Arrogate full of energy during six-furlong workout

ARCADIA, Calif. - Arrogate worked six furlongs in 1:12.29 before the first race at Santa Anita on Sunday – and showed little desire to slow down.

Galloping out around the first turn, Arrogate was timed in 1:24.82 for seven furlongs and 1:37.97 for a mile.

“Holy moly,” trainer Bob Baffert said, watching the gallop-out.

Sunday’s workout leaves Arrogate on schedule for a start in the $12 million Pegasus World Cup at Gulfstream Park on Jan. 28. Arrogate has not raced since beating California Chrome by a half-length in the Breeders’ Cup Classic at Santa Anita on Nov. 5. California Chrome is Arrogate’s main rival in the Pegasus World Cup.

Earlier this month, Baffert expressed concern that wet conditions in California would disrupt Arrogate’s preparation. After Sunday’s workout, Baffert said he was satisfied with the 4-year-old colt’s condition, particularly after watching the gallop-out.

“He’s progressing and getting closer as we lean on him,” Baffert said. “You have to keep him happy.

“He was picking it up. In every work, he’s been stronger and stronger.”

Arrogate worked in company with stablemate Uninvited, beginning 10 lengths behind. Arrogate ran the opening quarter-mile in 23.86 seconds and a half-mile in 48.11. Arrogate was within three lengths of Uninvited a furlong to the wire, and was even at the sixteenth pole.

“It didn’t look he was going that fast,” Baffert said.

Jockey Martin Garcia worked Arrogate. He is the frequent workout rider for Arrogate, who is ridden by Mike Smith in races.

This was the second consecutive Sunday that Arrogate worked prior to the day’s first race. Baffert requested a workout before the races to take advantage of a drying racetrack. The course was rated fast for morning workouts and underwent renovation between the end of training and the time of Arrogate’s workout.

In the last week, Arrogate has been forced to jog and gallop on a muddy track. For many mornings in the last week, the main track at Santa Anita was not open for full training, limiting activity for all runners based at Santa Anita.

Arrogate is scheduled to have one more workout at Santa Anita on Jan. 22 before being flown to Florida on Jan. 24. Later this week, Arrogate is likely to exercise on a muddy track. Significant rain is expected on Wednesday and Thursday.

“He does like the mud and trains well on it,” Baffert said. “We have a week to go and then ship.”

Owned by Juddmonte Farms, Arrogate has won 5 of 6 starts and earned $4,084,600.

Earlier on Sunday, two Southern California-based longshots for the Pegasus World Cup worked at Santa Anita.

Semper Fortis, third in three races around two turns for 3-year-olds last year, worked six furlongs in 1:14.20. War Envoy, sixth in an optional claimer on turf at Del Mar on Nov. 26, worked a half-mile in 47.40 seconds.