‘The Greatest Horse I’ve Ever Seen’: Arrogate Misses The Break, Then Circles The Field In Dubai World Cup

03/25/2017  Paulick Report

It looked like a disaster at the start of Saturday's $10 million Dubai World Cup as Juddmonte Farm's Arrogate was totally unprepared for the break, leaving the gates awkwardly and then bumped hard on both sides to find himself dead last in the 14-horse field. But veteran reinsman Mike Smith never panicked aboard the champion 4-year-old son of Unbridled's Song, keeping him wide and getting a clear trip all the way around the field to finish 2 1/4 lengths in front of Gun Runner at the wire, with Neolithic completing an American trifecta at the top of the world's second-richest race. Trainer Bob Baffert was emotional after the race, his third victory in the Dubai World Cup, and couldn't believe Arrogate's performance over the muddy (sealed) Meydan oval, over which he completed 2000m (about 10 furlongs) in 2:02.15.

“When he missed the break, I gave him no chance at all. I was mad at myself for bringing him,” Baffert said. “That's the greatest horse I've ever seen run. I can't believe he won. That is a great horse right there.”

“‘When they turned for home, I told myself ‘If he wins, this is the best horse we've seen since Secretariat.'”

In the United States, Arrogate is used to having an assistant starter in the gate with him.

“I don't know if the (assistant starter) misunderstood me, but I said make sure you keep his head straight. And then he got out instead,” Smith said. “My horse just didn't realize he had to break. But you know what? Things happen for a reason.”

When asked to break on his own for the first time in the Dubai World Cup, Arrogate appeared to squat down, briefly startled, then lunging awkwardly forward. Keen Ice on his outside and Furia Cruzada on his inside both broke toward the big gray colt, and effectively squeezed him back after a series of firm bumps. Suddenly, Mike Smith and Arrogate found themselves in a position they'd never been in, behind a total of 13 top-class horses with about a mile left to run.

“I immediately thought of Zenyatta,” said Mike Smith, referring to the late-running champion mare he rode throughout her star-studded career. “I'm just going to ride him like I used to Zenyatta… This horse can do anything.”

Gun Runner, meanwhile, had broken the best of the field, but Florent Geroux allowed local trainee Long River to take the lead heading into the first turn. Neolithic joined the first flight traveling three-wide, and Mubtaahij was not far behind in fourth despite breaking from the widest of all 14 post positions. Gun Runner settled down into second, about three paths off the rail with plenty of clear running room just behind the front-running winner of the Third Round of the Al Maktoum Challenge, Long River.

Smith's decision to ride Arrogate “like Zenyatta” meant that he stayed totally relaxed aboard the Breeders' Cup and Pegasus World Cup winner, angling him well to the outside of the rest of the field as he straightened into the backstretch. Arrogate was at least eight paths off the rail as Smith tried to keep him out of the worst of the kickback, and still nearly 10 lengths away from the leaders.

“He was slipping and sliding from the word go,” Smith added in describing the race. “Once I got to the outside and he straightened out, he leveled out and I made up five lengths so quick. I thought OK, we're here. I just tried to be patient and not lose ground. It worked out great. He's the greatest I've ever been on.”

Entering the far turn, Gun Runner easily overtook Long River for the lead, and Neolithic was game to carry on right alongside. Mubtaahij kept on in third, but Arrogate was eating up ground with every stride. Smith wove a path on the inside of a pair of runners, giving Arrogate a clear path only four-wide approaching the head of the lane, though he was still six or seven lengths from the front.

Arrogate had dead aim on Mubtaahij at the top of the stretch, and after changing leads a bit unsteadily, he easily overtook that rival. With just Neolithic and Gun Runner yet to pass, Smith gave Arrogate two quick taps with a left-handed stick, focusing the young colt's mind on the task. From there, all Smith had to do was hand ride Arrogate under the wire, as the horse's massive stride ate up the ground to pull him right on by Gun Runner. Arriving at the wire with his ears pricked, Arrogate defeated Gun Runner by 2 1/4 lengths. Neolithic, bought into by Qatar Racing earlier this week, kept on for third, and Mubtaahij was not disgraced in fourth.

Rounding out the order of finish were Awardee, Hoppertunity, Keen Ice, Lani, Apollo Kentucky, Move Up, Long River, Furia Cruzada, and Golden Dream.

“I'm just so blessed, God has blessed me so much, to give me a horse like this towards the end of my career is just, I'm lost for words, I'm am going to break down and cry,” Smith continued. “He is the best I have ever been on, he truly is. He is the world's horse now.”

