Defending GI Breeders' Cup Classic champion, 'TDN Rising Star' and all-time leading North American money earner Arrogate (Unbridled's Song) put in his final work in preparation for a title defense at the World Championships Saturday, working a bullet five furlongs at Santa Anita in 1:00 flat. The fastest of 19 drills at the distance, Arrogate worked in company with fellow Bob Baffert trainee Hot Sean, turning in splits of :12 1/5, :24 3/5, :36 1/5 and :48 flat. The gray began a length behind his workmate, but easily caught up and moved past.
“He looked great for him,” Baffert said. “I've been happy with all of his works. I don't see why he wouldn't run a big race.”
Stablemate Mubtaahij (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}), another contender of the classic, completed a more leisurely five panels in 1:02 2/5 Monday on the heels of his win in the Sept. 30 GI Awesome Again S. Arrogate and Mubtaahij will be joined by Collected (City Zip) and West Coast (Flatter) to complete a formidable foursome hailing from the Baffert barn in the Classic. Baffert also sent out GI Breeders' Cup Sprint defending champion and 'Rising Star' Drefong (Gio Ponti) to breeze four furlongs in :48 3/5 Monday morning at Santa Anita.
“He couldn't look any better,” Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert said. “He's doing the best he's ever done.”
While Drefong appears to be squarely the horse to beat in the Sprint, Baffert's Classic contingent will have a tussle on their hands with MGISW Gun Runner (Candy Ride {Arg}), who finalized his preparations for the race with a half-mile drill in :49 2/5 at Del Mar Monday morning.
“He just looks fast and that's what you want to see in a work like this and going into a race like this,” he said. “I was just talking to Steve [Asmussen] and told him he just looked fast. He's just getting over the ground so nicely. All [exercise rider Angel Garcia] said is he just never moved. He just sat there on him and let him cover some ground. We were happy with it.”
In other Breeders' Cup workout news:
• Trainer George Papaprodromou sent out Win the Space (Pulpit) to work four furlongs in :49 3/5 at Del Mar ahead of a tilt in the Classic, while Mr. Roary (Scat Daddy) breezed four panels over the turf course in :49 1/5 in preparation for a potential start in the GI Breeders' Cup Mile or GI Breeders' Cup Turf.
• Donegal Racing's Ballagh Rocks (Stormy Atlantic) also worked a half-mile over the Del Mar turf, going in :49 3/5 for trainer Bill Mott.
• Calculator (In Summation) completed a five-furlong move in :59 4/5 at Del Mar for trainer Peter Miller, sharpening for the Sprint. Miller's Roy H (More Than Ready), also expected for the Sprint, is expected to have a three-furlong blowout Tuesday.
• Mind Your Biscuits (Posse), second in last year's Sprint, worked three furlongs in :36 2/5 at Del Mar.
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