Clocker: Arrogate throws down gauntlet with strong work

Santa Anita
Main Track: Fast
Weather: Clear
Temp. 68

ARCADIA, Calif. - There are some who believe this year’s Breeders’ Cup Classic will be a walk in the park for division leader California Chrome. Others think it might be a two-horse race between California Chrome and 3-year-old sensation Arrogate.

Anyone who wasn’t already in that second camp and saw Arrogate work Tuesday probably is now. Arrogate, the Travers winner, delivered a powerful six-furlong drill punctuated by an eye-catching gallop-out, indicating he just may be able to give California Chrome all he can handle here a week from Saturday.

The main track, which has been cuppy and on the slow side most of the meet, produced quick times this morning after rain on Monday morning.

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With Rafael Bejarano aboard, Arrogate was eager to begin breaking off from the 5 ½-furlong pole, dragging his rider alongside and even briefly in front of workmate Mor Spirit before being wrestled back a length off his target. The team posted splits of 12.05 and 23.74 for the opening quarter before turning into the stretch on even terms and completing a half in 47.32. Arrogate was reaching out beautifully passing through the wire when he was given a little nudge from Bejarano. He responded readily to his cue to complete six furlongs in 1:10.95. He then continued on with great energy under some prodding around the bend, dropping his head and separating himself from his partner, and easing up after seven furlongs in 1:24 and a mile in 1:37.10. Arrogate then proceeded to gallop back all the way to the top of the stretch before finally pulling up and heading back home.

Although he’s been idle since winning the Travers, fitness does not seem to be an issue for Arrogate after watching him perform this morning, and he certainly gives every indication that he’s heading into his much-anticipated confrontation with the older and more seasoned California Chrome primed for another big performance.

Arrogate was one of four potential Breeders’ Cup starters trainer Bob Baffert worked on Tuesday, along with Dortmund (Dirt Mile), Klimt (Juvenile), and Noted and Quoted (Juvenile Fillies). Like Arrogate, all went six furlongs from the 5 ½-furlong marker and were asked to continue out a full mile before pulling up.

Dortmund was the first of the Baffert quartet to work, coming out just before dawn in company with stablemate Bollywood. Dortmund, equipped with blinkers and with jockey Martin Garcia aboard, broke a length behind his partner and rated back early before fanning a bit wide on even terms into the stretch to complete his opening half in 48.37. He was put to some urging leaving the wire, completing six furlongs a length best in 1:11.85, then continued on solo around the clubhouse turn. Garcia reached back and cracked Dortmund once sharply with a left-hand stick after seven furlongs in 1:25.23 to keep him about his business before pulling him up after a mile in 1:39.61.

Dortmund came home a strong final quarter-mile down the long stretch in 23.48, but didn’t gallop out with quite the same energy as Arrogate, while being prodded a bit more.

Klimt worked with blinkers in company with Big Grey Rocket, the fourth-place finisher in the Grade 1 Champagne. Klimt covered six furlongs from the 5 ½-furlong marker in 1:12.88, finishing very willingly off an easy 49.47 opening half-mile split. It appeared his workmate was going easier to the wire and also got the better of the final quarter-mile gallop-out. Both pulled up a mile in 1:39.44, with Big Grey Rocket under less pressure at the end.

Noted and Quoted turned in an extremely impressive-looking six-furlong drill in company, posting internal splits of 23.83, 46.97 en route to a 1:11.81 final clocking. She dominated her overmatched mate with Bejarano absolutely sitting chilly throughout. Noted and Quoted did seem to lose interest once asked to continue around the bend, faltering late under prodding to pull up a mile in 1:40.89.

The three non-Baffert Breeders’ Cup workers here Tuesday were Midnight Storm (Turf), Holy Lute (Turf Sprint), and Om (Mile or Turf Sprint).

Midnight Storm was keen from the outset after breaking off about seven lengths behind a pair of targets. He readily made up most of the ground after reaching the midway point of his drill in a swift 34.08. Midnight Storm came widest of the trio leaving the final bend, hitting the wire pretty much even up in 58.98, then could not separate himself from his mates while being urged along to complete six furlongs at the top of the stretch in 1:12.57. The gallop-out was average, seven furlongs in 1:26.93, considering this is a turf horse working on the dirt.

Another grass specialist, Holy Lute, seemed to be pretty much in maintenance mode breezing over the main track, breaking off at the five-furlong pole and completing his final half-mile in 24.10, 48.39 with regular rider Jamie Theriot never finding it necessary to offer any real encouragement. Holy Lute did ease up rather quickly once past the wire, with not much in the way of a gallop-out.

Beholder (Distaff) made a sensational appearance while full of energy during a gallop. She pulled her rider at better than a two-minute clip while weaving her way through traffic down the stretch, angling down near the rail at the wire, and pulling up on the clubhouse turn. She is scheduled to work on Wednesday.