Arrogate shocked the Travers Field at Saratoga last weekend and it just put an exclamation point on what a difference a year makes. Last year, Bob Baffert’s trainee American Pharoah tasted defeat in the $1.25 million mile and a quarter Travers, but last weekend Baffert saddled Arrogate.
The way Arrogate shocked the field puts him in the picture for a superior season and maybe even an Eclipse Award. Lightly-raced, Baffert was a bit miffed when Arrogate broke slowly in his debut and was beaten three-quarters of a length. Martin Garcia rode him that day and he lost the mount immediately.
Baffert rested Arrogate for about 6 weeks and stretched him out to a mile and a sixteenth route at Santa Anita and Arrogate shocked nobody. He was the 4-5 favorite and drew off to win by 4 and a half lengths. Baffert let Arrogate run through his conditions and beat optional claimers back-to-back and the racer came into the Travers off a 23-day layoff.
Six days before the Travers, Baffert put a sizzling 1:11 4/5 work into Arrogate and that just tightened him like a drum. After the drawing the rail, Arrogate’s hand was forced a bit and he was sent along hard at the sound of the bell.
Baffert had some interesting things to say before the Travers. He indicated he wanted American Freedom, his other Travers entrant, to relax a bit and he took the blinkers off of him. He also indicated that he had complete confidence in Arrogate getting the mile and quarter distance and the farther he raced, the better he would be.
On paper, there appeared to be plenty of speed in the Travers with Destin, Connect, Laoban and Gun Runner all having zip. Arrogate would have nothing of it.
Jockey Mike Smith took over for Rafael Bejarano on Arrogate for the Travers and he made the lead going :23.23. The half mile was solid at :46.84 and Smith and Arrogate shocked no one getting the 6 furlongs in 1:10.85. After racing a mile in 1:35.52, Arrogate found another gear. He had over 7 lengths at the top of the lane and drew off to win by 13 and a half lengths in a track record 1:59.36.
That track record is no small feat. Over the decades superstars like Man o’ War, Whirlaway, Gallant Man, Damascus, Easy Goer, Point Given and Birdsong won the Travers but none ran as fast as Arrogate.
Arrogate had never run in a stakes before last weekend. His 3 wins came against a total of 10 horses but he beat a dozen in the Travers. He was leading at the mile and that time was the second fastest mile fraction for the Travers in history.
Arrogate is owned by Juddmonte Farm and for years their stock was trained by Bobby Frankel. When Frankel passed away, Juddmonte turned their horses over to Baffert, who picked out Arrogate at a yearling sale for $560,000.
Rafael Bejarano, who was aloft Arrogate for this first 3 wins, wanted to stay with the runner in the Travers. The owners of American Freedom, who ended up running second in the Travers, wanted Bejarano on their horse and they won the tug of war, hence Smith got the mount.
For the record, the Travers favorite Exaggerator was squeezed at the start and just never looked comfortable. This runner seems to move up big time on the off going when the surface is wet and that is what bettors should for in the future. My selection Creator didn’t have an excuse. He got the kind of pace he needs to thrive but he was 10th of 13 early on and just could not keep up.
Arrogate shocked fans and paid $25.40 in the Travers. He earned an out of this world 122 Beyer Speed Figure. Last year Keen Ice won the Travers with a 106 Beyer.
What’s next for Arrogate? Baffert has options. He could put one more prep into the runner to get him some more experience or he could train up the Breeders’ Cup, just like American Pharoah did. Being a three-year-old is not a disadvantage in the Breeders’ Cup. A total of 11 sophomores have won the BC Classic including the last 2 years.
Finally, all in all it was a dream weekend for Baffert and Smith. Earlier on the Travers card that pair teamed with Drefong to win the $500,000 guaranteed King’s Bishop.
