All set for biggest racing day
Arrogate will be the fifth Breeders’ Cup Classic winner since 1995 to race in the World Cup A rating of 134, makes him the highest-rated horse ever to run in Dubai In just seven starts, the Bob Baffert-trained Arrogate has earned $11.08m The four-yearold
dubai — The other day, Bob Baffert, the famous American horse trainer of Arrogate, waltzed into the interview room at the Meydan Racecourse with Bode, his 12-yearold son. Baffert then announced in jest, “This is Bode right here and he liked to be in on the action.”
The interviewer, the seasoned Rupert Bell played along and said: “We have interviewed dad a number of times so we’ll ask Bode about the horse? What do you think of Arrogate?”
“I think he’s a good horse. Hopefully, he will win; if he doesn’t, it’s fine,” said Bode. “It’s not fine,” Baffert shot back, as everyone broke into laughter. Bode then cheekily retorted: “I mean, it’s a horse race, dad.”
It was obviously all in good humour but the fact of the matter is the Dubai World Cup is more than just a horse race. It is the biggest sporting and social gathering in the UAE. It is a tribute to a beautiful animal which has served mankind so well.
His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, VicePresident and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, has a special place in his heart for horses. What he conceived 22 years ago as Crown Prince has now taken the horse racing world by storm.
Ever since Jerry Bailey piloted American raider Cigar in the inaugural meeting at Nad Al Sheba in 1996, the Dubai World Cup has grown at a staggering pace. It is the congregation of the world’s best horses, trainers and jockeys.
Prize money has grown exponentially over the years with a $10 million payday. Although the Pegasus World Cup has now surpassed that with $12 million, the Dubai World Cup still is the richest race meeting on the planet with $30 million generously spread across the nine races on the night. Although the weather is still not playing ball, avid racegoers from around the world will dress to the nines, in dapper suits, dresses, hats, heels and what have you, and make the trip to Meydan.
Since we are on the topic of the weather, the mind throws us back to that night in 1997. Heavy rains left the Nad Al Sheba track in puddles of water. Sheikh Mohammed made the brave decision to postpone the races and his famous action of him drawing his hand across his throat, is a vivid memory.
UAE Air Force helicopters were pressed into service to dry the surface and the show went on five days later.
Even before the race has been run over the 10 furlongs, almost each and every soul has marked Arrogate as the winner. Quite rightly so as well, as Arrogate, like previous American challengers to grace Dubai World Cup night, has come in with a glistening CV. And although the meaning of Arrogate has a slightly negative connotation to it (it means to take over, usurp or sieze by force without right to do so), the fouryear-old from Unbridled’s Song, won’t be going down that road and will fight for it, fair and square.
Arrogate, the Blue-Grey colt, who has been nicknamed ‘Blue Locomotive’ by Baffert, has already won the Travers Stakes, Breeders’ Cup Classic and Pegasus World Cup, all on the bounce, in his fledging career, and while the pressure is on him to add the prestigious $10 million Dubai World Cup to his sparkling trophy cabinet, his connections have cleverly tempered it down.
The blinkers are well and truly on Arrogate and veteran champion trainer Bob Baffert and veteran jockey Mike Smith have meticulously eased him in the run-up to the big night. As Smith, who has 34 wins across the American Classics, Breeders’ Cup and races around the world, revealed on race eve on Friday morning, Arrogate knows a race is looming.
He probably doesn’t know how big a race it is, maybe perhaps, the biggest of his career, the one that will set him on the path to being one of the greats like American Pharoah, one of Baffert’s charges and also last year’s Dubai World Cup winner California Chrome.
But then, he doesn’t have to know, as Arrogate, according to his handlers, just loves to race. But he’s not just a horse that puts pedal to the metal from start to finish and is versatile in the sense that he knows how to pace his race. Arrogate is also one who, according to Smith, has “lungs forever,” which only means he can muster more when asked for. These qualities make Arrogate a dangerous proposition for the 13 other runners in the field.
Smith said that every other horse is in with a fair shot and it was upto him and Arrogate to execute their game plan according to the situation. Arrogate has a favourable gate to break out of and should be in the pack, if he jumps well from Stall 9.
But there are a number of other challengers who have put a target on Arrogate’s back. Godolphin’s Move Up, the charge of seven-time Dubai World Cup winner Saeed bin Suroor starts from 6 and will be in the mix. And so would be Japanese raider Awardee, who will break from Stall 7.
Other UAE representatives Special Fighter and Mubtaahij, runner-up to California Chrome last year could make things interesting, but both will have to overcome the hurdle of breaking from the wider gates of 13 and 14 respectively.
Champion Mare in Chile and Argentina, Furia Cruzada could buck the trend and become the first mare to win the biggest prize but is a long shot. Apollo Kentucky, Long River, Gold Dream, Lani, Gun Runner, Keen Ice, Neolithic all are in with a chance but it would be a tactical race, if anything, with Arrogate’s stablemate Hoppertunity, perhaps playing the wing man.
If the weather holds up on the night, it should be a tantalising 2000 metres on Meydan’s dirt and it should be interesting to see who will hit pay dirt.