Donworth in tough against Arrogate in San Diego Handicap

The harsh implications of starting Donworth against Arrogate in the Grade 2 San Diego Handicap at Del Mar on July 22 stings trainer Doug O’Neill.

“He’s a nice horse, but you feel like he’s an up-and-comer going against LeBron James,” O’Neill said. “You hope for the best.”

Arrogate has won two eight-figure races this year – the $12 million Pegasus World Cup at Gulfstream Park in January and the $10 million Dubai World Cup in the United Arab Emirates on March 25 – and is the world’s top-rated horse. Donworth was a well-beaten fourth under jockey Mario Gutierrez in the Grade 3 Precisionist Stakes at Santa Anita on June 24 in his lone start of the year.

“He needed the race,” O’Neill said. “Mario took care of him. He got a little tired.”

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Owned by Paul and Zillah Reddam, Donworth will be part of a small field in the San Diego Handicap, which is run at 1 1/16 miles and leads to the Grade 1 Pacific Classic on Aug. 19. Arrogate is bound for that race, too.

Donworth was bought for $550,000 at the 2015 Keeneland November breeding stock sale by the Reddams with the hope that he could develop into a high-class older horse. A 5-year-old, Donworth had only three starts in 2016, including third-place finishes in two Grade 2 races – the San Antonio Stakes and Charles Town Classic in April.

Donworth was injured after the Charles Town Classic and did not race again until the Precisionist last month.

“He had a few little injuries, and we took our time,” O’Neill said.

The task of beating Arrogate may be impossible, but the ever-optimistic O’Neill is pressing forward. Even a second would translate into a promising result.

“We want to win,” O’Neill said. “I want to see him run to his ability.”