Baffert ‘Happy’ After Arrogate Pegasus World Cup Drill

ARCADIA, Calif. (Jan. 8, 2016)—In preparation for the $12 million Pegasus World Cup Invitational at Gulfstream Park Jan. 28, Breeders’ Cup Classic Champion Arrogate drilled six furlongs late this morning over Santa Anita’s main track, which was listed as “good” in 1:11.94.

With jockey Martin Garcia up, Arrogate came on the track via the quarter mile chute at 11:45 a.m. PST Sunday and went straight off to the Club House turn as he followed stablemate Uninvited.

With Bob Baffert overseeing the drill from a private suite atop Santa Anita’s box seat area, Arrogate broke off behind his stablemate at the three quarter pole and he easily overtook him going into the far turn, breezing solo through the lane and although the work was officially scheduled to be six furlongs, he continued to work through the wire into the Club House turn.

Santa Anita Track Timer Dane Nelson clocked Arrogate through splits of 24.51, 47.96 and 59.89 en route to his six furlong time of 1:11.94. Although the work is now posted at six furlongs in distance, Garcia stayed down on the 4-year-old Unbridled’s Song colt around the turn, stopping the watch for seven furlongs at 1:24.56. Nelson had him galloping out a mile in 1:37 flat.

“I was happy with the work,” said Baffert, who hadn’t had his stable superstar out for a recorded breeze since Dec. 27. “I still have to see how he comes out of it. It was nice to get the work in. It wasn’t the ideal situation but we knew he likes the mud, an off track. Great horses always like the mud.

“I was happy with the way he finished. The other horse, we could have had him a little more in front (at the start of the drill). We got the work in and that was very important. I’d rather work on a nice, dry track. Every time you work on an off track, you’re taking that chance, but I got a nice, stiff work into him so that was very important…

“I got him in 1:11 and change, 1:24, out in 1:37 and change. I was on the radio and I could tell…Once he lost his company he’ll just pin his ears. When he has that company, he likes to chase something. He has that tremendous stride. His stride is his biggest weapon.”

As for when Arrogate might ship to Gulfstream, or when he’ll breeze again in preparation for the Pegasus, Baffert said, “I’ll just watch the Weather Channel from here on out, basically. It’s just like training in Kentucky, just watch the Weather Channel. There are no set plans for anything—shipping or training.”

A record-setting winner of the Grade I Travers Stakes in his first added money assignment on Aug. 27, Arrogate trained up to his half length win in the Breeders’ Cup Classic here Nov. 5 and has been idle since. Owned by Juddmonte Farms, he has five wins from six starts and has earnings of $4,084,600. He’ll be ridden in the Pegasus by Mike Smith, who’s been aboard for his last two wins.

Source: Santa Anita Park