All Eyes on Last Progeny by Arrogate at OBS March Sale

With an influential pedigree and undeniable talent, Arrogate , a four-time grade 1 winner and a brilliant son of Unbridled's Song, proved to be a champion on the racetrack. While his sudden passing in 2020 left a void in the industry's stallion ranks, breeders and buyers, alike, are eager to continue Arrogate's robust legacy with the last of his coveted offspring at this week's Ocala Breeders' Sales March 2-Year-Olds in Training Sale.

Arrogate's grade 1 wins, each one accomplished in memorable fashion, included a jaw-dropping, last-to-first victory in the 2017 Dubai World Cup (G1) at Meydan Racecourse. He won that year's Pegasus World Cup Invitational Stakes (G1) at Gulfstream Park by 4 3/4 lengths in hand; proved untouchable in the 2016 Travers Stakes (G1) at Saratoga Race Course | BloodHorse.com Track Profile">Saratoga Race Course, winning that historic race by 13 1/2 lengths; and registered a determined win over California Chrome   in the 2016 Breeders' Cup Classic (G1) at Santa Anita Park | BloodHorse.com Track Profile">Santa Anita Park. He retired from racing in 2017 with a North American record of $17,422,600 in earnings.

As a sire, Arrogate is already represented by last year's Del Mar Futurity (G1) winner Cave Rock , whose full brother sells March 21 as Hip 489. He has also sired Secret Oath , who captured the Kentucky Oaks (G1) at Churchill Downs in 2022, was a sharp winner of the Azeri Stakes (G2) at Oaklawn Park March 11 in her seasonal debut and has banked just shy of $2 million for Briland Farm. Other grade 1 winners sired by Arrogate include And Tell Me Nolies  and Fun to Dream .

Prospective buyers at OBS this week will have ample opportunity to acquire a race-ready juvenile by Juddmonte Farms' late superstar, including the following hips also slated to sell during the sale's second session March 21.

Hip 438 is a gray or roan colt by Arrogate out of the winning and stakes-producing Belong to Me  mare Dowry  consigned by Lucan Bloodstock (Karl Keegan), agent. The colt is a half brother to grade 1 winner Nereid , winner of the 2011 American Oaks Stakes (G1T), and to stakes winner and grade 1-placed Sea Queen .

Bred in Kentucky by The Neuman Group, the colt was purchased by trainer David Cannizzo for $70,000 out of the Royal Oak Farm consignment at last year's Keeneland September Yearling Sale. He drilled a furlong in :10 1/5 at the under tack preview.

"As soon as we got him in, he has been a forward-training horse from day one," said Karl Keegan. "He is an average-size horse, but he is a big mover on the racetrack. He is actually a bigger horse under tack than he is at the end of a shank. He is just a massive mover on the track. He has a very efficient stride.

"He has been seen a lot at the barn," Keegan added. "He has trained forward all winter. He has a fantastic mind, this horse. He handles everything and has been a pleasure to train."

Tom McCrocklin, agent, consigns Hips 489 and 526.

Hip 489 is a dark bay or brown colt by Arrogate out of the graded stakes-winning Bellamy Road  mare Georgie's Angel , making him a full brother to Cave Rock. A $550,000 graduate of the 2021 Keeneland September Sale, Cave Rock rattled off three consecutive scores to begin his career, including romping victories in the Del Mar Futurity and the American Pharoah Stakes (G1) for owners Michael Pegram, Karl Watson, and Paul Weitman, and trainer Bob Baffert.

Bred in New York by Kathleen Schweizer, the colt was a $700,000 acquisition by McCrocklin for Champion Equine out of the Eaton Sales consignment at Fasig-Tipton's New York Bred Preferred Yearling Sale. He prepped for his trip through the auction ring by breezing a quarter mile in :21 1/5 at the under tack preview.

"He is a lovely, lovely horse, very athletic," McCrocklin shared. "He is very sound mentally and physically, and he has not had a bad day since we've had him.

"We were speculating a lot on Cave Rock," McCrocklin continued. "He was like 3-5 in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile, and we were disappointed he didn't win, but he is still a grade 1 winner and is a very good horse. If this colt wins a graded stakes, he is a stallion prospect. We feel like the market is very strong at the top, and we wanted to buy some high-end horses and take a shot. He is here to sell, and he has been well-received. Of course, his purchase price is going to eliminate a lot of potential buyers, and we know that going in. He is here to appeal to the top end of the market, and hopefully, it works out."

Hip 526 is a gray or roan filly by Arrogate produced from the graded stakes-placed More Than Ready  mare Heart of Paradise . Fred Hertrich III and John Fielding bred the filly in Kentucky, and she was acquired by McCrocklin for Champion Equine for $250,000 out of the Taylor Made Sales Agency consignment at the 2022 Keeneland September Sale. The filly breezed a quarter in a snappy :20 4/5 at the under tack preview.

"She had a very good work, galloping out in :32 and change," McCrocklin said. "I thought she was excellent in her breeze. She's been extremely popular also.

"They are both high-quality horses," McCrocklin added. "Both horses have very good vetting, clean x-rays, and good scopes. They are two different kinds of horses, though. He is a bigger, lengthier, two-turn horse. She is a little more precocious and has a lot of More Than Ready in her."

Eddie Woods, agent, consigns Hip 535, a gray or roan son of Arrogate out of the winning Giant's Causeway  mare High Style . The half brother to graded stakes winner New and Improved  (by Cairo Prince  ) and graded stakes-placed All Star Bub  (by Midshipman  ) breezed a quarter in :22 at the under tack preview.

Bred in Kentucky by Sun Valley Farm, the colt was acquired by Nassar Alotabib for $125,000 from the Taylor Made Sales Agency consignment at last year's Keeneland September Sale after originally selling to Two Creeks Partners for $50,000 at the 2022 Keeneland January Sale.



According to BloodHorse statistics, in 2022, Arrogate saw 11 of 16 juveniles sell at public auction for total sales of $1,775,056, good for an average price of $161,369. The offspring of Arrogate proved popular early in the March 20 opening session, marked by a $525,000 colt (Hip 24) purchased by Spendthrift Farm/Frank Fletcher Racing Operation out of the Kings Equine consignment.

The March 21 second session of the OBS March Sale begins at 11 a.m.