Arrogate: On the Outside, Looking Forward in G1 Pacific Classic

DEL MAR, CA – Juddmonte Farms’ superstar Arrogate drew the outside post (8) for Saturday’s Grade 1, $1,000,000 TVG Pacific Classic and was installed as the even-money morning line favorite.

The eyes of the racing world will be watching to see if the 4-year-old colt can rebound from the first major hiccup of his otherwise stellar career when he finished a dismal fourth in the Grade 2, $200,000 San Diego Handicap last month at Del Mar.

The resounding victor of that race, Accelerate, is back to take another shot at Arrogate, drawing post 3 and given third favoritism at 3-1.

Collected, the second favorite of the morning line who will break from post 2, was the only other horse to receive single-digit odds and hails from the same Bob Baffert barn as Arrogate. He enters off of a resounding win in the Grade 3 Precisionist at Santa Anita.

Royal Albert Hall drew the rail for his first start since finishing fourth and being claimed for $50,000 at Del Mar the day after the San Diego Handicap.

As the only 3-year-old in the race, Sorry Erik will be the only horse racing with a six-pound advantage (118 rather than 124) and will break from post 4.

The elder statesman of the group, 7-year-old Hard Aces, drew post 5 and hopes to improve on his eighth-place finish in last year’s running.

Entering third off of a long layoff, Donworth‘s connections hope he’s ready to fire his best out of post 6. He finished fourth in his 2017 debut, the Precisionist, before crossing second in the San Diego Handicap.

Rounding out the field will be Curlin Road from post 7. With a record this year of 7-3-0-3, the 4-year-old is entering off of his first career graded stakes win, the Grade 3 Cougar II Handicap.

The TVG Pacific Classic has top billing on a deep card that also will feature two other graded stakes – the Grade 1 Del Mar Oaks and the Grade 2 Del Mar Handicap. Be sure to check out racingdudes.com later this week for previews and picks.

Both the TVG Pacific Classic and the Del Mar Handicap are Breeders’ Cup “Win and You’re In” races, guaranteeing the race winners admission into designated Breeders’ Cup races. The former earns a free ticket into the $6,000,000 Breeders’ Cup Classic, while the latter wins admission into the $4,000,000 Breeders’ Cup Turf.

The full lineup for the Pacific Classic: