Baffert-Trained Arrogate Eyes Breeders’ Cup Start

Following the Triple Crown, some late blooming three-year-olds look to become the elite of their class. In 2000, Tiznow did not break his maiden until May of his three-year old season then rapidly progressed to emerge victorious in the Breeders’ Cup Classic later that year. Bob Baffert-trained Bayern broke his maiden in January 2014, struggled in the Triple Crown races and ended his three-year-old campaign with a victory over California Chrome and Shared Belief in the Breeders’ Cup Classic.

This year, a colt in the Baffert barn looks to add some excitement to the second half of 2016, and his name is Arrogate. After a dominating Allowance win last Friday at Santa Anita, the gray son of Unbridled’s Song may just have the potential to follow in those Classic winners’ footsteps.

Breaking a bit awkwardly from post position one, Arrogate recovered quickly to set the early pace in the 1 1/16 mile Allowance Optional Claiming contest that was Race 2 on Friday, June 24th. The colt, piloted by jockey Rafael Bejarano, was pressed through a :23.62 opening quarter and :47.17 half mile by Chief of Staff and Martin Garcia. As the field left the backstretch, Bejarano sat motionless on his mount as Garcia began to push Chief of Staff to keep pace with the favorite after six furlongs in 1:10.72. But Arrogate continued into the stretch in cruise control and opened up to win by 5 ¼ lengths in a final time of 1:41.14. Stablemate Fusaichi Samurai and Victor Espinoza settled for second and Pretentious (with Santiago Gonzalez) remained a distant third.

Arrogate — a $560,000 Keeneland purchase — was going to find a calling routing on the main track. Out of Bubbler, who won 6 of 9 starts, including stakes wins from 1-1/16 to 1-⅛ miles, the colt’s pedigree suggested he would have an affinity for distance.

Trainer Bob Baffert was confident in his colt’s first test versus winners. “I just told Rafael, ‘From the one (post position), 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.”

This was his second consecutive victory around two turns and just his third career start since his late debut in April at Los Alamitos. Now, the expectations for this three-year-old are quite ambitious. Owned by Juddmonte Farms, connections have stated, “the plan is to get him to the Breeders’ Cup.”

By: Christopher Ado