Arrogate gets more serious in half-mile workout

ARCADIA, Calif. – Arrogate worked a half-mile in 48 seconds at Santa Anita on Thursday, an exercise that trainer Bob Baffert described as the colt’s first serious workout since a win in the Breeders’ Cup Classic on Nov. 5.

Arrogate breezed a half-mile in 49 seconds at Santa Anita on Dec. 1 but was given a more strenuous workout Thursday. Ridden by jockey Martin Garcia, Arrogate began his workout well before the half-mile pole. He worked the opening furlong in 11.90 seconds, the first quarter-mile in 23.60, and three furlongs in 36 seconds.

Baffert timed Arrogate galloping out five furlongs in 1:01.

“I told him to put him in the bridle,” Baffert said. “I looked down, and it was 11.9.”

Arrogate is a candidate for the $12 million Pegasus World Cup at 1 1/8 miles at Gulfstream Park on Jan. 28, even though owner Juddmonte Farms does not hold one of the 12 starting slots in the newly created race.

Several slot holders for the Pegasus World Cup do not have runners who merit a start in the race, which is expected to include California Chrome, the runner-up in the BC Classic. In the coming weeks, private deals are likely to be struck between slot holders and owners of prospects.

“We don’t have a slot,” Baffert said. “I won’t think about that until after Christmas.”

Arrogate has won 5 of 6 starts and earned $4,084,600. He was third in his debut at Los Alamitos last April and has won his last five starts. Arrogate won his stakes debut in the Grade 1 Travers Stakes at Saratoga in August and did not race again until the BC Classic, where he caught leader California Chrome in the stretch of a thrilling race to win by a half-length.