Defending Breeders' Cup Classic (G1) winner Arrogate, who is training forwardly toward a start in the 2017 Classic at Del Mar, will retire to stud at Juddmonte U.S. near Lexington after his Nov. 4 Breeders' Cup bid, Juddmonte Farms announced Oct. 10. A fee will be released at a later date.
The 4-year-old son of Unbridled's Song worked a bullet five furlongs in 1:00 1/5 Tuesday at Santa Anita Park for Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert in preparation for his run in the Classic.
"Arrogate is training forwardly toward his next start in the Classic, as witnessed by his bullet workout today," said Juddmonte manager Garrett O'Rourke.
Arrogate is the winner of four top-level events, including the 2016 Travers Stakes (G1) by 13 1/2 lengths in track-record time in his stakes debut; the 2016 Breeders' Cup Classic over two-time Horse of the Year California Chrome ; the inaugural Pegasus World Cup Invitational Stakes (G1) by 4 3/4 lengths this January; and the Dubai World Cup Sponsored by Emirates Airline (G1) in March, where race caller Terry Spargo described him as "the Man o' War of the 21st century."
"That's the greatest horse I've ever seen run," Baffert said of Arrogate.
The fleet gray looks to return to that winning form as he comes off a runner-up finish in the Aug. 19 TVG Pacific Classic (G1) at Del Mar and a fourth in the July 22 TVG San Diego Handicap (G2) at the seaside track.
The Eclipse Award winner for outstanding 3-year-old colt in 2016, Arrogate has amassed career earnings to date of $17,302,600 and earned the title of 2016 Longines World's Best Racehorse. Bred in Kentucky by Clearsky Farms out of the Distorted Humor mare Bubbler, he hails from the immediate family of Eclipse Award champion 2-year-old filly Meadow Star. He was a $560,000 purchase by Juddmonte from Clearsky's consignment to the 2014 Keeneland September yearling sale.
