Arrogate Returns to Santa Anita, Upcoming Race Plans Made

ARCADIA, CA — Bob Baffert’s world champion Arrogate looked amazingly fresh upon arriving to his Santa Anita base at 12:12 p.m. on Saturday, considering he’d just come out of quarantine at Los Angeles International Airport following a roughly 20,000 mile round trip trek to Dubai, which resulted in a sensational 2 1/4 length win in last Saturday’s $10 million Dubai World Cup.

“I think we’ll look at the Gold Cup,” joked Baffert, in reference to the Grade 1 Gold Cup at Santa Anita on May 27.  “He’s a little fresh.  We’ll back off of him for about 30 days.  We’ll train him, but he won’t breeze for 30 days.  He tells us what he wants to do.  We’ll have to do something with him.

“He’ll run in the Pacific Classic (Grade 1, $1 million at Del Mar on August 19) and then the Breeders’ Cup Classic down there (on November 4).  He might run one time before that.”

Included amongst a gaggle of media and track officials at Baffert’s Barn 5 was Arrogate’s Hall of Fame jockey, “Big Money” Mike Smith.

“This is exciting, I’ve been praying since the race was over to get him back home,” said Smith.  “He had so much turbulence in the race, he didn’t need any in the air,” referencing the rough start Arrogate was able to overcome in Dubai.

“He’s like Muhammed Ali.  He’s the best in the world!”

And who could argue that point?

Following his maiden win in his second start here on June 5, the grey son of Unbridled’s Song has now rattled off six consecutive wins, his last four in Grade 1 stakes: a record-setting 13 1/2 length win in the Travers at Saratoga on August 27, the $5 million Breeders’ Cup Classic at Santa Anita on November 5, the $12 million Pegasus World Cup Invitational at Gulfstream Park on January 28, and the $10 million Dubai World Cup on March 25.

Owned by Juddmonte Farms, 4-year-old Arrogate has now won seven of his eight starts and has become North America’s all-time leading money earner, with $17,084,600.

Santa Anita Park