Rice, Broman decide to run Arctic Arrogance in Wood rather than Bay Shore
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After some consideration about cutting Arctic Arrogance back in distance, trainer Linda Rice and owner Chester Broman have decided to keep the New York-bred 3-year-old routing and will run him in Saturday’s Grade 2, $750,000 Wood Memorial at 1 1/8 miles at Aqueduct rather than the Grade 3, $200,000 Bay Shore going seven furlongs.
“We discussed it that even though the Bay Shore would be an easier spot to win, we can keep the door open to the [Kentucky] Derby and gather up some points and maybe even win the Wood,” Rice said.
Arctic Arrogance has earned 16 qualifying points toward the Kentucky Derby from runner-up finishes in last December’s Grade 2 Remsen Stakes, January’s Jerome Stakes, and February’s Grade 3 Withers Stakes. The Remsen and Withers were both run at 1 1/8 miles.
Rice was pointing Arctic Arrogance to the Grade 3 Gotham on March 4, but the horse was forced to miss that one-mile race due to illness.
“You never know, maybe it’ll end up being a blessing we missed that middle race,” Rice said.
Since getting Arctic Arrogance back training following his illness, Rice has put some strong workouts into him, including a pair of six-furlong moves followed, most recently, by a five-furlong drill last Friday. All three works have come without blinkers, equipment Rice used on Arctic Arrogance for the first time in the Withers but is strongly considering removing for the Wood.
“He’s very rateable,” Rice said. “We tried him with the blinkers, but I think going two turns, a mile and an eighth, I may take them off.”
Rice had previously said that she struggled to keep weight off of Arctic Arrogance, a reason she ran the horse as frequently as she did. Though Arctic Arrogance comes into the Wood having not raced in two months, Rice feels good about where the colt is weight-wise.
“I think he’s in good shape,” Rice said. “I set him down pretty good, a couple of three-quarter works to address the fact he won’t have run for two months. I think we’re in as good a shape as if we’d run him in between.”
Entries for the Wood, which spreads out 200 Derby qualifying points (100-40-30-20-10) to its top five finishers, will be taken Wednesday. The prospective 12-horse field includes Arctic Arrogance, Classic Catch, Clear the Air, Crupi, Dreamlike, General Banker, Hit Show, Knox, Lord Miles, Mr. Swagger, Shadow Dragon, and Slip Mahoney. Transect is possible.
◗ The Grade 3, $200,000 Bay Shore was a work in progress for the racing office with only Arrebato, Daydreaming Boy, Gilmore, and Joey Freshwater considered definite starters as of Sunday.
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