Champion Arrogate clocked six furlongs in 1:12.40 over the fast main track at Santa Anita Park on Sunday as he continues readying for his return in the $300,000 San Diego Handicap on July 22 at Del Mar.
The Bob Baffert-trained four-year-old took to the track after the 7:45 a.m. renovation break with jockey Martin Garcia aboard. The duo posted splits of :24.60, :36.40 and :48.40 before galloping out seven furlongs in 1:24.40.
“He went fast today and was really cruising around,” Baffert said. “The San Diego is his (next) race right now. We’ll have to see how he’s doing, of course, but he’ll definitely be leaving for Del Mar on the 15th (of July).
“Last year I was going to run him against (California) Chrome in the San Diego,” Baffert added. “I was going to sneak in there, but he wasn’t quite himself, but not really sick, so we didn’t run.”
Arrogate did run at Del Mar last year, taking an allowance/optional claimer on August 4 before shipping to Saratoga to romp by 13 1/2 lengths in his stakes debut, the Travers Stakes (G1). The Unbridled’s Song colt faced California Chrome for the first time in the Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) next out at Santa Anita, rallying to catch the eventual Horse of the Year by a half-length on the wire.
The pair met up once more, in the $12 million Pegasus World Cup (G1) at Gulfstream Park on January 28, with Arrogate easily scoring by 4 3/4 lengths.
While California Chrome headed to the breeding shed following that start, Arrogate took a trip across the Atlantic for the Dubai World Cup (UAE-G1), where he padded his already impressive resume with a 2 1/4-length victory in that contest when last seen on March 25.
To date, Arrogate has banked $17,084,600 in lifetime earnings.
“They’re hitting on all cylinders, which is good,” said Baffert, also in reference to Collected, who earned his third straight stakes win by capturing the Precisionist Stakes (G3) on Saturday. “It’s fun to have these nice horses. I’d like to breeze Collected on the turf down at Del Mar. He could be a double weapon, turf and dirt.”
Baffert also sent out Grade/Group 1 winner Vale Dori to work a half-mile in :49.40 at Santa Anita on Sunday. The five-year-old mare just missed by a quarter-length to Stellar Wind last out in the Beholder Mile (G1) on June 3.
Champion Stellar Wind worked Sunday as well, going five-eighths in 1:01 at Santa Anita for trainer John Sadler. The Curlin five-year-old mare is readying for a title defense run in the Clement L. Hirsch Stakes (G1) at Del Mar on July 30.