Bred in Kentucky by Clearsky Farm, Arrogate is out of Bubbler (Distorted Humor). Baffert had just begun his association with Juddmonte and was given permission to select several yearlings. He came across Arrogate at the Keeneland September Yearling Sale, and had to go to $560,000 to procure the colt. Arrogate was difficult to train at first, refusing to settle down, and was even sent back to the farm to mature. Returned to Baffert, the colt's behavior led to a sub-par third-place effort on debut in April 2016. Finally, Baffert and top-notch assistant Dana Barnes were able to convince Arrogate to relax, and he showed glimpses of his talent with a maiden and allowance win in Southern California.

Suddenly, Baffert shipped the colt east to compete in the Travers Stakes against some of the best of his generation. Arrogate led gate-to-wire and set a track record at Saratoga, geared down at the wire by a giddy Mike Smith. In his next start he bested Kentucky Derby and Dubai World Cup winner California Chrome in the Breeders' Cup Classic, and followed that performance with a dominating victory in the inaugural $12 million Pegasus World Cup.

Adding the money earned from his Dubai World Cup victory, Arrogate now boasts career earnings higher than California Chrome's, a total of over $17 million. The only horse with higher career earnings in the history of horse racing is Orfevre, a Japanese runner who earned more than $19 million. 

“I can't believe we won,” said the still-shocked Baffert in the post-race press conference. “That is a great horse right there. It was terrible, terrible, he walked out of the gate. I tell you what, Mike Smith did a great job. He didn't panic, he just thought, well I just get him around there. Mike Smith, what a job he did. Unbelievable. This is the greatest horse we have seen since Secretariat. Unbelievable.”

Further Reading:

Arrogate will ship to Dubai to run in the $10-million World Cup

Arrogate among 14 probables for Dubai World Cup

Arrogate ‘Looked Fantastic’ In Sunday Breeze, Leaves For Dubai Monday

Arrogate Works Toward Dubai World Cup

Arrogate dominates Pegasus World Cup

01/28/2017  ESPN

Just after Arrogate came over to the paddock at Gulfstream Park on Thursday afternoon for a schooling session for the Pegasus World Cup on Saturday, trainer Bob Baffert spoke briefly with jockey Mike Smith. As they parted, Baffert called to Smith, “Just don’t [mess] it up.”

 Baffert knew. He knew that despite all the rainy weather he had to navigate in Southern California, he had Arrogate, as he said earlier in the week, “super cherry” for the richest race ever run.

 And then Arrogate went out and put the cherry on top of this $12 million sundae. He powered home in dominating fashion, winning by 4 3/4 lengths in a race where his primary rival, California Chrome, ran poorly and exited the race with an injury to his right knee.

 There were 12 horses in the race, but the anticipated match race between the two best horses in the world never materialized. California Chrome finished ninth, beaten 29 1/2 lengths, in the final start of his career. The result of the Breeders’ Cup Classic – in which Arrogate had run down California Chrome -- had been confirmed, and then some. All hail Arrogate.

 “He’s a superior racehorse,” Baffert said. “He has a stride that’s just incredible.”

 Arrogate used that stride to leave a struggling California Chrome in the dust more than three furlongs from the wire. Once Arrogate took the lead from the early pacesetter, Noble Bird, the only question was the margin of victory, and the final time. He completed 1 1/8 miles – one lap around Gulfstream Park’s main track -- on a surface rated fast in 1:46.83, a new track record.

 Shaman Ghost rallied for second, 3 1/2 lengths in front of Neolithic, who pressed the pace of Noble Bird and held on for third. Keen Ice was fourth and was followed, in order, by War Story, Noble Bird, Semper Fortis, Breaking Lucky, California Chrome, Prayer for Relief, War Envoy, and Eragon.

 Arrogate (4-5) was favored over California Chrome (6-5). He paid $3.80. Arrogate broke from the rail, and Smith rode him aggressively into the first turn to make sure he wasn’t shuffled back. Smith smacked Arrogate with the whip on his rump and on his shoulder several times in the opening strides, and Arrogate put himself in a terrific stalking position as the field went into and around the first turn.

 California Chrome was marooned in the fast outside post. Owing to the short run to the first turn, jockey Victor Espinoza threw the reins at California Chrome leaving the gate to try and prevent him from being caught wide. He was five paths wide when he reached the first turn, but was able to slide over to the No. 3 path before the midway point of the turn.

