Arrogate cruises through final Breeders' Cup Classic workout

Santa Anita
Main track: Fast
Turf: Firm
Weather: Clear
Temp. 67

ARCADIA, Calif. – Trainer Bob Baffert and his Hall of Fame colleague Bill Mott should have been all smiles at the end of Monday’s training session at Santa Anita. They sent out a total of six Breeders’ Cup contenders between them who turned in impressive final workouts for Saturday races.

Baffert’s quartet was led by ARROGATE, who turned in an absolutely sensational breeze. He worked five furlongs from the 4 1/2-furlong pole in 59.39 seconds, with his final quarter in 23.55, before galloping out six furlongs in 1:12.86.

The Travers winner, Arrogate continues to flourish as he readies for the Classic. He was just cruising throughout the work, striding powerfully through the wire while pulling away from his overmatched workmate. His gallop-out was equally impressive, coming without any urging around the clubhouse turn and into the backstretch.

Baffert also appears to be holding a strong hand in several other Breeders’ Cup races on Saturday, including the Sprint with LORD NELSON and the Juvenile Fillies with NOTED AND QUOTED. Both repeated their strong moves from last week on Monday, with Lord Nelson going four furlongs in company with Dabster in 47.55, getting his final three-eighths in 34.54. Noted and Quoted worked the same distance in 47.92, out five furlongs in 1:00.78.

Lord Nelson was restrained early off his workmate, kept wide into the stretch, and edged clear to the wire without any encouragement, with a solid 23.20-second final quarter. As always, he was strong on the gallop-out.

Noted and Quoted was very keen coming to the half-mile pole before settling into a nice, relaxed stride around the turn. She completed her final quarter in 23.35, going easily while also galloping out eagerly into the turn.

KLIMT, who will compete in the Juvenile for Baffert, went four furlongs in company in 47.32, with the first quarter in 23.28. He went easily to the wire before galloping out five-eighths in 1:00.60.

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Mott apparently called a bit of an audible with Turf Sprint contender CELESTINE, who was originally supposed to have joined her stablemate GOOD SAMARITAN (Juvenile Turf) working over the turf course, which was open for business for the first time on Monday. Instead, Celestine came out onto the main track during the training period designated for Breeders’ Cup horses only and breezed a very easy four furlongs in 48.34. She changed leads on cue while coming down the lane in 23.85. Celestine was allowed to ease up a bit, presumably to avoid doing too much, on the gallop-out.

Good Samaritan kept to his original schedule, working on the turf at 10 a.m. The undefeated 2-year-old has made a great appearance here all week and didn’t disappoint when allowed to drop his head Monday, going four furlongs around the wide dogs in 48.03. He was striding out beautifully to the wire while just nudged along a bit through the final furlong before continuing very willingly galloping out around the clubhouse turn.

EFFINEX, who faces the daunting task of meeting both Arrogate and California Chrome in the Classic, was strictly in maintenance mode Monday, going an easy half-mile in 49.10 while continuing to make a favorable appearance since arriving last weekend. Other maintenance workers of note Monday included LOOKIN AT LEE (Juvenile), four furlongs in 50.69; BY THE MOON (Filly and Mare Sprint), four furlongs in 50.98; and MIDNIGHT STORM (Mile), who was kept well out near the middle of the track while breezing a very easy half-mile in 49.66.

There was nothing “maintenance” about what AVENGE had in mind Monday. The Filly and Mare Turf hopeful scorched the last four furlongs of a five-furlong drill in 46.37 while never really being extended.

Neither California Chrome nor Beholder worked on Monday, but both were eye-catching during routine gallops. California Chrome, making his first local appearance after arriving from Los Alamitos the previous afternoon, looked even stronger and more imposing in daylight than he did working under the lights at Los Al. He galloped nearly two miles shortly after dawn.

Beholder followed suit just a couple of minutes later with another extremely impressive, high-energy gallop that had her rider angling down to the rail to avoid traffic as she motored through the wire and, at better than a two-minute clip, into the clubhouse turn in advance of the Distaff.