Arrogate the Great?
While Nyquist was continuing an unbeaten streak in the Kentucky Derby, and while Exaggerator came rolling through the slop to steal the Preakness out from under him, there was another colt, Arrogate, rich with promise and potential, waiting in the wings, anticipating his moment to leave his own mark among 2016’s three-year-old male division.
Having missed the chance at a two-year-old racing campaign due to nagging shin problems, Arrogate would not arrive on the racing scene until the Spring of 2016, in a maiden special weight, in which he finished third. He has yet to finish behind a horse since.
The Juddmonte Farms owned and Bob Baffert trained colt would go on to dominate two allowance fields, before it was decided to try him against stakes company. When the connections looked to bump him up in class, they opted to take a swing at the big leagues— Arrogate was put on a plane to New York, to run in the Grade 1 Travers Stakes at Saratoga, a race Baffert lost with Triple Crown winner American Pharoah, just last year. In hindsight, while many of us didn’t see it coming, it seems that Baffert knew what we would all soon come to find out— Though it may have seemed he was being thrown to the wolves, Arrogate would return leading the pack.
In a performance which displayed talent and freakishness fit only for the rare greats this sport has seen, one couldn’t help but feel as though they were experiencing a Secretariat-esque moment, watching Arrogate romp home by 13 1/2 lengths under rider Mike Smith, in a record-shattering time of 1:59.36.
It seems as if overnight, Arrogate metamorphosed— having been a name whispered on the backside in morning conversations, to a full-fledged superstar sensation. In just one day’s time, Bob Baffert’s barn became reminiscent of his days with American Pharoah— cluttered with fans, journalists, and virtually anyone with a credential which allowed access to the barn area— all awaiting a glimpse of “The fastest horse in the world.”
Arrogate has continued to remain on the lips of horse racing enthusiasts everywhere, seeming to have held his explosive Travers form just fine. His works are anything but average, and he appears to do everything that is asked of him, far too easily. His stride is massive, and the sheer power he exudes every time he digs in and kicks away, is nothing short of awe-provoking.
While it took only one glittering performance to show the world that he has what it takes to be the best three-year-old this year, Arrogate’s greatest test of all is looming. A start in the Breeders’ Cup Classic is nearing, and in it, he will face off with both California Chrome, and Frosted. Having posted a speed figure of 122 in the Travers, second highest of 2016 behind only aforementioned Frosted, Arrogate should be up for the task ahead. While California Chrome will go off the deserving favorite, the three-year-old, stone gray, Spectacular Bid lookalike’s odds should not be more than 4-1.
The question remains, will Arrogate bounce? Was his Travers a freak performance of which we may never see the likes again? Will he be fit enough to take on the greatest horse in the world, after such a layoff, having not raced since that Summer day in Saratoga Springs, New York? We know he is good. But, just HOW good is he? Perhaps only Arrogate, himself, knows the answer to this question. I, for one, hope he plans to show us all exactly what he is made of on November 5.