Arrogate finishes major preparation for Breeders' Cup Classic

ARCADIA, Calif. – Led by Travers winner Arrogate, trainer Bob Baffert on Tuesday morning at Santa Anita worked four of the nine horses he said he has pre-entered in the 13 Breeders’ Cup races that will be run Nov. 4-5 at Santa Anita. When the morning was done, Baffert was in a jovial, light-hearted mood, an indication that all had gone well.

“Everything went really well,” Baffert said. “I feel good. All you can ask for is that they still have some life.”

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In addition to Arrogate, who is headed to a showdown with California Chrome and Frosted in the Classic, Baffert also worked Dortmund for the Dirt Mile, Klimt for the Juvenile, and Noted and Quoted for the Juvenile Fillies.

Other Breeders’ Cup workers of note here on Tuesday included Midnight Storm, who is preparing for the Mile on turf; Om, who trainer Dan Hendricks said was to be pre-entered in both the Mile and the Turf Sprint; and Holy Lute, whom trainer Jim Cassidy pre-entered in the Turf Sprint.

The works came on a gorgeous 70-degree morning at Santa Anita, one day ahead of the official announcement of the pre-entries. The pre-entries are to be announced beginning at 8:30 a.m. Pacific Wednesday, and will be livestreamed at DRF.com.

Arrogate, as he did last week, had an extensive, demanding work, this time going six furlongs in 1:10.95 according to Daily Racing Form’s Mike Welsch, who had Arrogate galloping out a mile in 1:37.10. Arrogate worked in company with the comebacking 3-year-old Mor Spirit. When the work was over, he continued to gallop all the way around to the sixteenth pole before jockey Rafael Bejarano finally turned him around.

“He’s got some serious lungs,” Baffert said. “His heart, the way it must pump out blood must be something.”

Baffert has been training Arrogate to sit behind his company. Although Bejarano has been working him, Mike Smith has the mount in the Classic.

“He went off a little quick today,” Baffert said, “but I wanted him closer to the other horse. He can turn it on and shut it off whenever you want, which is a big plus.

“He’s gonna have to be pretty good to beat that Cal-bred,” Baffert said, referring to California-bred California Chrome, the Classic favorite.

Baffert said Arrogate would have one more work next week, but that the serious work was done.

“He’ll just go easy next week,” he said.

Dortmund, who is turning back to the Dirt Mile after three straight losses to California Chrome going 1 1/16 miles to 1 1/4 miles, worked six furlongs in 1:11.85 on Welsch’s watch while also in company.

“That was a good work for him,” Baffert said.

Martin Garcia, recently reunited with Baffert, worked Dortmund, and has had the most success in the past with Dortmund, but Baffert said he had not decided who would ride Dortmund in the Dirt Mile.

Dortmund is owned by Kaleem Shah, who also owns Del Mar Futurity winner Klimt. Klimt worked six furlongs in 1:12.88, according to Welsch, in company with another talented 2-year-old, Big Gray Rocket. Bejarano worked Klimt, and has the mount in the Juvenile.

Bejarano also was aboard Noted and Quoted, who was particularly impressive in her drill, going six furlongs in 1:11.81 late in the morning while leaving her outmatched company. She won the Chandelier last time out over the same distance and track as the Juvenile Fillies.

Om worked five furlongs in 1:00.20, according to track clockers, with Gary Stevens up.

“I hope he gets into one of the two races,” Stevens said, referring to the Mile and Turf Sprint, both of which have the potential to be oversubscribed. “I’d be disappointed if he didn’t get in. He’s set - third start off the layoff.”

Holy Lute was caught by Welsch going the final half-mile of his solo five-furlong drill in 48.39 seconds. There have been no turf works this meet, so he worked on the dirt, but that’s just fine with trainer Jim Cassidy.

“I like the dirt anyway," Cassidy said. "It makes them stronger."

The free-running Midnight Storm went six furlongs in 1:12.57, according to Welsch, while working in company with two of his Phil D’Amato-trained stablemates.