"He'll train up to the race." Stated Mr. Bob Baffert of the newly-minted four year-old colt Arrogate, and the Jan. 28th $12M Pegasus World Cup. Recent rains via a pair of SoCal storms Dec. 30/31 have left the GIII $200K Pasqual Stakes Santa Anita track too wet for Arrogate's liking, as Mr. Baffert sees it. Although no further precipitation is being currently forecasted.
Worthy of note is that whilst always a disappoint to not see a horse run amidst such buzz, is that no one was gonna make a dime off this other than his connections, whom have bigger fish to fry. That, and the strappin' son of Unbridled's Song was given the same tact of being trained up to his impressive showing at the Breeders' Cup Classic in Nov. This is a no-brainer for big-brained Baffert. No sense in risking dull performance or even injury, in what amounts to a purse-comparative small potatoes public work-out.
According to the Paulick Report, "Arrogate has been in steady training the last month, including a six-furlong workout timed in 1:12.20 on Dec. 27."
Look for Midnight Storm to romp in today's wet Pasqual -- but there ain't much if any more moolah there than on Arrogate, with the big fella gone.
"And whitey on the moon." -- Gil Scott-Heron.
L'shalom