 As the field advanced up the backstretch, Noble Bird led narrowly over Neolithic, with Arrogate just behind them, and California Chrome just to Arrogate’s outside. It was seemingly an ideal spot for California Chrome to try and pin in Arrogate, but California Chrome had trouble keeping up shortly after passing the half-mile pole, and Smith was able to slide Arrogate off the rail to take dead aim on the two leaders three furlongs out.

 “I saw Victor knuckling on him. I knew he wasn’t going to fire. Once I got out, I was loaded,” Smith said. “Victor had me where he wanted, but Chrome didn’t fire.”

 Arrogate, as he showed in his victories in the Travers and Breeders’ Cup Classic, gets stronger as a race progresses, and this was no different. Once turned loose by Smith, Arrogate immediately opened daylight on his outmatched rivals. He was four lengths in front with a furlong to go, and Smith let him coast to the wire.

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Further Reading:

Arrogate Adds New Dimension to Pegasus Cup

Arrogate’s track record in Pegasus earns 115 BRIS Speed rating

Arrogate Tops California Chrome to Win Pegasus World Cup

Arrogate beats California Chrome in Breeders' Cup Classic

11/05/2016  Associated Press

Arrogate overhauled 4-5 favorite California Chrome in the final 100 yards to win the $6 million Breeders’ Cup Classic on Saturday.

It was California Chrome’s first loss in seven starts this year; Arrogate won his fifth straight race.

California Chrome and Victor Espinoza led most of the 1 1/4-mile race, with Melatonin second and Arrogate and Mike Smith loping along in third place.

“I was cruising on the lead. He was doing it so easy, so comfortable,” Espinoza said. “Maybe I should have opened it up a little bit early.”

Around the final turn, Arrogate took up the chase, with Smith first whipping the 3-year-old colt lefthanded and then right through the stretch as they gained on California Chrome, the 2014 Horse of the Year who won the Kentucky Derby and Preakness that year.

“I gave him a few reminders lefthanded,” Smith said. “Then I went back right to surprise him. When I did that, he gave me another jump. That is what got us on by.”

Arrogate caught California Chrome to win by a half-length, giving Smith his third Cup victory of the weekend and record 25th of his career. Trainer Bob Baffert earned his record third consecutive Classic win.

“I was surprised I beat him,” Baffert said. “I didn’t think I could beat him going in.”

Arrogate finished in 2:00.11 and paid $5.40, $2.80 and $2.60.

California Chrome returned $2 and $2.40. Keen Ice was another 10 3/4 lengths back in third and paid $5.80 to show.

“You saw two champions run,” said Art Sherman, California Chrome’s 79-year-old trainer. “What can I say? We got outrun on the fair. No excuses. He ran his eyeballs out.”

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Further Reading:

Arrogate’s Breeders’ Cup Classic win ranked as best performance of 2016

Breeders’ Cup: In Arrogate, horse racing has a new leader

08/27/2016  DRF

As he walked briskly into the post-race interview area at Saratoga, trainer Bob Baffert said: “This is better this year. Why didn’t we do that last year?”

A year after making a similar walk - though with less enthusiasm - following Triple Crown winner American Pharoah’s defeat in the Travers, Baffert floated on air after the previously unheralded Arrogate put on a performance for the ages, winning Saturday’s Grade 1, $1.25 million Travers Stakes by a whopping 13 1/2 lengths over stablemate American Freedom. Moreover, Arrogate’s final time of 1:59.36 for 1 1/4 miles was a track record, demolishing the mark of 2:00 set by General Assembly in the 1979 Travers.

“That was ridiculous,” Baffert said.

The win capped a sensational hour for Arrogate’s owner, Juddmonte Farms, which also won the Grade 1, $1 million Sword Dancer Invitational with Flintshire on Saturday. It was also a two-win day for Baffert, who won the Grade 1 King’s Bishop with Drefong.

But Arrogate eclipsed all performances on a Breeders’ Cup-type card at Saratoga, where 13 3-year-olds went into the starting gate for the 147th Travers but only one will be remembered.

Arrogate, a son of Unbridled’s Song, had never run in a stakes race before Saturday. His three wins coming into this race came against a total of 10 horses. On Aug. 4, he beat two horses in an allowance race, coming from last of three.

When Arrogate drew the rail for the Travers, Baffert knew Mike Smith would have to put him into the race from the outset. Smith hustled Arrogate away from the gate but was third under the wire the first time as American Freedom and Laoban had outbroke him.

