Arrogate Breezes for Baffert at Santa Anita

On its face the double-take-worthy run trainer Bob Baffert has been on is impressive enough.

Since the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (G1), the Hall of Fame conditioner has won 14 of the 18 dirt stakes he's entered.

But that recent record is put in the proper context when you consider what he still has loaded in his holster—most notably the gray freight train known as Arrogate.

The four-time group/grade 1 winner and $17-million earner—and arguably the best horse in the world—continued preparations for his first start since his Dubai World Cup Sponsored By Emirates Airline (G1) victory with a six-furlong breeze July 2 at Santa Anita Park.

The champion 3-year-old of 2016 began his drill in the clubhouse turn, galloped powerfully in the backstretch, and approached a bit of company in the far turn.

A few lengths behind the Kristin Mulhall-trained Rock All Day, who last raced in a starter allowance at Fresno in October, Arrogate maintained his position and didn't make up ground in the stretch under jockey Martin Garcia, but cruised to the wire with easy strides.

Santa Anita clockers timed Arrogate's six furlongs in 1:12 3/5, with a gallop out to seven furlongs in 1:26 1/6.

"Same as last week—breezing around there, three-quarters," Baffert said after the work, with a group including jockey Mike Smith in the Santa Anita grandstand. "All systems go."

Baffert hesitated to put his current run of success into perspective and cited the volatility of the racing game.

"It can end at any moment," Baffert said, a day after Danzing Candy's determined win in the San Carlos Stakes (G2). "You can't worry about that. I never look past a week. Things change. The thing is just keeping them healthy—that's the whole key. I know this business. It can change overnight. You can go from being loaded to having nothing."

Baffert said Arrogate will get another work or two in at Santa Anita before he ships the weekend of July 15-16 to Del Mar, where he's scheduled to run in the TVG San Diego Handicap (G2) July 22 as a prep for the Aug. 19 TVG Pacific Classic (G1).

"I think we'll ship that weekend," Baffert said. "He'll probably work here before he goes down there. When the track opens up—I don't want to work him down there."

Other news on grade 1 winners in training at Santa Anita:

• Champion Stellar Wind logged her third timed work since her victory in the June 3 Beholder Mile Stakes (G1). With owner Kosta Hronis and trainer John Sadler looking on, the 5-year-old Curlin   mare covered five furlongs in 1:01 3/5 in preparation for the July 30 Clement L. Hirsch Stakes (G1). "She was super," Sadler said. "We're just cruising this week, because we're well ahead of schedule. She has three more works before the Clement Hirsch. Victor (Espinoza) was up today, and he was very pleased and so was I."

• Santa Anita Oaks (G1) winner Paradise Woods hasn't worked since June 18—which was her first timed drill after a tiring 11th-place run in the Longines Kentucky Oaks (G1)—but trainer Richard Mandella said the Union Rags   filly is doing well despite minor foot issues. "She's doing really well," the Hall of Fame conditioner said. "She's had a little bit of feet trouble we've been working through, but it's going good. She's had a rest and we're in no hurry." Mandella said a likely race target for Paradise Woods is the Aug. 27 Torrey Pines Stakes (G3) at Del Mar.