An underdog and a favorite step forward with easy wins in Saturday’s Kentucky Derby preps

Circumstances can change rapidly on the road to the Kentucky Derby, and White Abarrio could be about to take his handlers on a wild ride.

Tyler Gaffalione rode the 6-1 fourth choice on the morning line to a rousing 4 ½-length victory in Saturday’s $250,000, Grade 3 Holy Bull Stakes at Gulfstream Park, and suddenly anything seems possible.

White Abarrio, owned by C2 Racing Stables and La Milagrosa Stable and trained by Saffie Joseph Jr. claimed 10 Kentucky Derby qualifying points with the victory and now ranks third in the early standings with 12 points.

White Abarrio was racing for the first time Saturday since finishing third in the Grade 2 Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes at Churchill Downs last November. He missed two recent workouts battling a brief illness.

Now, after dominating eight other 3-year-olds over 1 1/16 miles Saturday, including 5-2 morning-line favorite Mo Donegal, White Abarrio’s path to the Kentucky Derby is coming into focus.

Joseph said White Abarrio could bypass Gulfstream Park’s next Kentucky Derby prep, the $400,000, Grade 2 Fountain of Youth Stakes on March 5 and move directly to the $1 million, Grade 1 Florida Derby at Gulfstream on April 2.

“I would say off this, the ball is in our court, why not go straight to the Florida Derby?” Joseph said. “It gives him good spacing … I mean if he makes the Kentucky Derby it will be his third race (this year). That would be ideal right now, but we’ll talk it over whether to go to the Fountain of Youth or not.”

Simplification finished second Saturday, securing four Kentucky Derby points. Todd Pletcher trainee Mo Donegal wound up third for two points. Galt received one point for finishing fourth.

Early Voting romps

Like White Abarrio, Early Voting is poised to move on to bigger and better things after racing to a 4 ½-length victory in Saturday’s $250,000, Grade 3 Withers Stakes at Aqueduct.

Early Voting entered the 11-horse Withers as the 3-1 morning-line favorite and delivered the goods for trainer Chad Brown, securing 10 points in the Kentucky Derby qualifying system with his second victory in two career starts.

Jose Ortiz piloted Early Voting to the wire-to-wire win at 1 1/8 miles, a signal that he could be pointed toward the $750,000, Grade 2 Wood Memorial at Aqueduct on April 9.

“He’s a horse that’s going to progress with each race. Each race is going to propel him, and we’ve seen that in the morning with him,” said Brown’s assistant, Dan Stupp. “He was very impressive in his works. Especially, in his last two works leading up to this. He’s an exciting horse and I was really ready to see him run today. I think he’ll move forward nicely in his 3-year-old year.”

Un Ojo, Gilded Age and Grantham finished second, third and fourth, claiming four, two and one Derby points, respectively.