Baffert Still Aiming Arrogate for Pacific Classic

Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert didn't have any overnight revelations to explain Arrogate's clunker of a performance in the July 22 TVG San Diego Handicap (G2) at Del Mar.

On July 23, Baffert opted to let the mystery be and instead looked ahead regarding the world's top-rated horse, who finished fourth in the San Diego.

"He's fine," Baffert said from behind a desk in his stable office at Del Mar. "He didn't really put out that much. We checked him over (physically) and he looks good. He got a lot of dirt in his eyes and mouth."

Obviously the race didn't go as planned for the 1-20 favorite. Arrogate was never better positioned than the fourth he finished in a five-horse field. He was never closer than 4 1/2 lengths from the lead for the first three-quarters of a mile, was 11 1/2 in arrears at the top of the stretch, and 15 1/4 behind the John Sadler-trained winner Accelerate at the finish.

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"They got away from him. He made a little run, but then he was just flat," Baffert said. "This track—you have to be up close. You can't be too far back."

Baffert isn't ruling out the possibility of trainer error, but isn't about to beat himself up over it.

"You go back and look. I prepped him pretty much like usual, but I came into this race thinking I really didn't have to do that much with him," Baffert said. "I didn't want him to have to run that hard going (1 1/16 miles).

"We'll just go on with him. As long as he's working well and nothing comes up, we're going in the Pacific Classic (G1). I wanted to give him a race here, thinking it would be a great workout for him, but the Pacific Classic is the main goal.

"They were ready for me. John (Sadler) did a great job with his horse. It's disappointing, but Arrogate is OK and that's all that matters. He'll be ready next time."