Wish in his final race before retirement. He won 11 of 16 career starts, including eight in stakes races, and over $3.1 million in earnings.
Waiting in the winner’s circle during the inquiry was Cody Dorman, a teenager who has a rare genetic disorder and uses a wheelchair. He and the horse first met during a Make-A-Wish visit to a Kentucky farm when Cody’s Wish was a foal in 2018. Cody’s Wish walked over to Dorman’s wheelchair and put his head in the boy’s lap, creating a touching bond.
“I think that horse probably saved Cody’s life in a lot of ways,” said Kelly Dorman, the boy’s father. “I know him and the horse have made a lot of lives better.”
The Dorman family was on hand last year when Cody’s Wish won the Dirt Mile by a head at Keeneland, and they joined Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott in celebrating again.
“It’s probably one of the most memorable rides that we’ve all been on,” Mott said. “Sometimes it’s a small group that gets to enjoy the win. But I think this one’s been for a lot of people.”
Mott and Alvarado teamed to win their second Cup race of the weekend. They took the $2 million Juvenile Fillies with Just F Y I on Friday.
In other races:
— Auguste Rodin, a leading 3-year-old from Europe, gave Irish trainer Aidan O’Brien a record seventh win in the $4 million Turf. Ryan Moore guided Auguste Rodin to a half-length victory over Up to the Mark. As the 5-2 favorite, Auguste Rodin paid $7 to win. He ran 1 1/2 miles in 2:24.30.
— Inspiral beat Warm Heart by a neck in the $2 million Filly & Mare Turf. She made a late rush to the finish line under 52-year-old Frankie Dettori, who scrapped his retirement plans in favor of riding for another year in the U.S. Trained by John Gosden, Inspiral ran 1 1/4 miles in 1:59.06 and paid $7 to win as the 5-2 favorite.
— Goodnight Olive rallied three horses wide on the turn and drew off to a 2 3/4-length victory for a repeat win in the $1 million Filly & Mare Sprint. Ridden by Irad Ortiz Jr., she paid $4.20 to win as the even-money favorite for trainer Chad Brown. Goodnight Olive ran seven furlongs in 1:22.97.
— Master of the Seas stormed down the center of the turf course to beat Mawj by a nose in the $2 million Mile, giving owner Godolphin a 1-2 finish. The 5-year-old gelding ridden by William Buick and trained by Charlie Appleby paid $8.60 to win. He ran the distance in 1:32.45.
— Idiomatic posted a half-length victory in the $2 million Distaff under Florent Geroux. She ran 1 1/8 miles in 1:50.57 and paid $5.60 to win as the 9-5 favorite for trainer Brad Cox.
GLENDALE, Ariz. — Shohei Ohtani put any concerns about his surgically repaired left shoulder to rest with just one at-bat.
Ohtani crushed a full-count fastball from Yusei Kikuchi over the left-field fence in his first plate appearance this spring Friday night, staking the Los Angeles Dodgers a 1-0 advantage against the Los Angeles Angels.
Ohtani batted twice more, popping out to short in the second inning and striking out swinging in the fifth. He left the game after the fifth inning, as planned.
Friday’s home run comes after Ohtani underwent arthroscopic surgery in November to repair a torn labrum in his left shoulder suffered when diving into second base during the World Series. The 30-year-old, who won his third Most Valuable Player award to cap a dream first season in which the Dodgers captured their eighth World Series title, had been cautious in his return, hoping to ensure he’s healthy for Los Angeles’ season-opening series against the Chicago Cubs in Japan on March 18.
When Ohtani ascended the dugout steps at 6:08 p.m. local time, fans greeted him with a cheer and watched him take three practice swings before stepping into the batter’s box accompanied by a louder ovation. He started the at-bat from Kikuchi, his countryman who joined the Angels this winter, by staring at a 95 mph fastball for a strike. Ohtani took a curveball for a ball, swung through another for a strike, stared at one more low and didn’t bite on an outside fastball before taking a 94 mph fastball into the Dodgers’ bullpen in left field.
Ohtani, in his second season with the Dodgers, continues to rehabilitate his right arm after a second Tommy John surgery, which caused him to not pitch in 2024. He is targeting a return to the mound in May.
TAMPA, Fla. — Yankees right-hander Luis Gil will have an MRI after the AL Rookie of the Year experienced shoulder tightness during a bullpen session Friday, manager Aaron Boone told reporters.
Boone also said right-hander JT Brubaker suffered three broken ribs when hit by a comebacker off the bat of Tampa Bay‘s Kameron Misner on Feb. 21.
Gil, 26, cut short his bullpen session early, Boone said. He was 15-7 with a 3.50 ERA in 29 starts last year, striking out 171 and walking a major league-high 77 in 151 2/3 innings.
“Feels like it’s going to cost us some time,” Boone told reporters.
Marcus Stroman would be likely to enter the rotation if an opening develops.
The 31-year-old Brubaker missed the last two big league seasons because of Tommy John surgery and an oblique injury. He made eight rehab appearances in the Yankees organization last year, and had a 2.70 ERA in 16 2/3 innings.
