Cherry On Top: Baffert Pleased With 'Happy' Arrogate

As he looked toward the $12 million Pegasus World Cup Invitational (G1) at Gulfstream Park Jan. 28, Bob Baffert reached into his past for an expression to describe Arrogate's readiness for the world's richest race.

The Hall of Fame trainer delivered "super cherry."

Baffert said that is how he wants Juddmonte Farms' Breeders' Cup Classic (G1) winner to be when jockey Mike Smith rides him in the 1 1/8 miles race. With the freshly-minted 2016 champion 3-year-old male breaking from post No. 1 and Horse of the Year California Chrome   starting from the outside post in the field of 12, Baffert was more focused on fitness and stayed away from strategy.

"That's Mike's concern," Baffert said Jan. 26. "My job is to make sure that he is super cherry for Mike when he gets on him. If he's super cherry he can do whatever he wants with him."

Super cherry? Baffert chuckled.

"I always used super cherry when I was younger," Baffert said. "If he's super cherry then he can do whatever he wants. If he's not, I don't care whether he breaks or whatever. My job is to have him ready and throw (Smith) on there. He will know."

That said, Baffert acknowledged that he was very happy about the way Arrogate is coming into the race.

"We're good," he said. "Everything is good."

Baffert and his family were in London, England this week to attend the ceremony in which Arrogate was honored as the Longines World's Best Racehorse. The Bafferts flew to South Florida Wednesday afternoon and Baffert was at the track Thursday morning to watch the colt go out for his morning gallop.

Arrogate flew in from Southern California Tuesday and had a spirited gallop Wednesday morning. He was kept to a slower tour of the oval by exercise rider Dana Barnes Thursday morning. A few hours later, Arrogate schooled in the paddock.

The Pegasus World Cup will be Arrogate's first start since he rallied in the stretch to edge California Chrome by a half length in the Nov. 5 Breeders' Cup Classic at Santa Anita Park. Talking about how the post position draw turned out, Baffert joked that it looked like one of the big horses was placed on the inside, the other was put on the outside and others were sprinkled in between. He did say he preferred Arrogate's post.

"I didn't want to be in the 12. I'd rather have the one," Baffert said. "He can save ground. All my horses get the one-hole, so they're used to it. They're cool with it."

Arrogate stepped out as a star at Saratoga Race Course last August with a record-setting win in the Travers Stakes (G1) where he used his speed to get away from the gate quickly and controlled the race, winning by 13 1/2 lengths and breaking a track record in his first graded stakes.

Although he would rather be on the inside in the Pegasus than in post 12, Baffert made the case that it was a good spot for California Chrome. Post 12 at Gulfstream has yielded just one winner in the 18 races at 1 1/8 miles—Big Brown   in the 2008 Florida Derby (G1).

"I don't know if I have an edge," Baffert said. "If we don't break, we don't have a edge. (California Chrome) has a lot of speed and all the horses on the outside they're not really quick away from there. He's much quicker, so I would say he has a little bit of an edge. Chrome likes to be on the outside in the clear. If he was on the inside, in the one, and broke a little slow and got behind horses he's not effective at all. He needs to be in the clear, so that's probably a better draw for him."