Arrogate Puts in Easy Half-Mile at Santa Anita Park

Juddmonte Farms' champion Arrogate put in an easy work Oct. 3 as he readies for an expected run in the Nov. 4 Breeders' Cup Classic (G1), covering four furlongs in :50 flat at Santa Anita Park in company with Uninvited.

Similar to their move a week ago, Uninvited traveled a few lengths ahead of his stablemate down the backside and on the turn with Arrogate edging up in the lane under Rafael Bejarano to finish just ahead of his work partner. Trainer Bob Baffert said Tuesday's breeze was slower by design and also stated the Santa Anita surface had been playing on the deeper side of late.

"He worked fast last week (five furlongs in :59 2/5) but this was just a maintenance move to keep him happy," Baffert said. "I wanted it slow today. The track has been really deep and slow right now. But he went around there and looked like he was just galloping. He did it with ease.

"It was like nothing for him. You would have thought he jogged today the way he came back."

Baffert has been pleased with the Arrogate he has seen the last few weeks, declaring the son of Unbridled's Song "ready" for an attempted title defense in the 10-furlong Breeders' Cup Classic. As improved as the North American all-time leading money earner looked at Santa Anita, the X factor remains how he takes to the Del Mar surface he struggled over during his defeats in the July 22 TVG San Diego Handicap (G2) and Aug. 19 TVG Pacific Classic Stakes (G1).

Baffert said he is still deciding whether to have all of Arrogate's workouts at Santa Anita leading into the Breeders' Cup or have his final move at the host site.

"I don't know yet. I have an idea, but I go week by week with him," the Hall of Fame conditioner said. "But he's been ready. (If) the Breeders' Cup could be next week, he's ready."

Arrogate does own a prior win at Del Mar, with an allowance victory there in August of 2016 before his breakout, record-setting triumph in last year's Travers Stakes (G1). Del Mar renovated its main track this season, though, adjusting the banking and grading of the surface.

One thing Arrogate can almost certainly count on for the Breeders' Cup Classic is having a bunch of friendly rivals around him. With stablemate Mubtaahij winning the Awesome Again Stakes (G1) Sept. 30, Baffert stands to have a handful of entrants in the race including fellow grade 1 winners Collected and West Coast.

"I've finally got a chance to train older horses," Baffert joked. "I never get a chance because they always retire them, because they're worth so much as stallions. Now I'm getting a chance at it."