Arrogate Shows Competitiveness in Final BC Work

It didn't take long for Juddmonte Farms' Arrogate to show the competitiveness trainer Bob Baffert wanted to see Oct. 30 at Santa Anita Park, in the Unbridled's Song colt's final timed workout for the Breeders Cup Classic (G1).

After he broke off about a length behind workmate Hot Sean from the half-mile pole, it only took a few strides for Arrogate to catch up under jockey Rafael Bejarano.

"That kind of tight horse, when they see somebody," Bejarano said after the work, as he clapped his hands forward to show how Arrogate got into the workout, "they'll take off. Every time you ask him, he will give it to you. It was much better than the last time, and every time he's been working pretty good."

Alongside Hot Sean on the outside through the turn, Arrogate inched away in the stretch, continued his work a furlong past the wire, and galloped out with strength. According to Santa Anita's clockers, he ran fractions of :12 1/5, :24 3/5, and :36 1/5, hit the wire in :48 flat, and finished off five furlongs in 1:00, an eighth past the wire.

"He needs something to run at," Baffert said of Arrogate's competitive nature. "It was just to keep him in the work and sharpen him up. He's doing really well and he's coming into it as good as he could."

Does that mean he'll return to the form he showed in 2016 and earlier in 2017, when he won four straight grade/group 1 races—including last year's Breeders' Cup Classic—before a fourth-place run in the TVG San Diego Handicap (G2) and a runner-up effort in the TVG Pacific Classic (G1)?

"I mean, we'll find out, but he's ready," Baffert said. "He's progressing and getting stronger each week."

Arrogate put in his drill during the 7:45 a.m. training session, but earlier in the morning, Baffert stablemate and fellow Classic contender Mubtaahij worked an easy half-mile in :49 4/5, with a first quarter in :25 1/5 and a gallop out to five furlongs in 1:02 2/5.

The works for the Classic horses were very different and for good reason. While Arrogate hasn't raced since the Aug. 19 Pacific Classic, Mubtaahij has a prep race in him—his score in the Sept. 30 Awesome Again Stakes (G1).

"He went easy," Baffert said of Sheikh Mohammed bin Khalifa al Maktoum's Dubawi horse. "He's already had a race, so he doesn't need much. These horses who haven't raced need a little bit more."

Baoma Corporation's champion sprinter Drefong rounded out the Santa Anita Breeders' Cup work tab for Baffert with an easy half-mile drill in :48 3/5 under jockey Martin Garcia. The Gio Ponti  colt and three-time grade 1 winner ran the first quarter in :24 4/5 and galloped out to five furlongs in 1:01 3/5, in his final drill for the TwinSpires Breeders' Cup Sprint (G1), which he won last year.