The G1 Dubai World Cup is designed to showcase the best dirt horses on the planet. It succeeded in that aim with its inauguration in 1996, and if trainer Bob Baffert is right, it is still doing so in the present.
Twenty-one years on from Cigar, the new American superstar Arrogate is capturing all the headlines. Comparisons are inevitable but probably meaningless.
Baffert, the American trainer, is certain that we are in the presence of greatness, and he is looking forward to the grey son of Unbridled’s Song using his giant stride to put his 13 rivals to the sword at Meydan on Saturday.
Arrogate starts from gate 9, presenting jockey Mike Smith with a range of options early.
“He’s an outstanding horse,” Baffert stressed. “I just hope that if he turns for home, and is within striking range…his long stride is his weapon, and a mile and a quarter is nothing for him,” he added, with further confidence.
Five minutes in Baffert’s company is enough to convince any doubter that Arrogate is truly the genuine article. But travelling a horse from the United States to the Middle East, the trainer takes nothing for granted.
“It’s a challenge to come over here. You can have the best horse but they still have to run their best race,” he pointed out.
“I’ve been fortunate – I know I have a great horse. If he can just repeat his last race, or the race before, he’ll be in good shape. But if he doesn’t, he’s going to have to work it out.
“He’s been a pretty easy horse to train. I got to develop him slowly. He went through some easy races,” he explained.
Arrogate did not race until April of his three-year-old year and his maiden victory came up in the same week as the Belmont, third leg of the Triple Crown, in June. Then his career took off. Now, he has been beaten only once in seven starts.
“He’s figured it out,” Baffert said. “But the thing is, he’s a horse, who still needs racing. If he runs his race, we know how good he is.”
That is a warning to others in a strong field, which includes quality runners from Japan.
fonte : Godolphin
