Arrogate comes from last to win US$10m Dubai World Cup

DUBAI: Arrogate showed his class again as he came from dead last out of the stalls to win the Dubai World Cup by an impressive 2¼ lengths.

With the win on Saturday, fouryear-old Arrogate became the highest-earning racehorse ever, surpassing CaliforniaChrome, winner of the same race last year.

Arrogate has grossed US$17,084,600 (RM76mil) for winning seven races out of eight in his career.

In the second richest horse race in the world at US$10mil (RM44mil), run over dirt and 2,000m at Meydan Racecourse, Arrogate produced a powerful finish under jockey Mike Smith to beat GunRunner and

Neolithic in a 1-2-3 for the United States.

The winning time was 2:2.15 – slower than the course record set by

Chrome last year – but understandable given the soft conditions after a second straight day of rain and thunderstorms in Dubai. Even halfway into the race,

Arrogate was nowhere in the picture, but last year’s runner-up Mubtaahij was showing encouraging form as jockey Christophe Soumillon managed to settle near the rail from his wide draw of 14 out of 14.

Arrogate, the No. 1-rated racehorse in the world, started gaining momentum around the 800m mark and swept past more than half a dozen rivals before setting his sight on the leaders.

At the top of the straight, Smith was wide and finding a clear path, and coaxed Arrogate to hit top gear. With 200m remaining, he caught the leaders, and the result was never in doubt with the last 100m remaining.

A relieved Smith said: “The start, it just went wrong and was not what he was used to; he missed it and then found traffic.

“I thought that was it but this horse is unbelievable.

“He found his massive stride and galloped, carrying me into the race, then quickening in the straight, and actually winning quite easily.

“This horse can do anything; he can win in the lead, he can come from dead last, he hasn’t even taken a breath. What a horse!”

Arrogate gave trainer Bob Baffert his third Dubai World Cup victory after Silver Charm (1998), and Captain Steve (2001).

“I looked away after 50 metres and prayed Mike would just bring him back safely,” Baffert said.

“When he missed the break, I gave him no chance at all. I was so mad at myself, thinking ‘I shouldn’t have brought him’.

“But that’s the greatest horse I’ve ever seen run, I can’t believe he won.”