But by the time the field entered the first turn, Arrogate was in front, running an opening quarter of 23.23 seconds. The gray locomotive kept rolling at a brisk clip of 46.84 seconds for a half-mile and 1:10.85 for six furlongs while basically in hand.

“So smooth, so strong,” Smith said. “He would look around a lot because he’s so immature. Every time he looked too much I’d say, ‘Hey,’ and, man, he would jump to it.”

Entering the far turn, Arrogate widened his lead and he came to the quarter pole two lengths in front after running a mile in 1:35.52, equaling the second-fastest mile fraction in the history of the race.

Smith said he kept busy on Arrogate in the stretch because he was afraid someone was coming, but no one was in shouting distance as Arrogate came to the wire in front of 48,630 spectators.

Sent off an 11-1 shot, Arrogate returned $25.40 and keyed a Baffert exacta that returned $134.50.

It was Baffert who picked out Arrogate at auction for Juddmonte, which three years ago retained him as their Southern California trainer following the death of Juddmonte’s previous U.S. trainer Bobby Frankel several years earlier. Arrogate brought $560,000 as a yearling.

Rafael Bejarano had ridden Arrogate in his three previous victories, but he also had ridden American Freedom to a victory in the Iowa Derby and a runner-up finish in the Haskell Invitational. Bejarano said owner Gary West wanted him to ride American Freedom.“I wanted to ride [Arrogate], but there was nothing I could do because the owner wanted me to ride that other horse,” said Bejarano, adding that Arrogate “was much better than the other horses and he loved the distance.”

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Further Reading

Arrogate posts surprise win in Travers Stakes

Arrogate Wins Easy at Del Mar; Travers Next?

08/04/2016  BLOODHORSE

Juddmonte Farms' Arrogate cruised to his third straight victory in Southern California Aug. 4 at Del Mar and may be heading east for the Aug. 27 Travers Stakes (gr. I) at Saratoga Race Course.

The Unbridled's Song colt trained by Bob Baffert continued to work through his conditions Thursday afternoon with a 1 3/4-length allowance victory against two other horses in a scratch-shortened field.

Arrogate broke a bit slow, patiently settled behind the two other horses, moved into contention in the final turn of the 1 1/16-mile test, and proceeded to the wire under a hand ride from jockey Rafael Bejarano.

Off at 1-9, Arrogate hit the wire in 1:41.76 for his third straight win at 1 1/16 miles. He broke his maiden June 5 at Santa Anita Park by 4 1/2 lengths, then claimed an allowance by 5 1/4 lengths June 24, also at Santa Anita.

But those two starts were both frontrunning efforts, albeit with relatively slow paces. On Thursday, the colt raced three lengths behind Kristo after a quarter in :24.13. He advanced slightly after a half in :48.34, overcame Teniente Coronel with ease as Kristo hit six furlongs in 1:12.12, and rallied past the game frontrunner in the final three-sixteenths.

"The last two times he ran, he ran tremendous races," Bejarano said before the Thursday allowance. "I think he's prepared for a big race and he's been training really well, so this should be an easy race for him to try to prepare for a big race."

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Arrogate Impresses at Santa Anita

06/24/2016  BLOODHORSE

Juddmonte Farms' Arrogate had the look of something special June 24 at Santa Anita Park.

The 3-year-old Unbridled's Song colt won a 1 1/16-mile allowance by 5 1/4 lengths under Rafael Bejarano and trainer Bob Baffert expressed lofty aspiration for him after the race.

"We've got a lot of options with him. ... The Jim Dandy (gr. II) is there. ... The plan is to get him to the Breeders' Cup (Classic, gr. I)," Baffert said.

The $560,000 Keeneland September yearling purchase was hustled from his rail post and led at every point of call to finish off the race in 1:41.14. He set fractions of :23.62, :47.17, and 1:10.72 through six furlongs and covered a mile in 1:34.85.

"He's made a lot of progress," Baffert said of the lightly raced colt. "He had some shins, so we stopped on him and the race at Los Al (a third-place finish in his debut, a maiden special weight race April 17) just didn't work out.  

"Today, he didn't get rattled, in the paddock or at the gate. ... I just told Rafael, 'From the (inside post), you need to be a little aggressive.' Distance isn't an issue with this horse. When he came back right now, he wasn't blowing at all."

A 4 1/2-length maiden winner at Santa Anita going 1 1/16 miles June 5, Arrogate went off as the 3-5 favorite in a field of five 3-year-olds and up, and paid $3.20, $2.20, and $2.10 across the board.

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