Breeders' Cup Classic still likely for Arrogate

Darryl Sherer - Monday August 21

Arrogate has come out of his second place finish in Saturday's Grade 1 Pacific Classic at Del Mar in good order and trainer Bob Baffert is sticking with his plan to go to the Breeders' Cup Classic.

Arrogate. Photo: Del Mar Racetrack

Arrogate was beaten half a length by stablemate Collected in the $US1 million Pacific Classic (1m2f) as an odds-on favourite and Baffert told the BloodHorse both horses came out of the race unscathed.

"They look good. They came out of their races well and that's important," Baffert said.

"We watched the races a few times, and Collected still won. I liked that Arrogate - even though he was running in spurts - I liked that he laid it down in the last eighth of a mile, he showed some willingness, and tried to win."

The Del Mar track is closed for training from September 8 and will reopen on October 23 ahead of the Breeders' Cup meeting on November 3 and 4.

Collected is likely to run in the Grade I Awesome Again Stakes at Santa Anita on September 30 but Baffert said he would prefer to allow Arrogate more practice on the Del Mar surface.

"It's too bad they couldn't just stay here and train until the Breeders' Cup," Baffert said. "That would've been a perfect scenario.

"Collected really likes it down here, you can keep him in an (outdoor) pen, and he flourishes down here. And it would give Arrogate a chance to still get used to this (main track)."

Arrogate currently heads the IFHA list of World Rankings on 134 ahead of Winx on 132. The next set of rankings will be released on September 14.

Advertisment
More Reading...
More Stakes Success for Air Assault
Group I placed last season in the SA Derby, talented gelding Air Assault kept the winning run going for Victoria Derby winning trainer Andrew Gluyas when taking out the Listed SAJC John Letts Cup (1800m) at Morphettville on Melbourne Cup Day.
El Vencedor wins G3 Balmerino Stakes
El Vencedor is making a habit of picking up major victories at Ellerslie, adding the Gr.3 Balmerino Stakes (2000m) to his burgeoning record at Tuesday’s Melbourne Cup Day meeting.
2024 Melbourne Cup Result - It's Knights Choice
The 2024 Melbourne Cup has been run and won with Knight’s Choice, a five-year-old gelding by Extreme Choice victorious.
Kiwi Bred Gringotts Wins $3million Big Dance
Talented New Zealand-bred gelding Gringotts(NZ) (Per Incanto) delivered a big payday for his connections with victory in Tuesday’s A$3 million Big Dance (1600m) at Randwick.
Coolmore Announce Euro 2025 Fees
Coolmore have announced fees for their 20 strong European sire roster with three new additions City of Troy (Justify), Auguste Rodin (Deep Impact)and Henry Longfellow (Dubawi) and a significant increase for Wootton Bassett, who is currently in Australia.
Rosemont and Partners Stakes Quinella on Cup Day
Written Tycoon posted his second new stakes-winner on Melbourne Cup Day when promising three year-old gelding Catoggio took out the Listed VRC Amanda Elliot Stakes (1400m)  for Rosemont Stud and partners, who also race the second horse Bosustow.
Sires With Winners - Tuesday November 5
Here is the full list of 145 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
$6million Frankel Mare Tops Fasig -Tipton November Sale
The Fasig-Tipton November Sale, billed as the World’s Premier Breeding Stock Event, was held Monday at the company’s Newtown Paddocks in Lexington, Kentucky. Twenty-five offerings sold for $1,000,000 or more, led by a trio of Grade/Group 1 winners with international appeal.
Melbourne Cup Winner for Extreme Choice – Rare Slice of History
This year’s $8.5million Group I VRC Melbourne Cup (3200m) produced a genuinely amazing fairytale result for the connections of five year-old Extreme Choice gelding Knight’s Choice, but part of that fairytale is his sire Extreme Choice, who has carved out something seriously special as being only the second sire in history to produce the winner of a Golden Slipper and a Melbourne Cup.
Knights Choice a True Underdog Story
Punters were left stunned when the Queenslander Knight's Choice and Japanese visitor Warp Speed (JPN) emerged from the pack to fight out a dramatic finish to the $8,560,000 Group 1 Lexus Melbourne Cup (3200m) at Flemington.