Arrogate is a legend, one of the very best dirt horses of recent decades. The gray flash was ranked number one out of 51,713 horses in North America (2017) and his lifetime earnings stood at US$17.42 million. He is the only dirt horse ever rated above 140 by Timeform, and earned the joint fifth-highest rating in the operation’s history in Dubai. In fact his run was close to the limit of what it is physically possible for a thoroughbred to do, and no-one who witnessed it is ever likely to forget it.
Arrogate has now been retired.
This moment marks the end of a chapter in racing history and leaves a large gap of leader in the racing world. After California Chrome there was Arrogate but since Arrogate there has been no clear undefeated champion to take that slot.
Bob Baffert disclosed in an interview, the brief by Juddmonte owner Prince Khalid was that the horse they purchased that year had to “check all the boxes”. The horse should not only be a good racehorse horse, but a good stallion with good pedigree. Juddmonte prefers to race the horses they breed.
Arrogate was bred by Clearsky Farm, which sold him at the 2014 Keeneland September yearling sale for $560,000. He is inbred 4x4 to two-time American champion sire Mr. Prospector and 5x5 to 1968 Metropolitan Handicap winner and important sire In Reality. He is also the first foal of Grade III-placed listed stakes winner Bubbler, who is a half-sister to stakes winner Unbridled Femme (by Unbridled).
He was a champion on paper and had all the makings of a great dirt horse.
At the time Baffert said to Garrett O'Rourke (General Manager at Juddmonte Farms), ‘I think we’ve stumbled onto a really good horse.’
But just how good really was Arrogate?
It was his work rider, Dana Barnes who says that she knew from ‘day one’ that he would be a special horse. Working for Bob Baffert, one of the most celebrated trainers in the world, she had the pleasure of working with some of the greatest horses. But when Dana got onto Arrogate’s back, she felt an incredible power and smoothness of stride. That was the moment, when she recognized that he was headed for greatness.
Although no one remembers who proposed the name ‘Arrogate’, even his name has fit his personality to a T. Arrogate means ‘to seize or to claim’. And claim he has, the best racing crowns in the world.
When we asked O’Rourke, what did he consider to be the greatest moment in Arrogate’s racing career? The soft spoken O’Rourke, paused to gather his thoughts, before explaining, ‘The Irony of it was that each time he performed there was that feeling, we wouldn’t be able to top the performance. First it was the amazing Travers winwhen he annihilated his competition at Saratoga. Next he went on to win the Breeder’s Cup Classic by defeating 2016 American Horse of the Year, California Chrome. In fact after so many great wins, we were expecting a letdown at the beginning of Dubai World Cup. But honestly, the 2017 Dubai World Cup would have to go down as the greatest moment in Arrogate’s racing history, for me. In the face of amazing adversity, including Gunrunner, stretching the way he did, was something a thoroughbred horse shouldn’t be able to do, but he did it. It was beyond any of our wildest dreams, to buy a horse which can perform at the very very highest level. You expect a Grade one winning horse, (the top yearling sales at Keeneland ) but when you get one of the greatest horses in racing history at a sale, its unexpected, to say the least.’
In fact O'Rourke is very excited about the ‘Arrogate babies’ soon to be born. "We'll have to be patient for a few years, and then there will be the real excitement of seeing those first Arrogate babies," O'Rourke says. "For someone on the farm, it gets really exciting when you put the tack on the babies for the first time and one of them makes that reaching stride. And you start thinking, 'Oh boy, we might have another Arrogate here.'"
Arrogate was purchased to be a good Grade one winning racehorse with a great pedigree. He was purchased primarily becauseJuddmonte felt they needed a dirt stallion, to complete their roster.
Arrogate however followed a slightly different destiny, he became one the greatest race horses, the world has ever seen.
And O’Rourke hopes that Arrogate emulates Frankel, following a great racing career with a great stud career. “That continues the excitement for Prince Khalid. Integrate the blood, try to improve the breed.” Explains O’Rourke sincerely.
Arrogate has already landed a major coup with Songbird booked to him. Juddmonte Farms have also accepted a booking for By The Moon and purchased multiple Grade 1 winner - Paulassilverlining, to be bred to Arrogate. O’Rourke confirms that ‘there are a lot of beautiful mares in his book’. “A lot of Group One winning mares. We expect to get high-quality dirt performer offspring.”
In fact he looks forward to the day when he could watch, the offspring of Arrogate competing in the Dubai World Cup, the Pegasus and other great American Classics.
Arrogate is to remain at his home at Juddmonte Farms in the Northern Hemisphere, for the foreseeable future.
And it seems, Arrogate has settled well into his new career very well. Given his high-octane nature and his highly regarded public image, it is no surprise that he has developed a celebrity status. O’Rourke explains with pride, ‘Obviously since he arrived here, he has been the center of public attention. Every single time he walks out and pricks his ears, the crowds gather to watch.’ He is currently being shown to prospective mare owners.
“Like a lot of these great horses, he has wonderful showmanship. He has adapted to his celebrity status and seems to be very comfortable with it.”
Does he miss racing you ask. “He might prefer to be in California. He is perhaps abit cold here.”
He might just be.
But it will soon warm up. And Arrogate, being Arrogate, will take the breeding world by a storm.
