SUNDAY, 26 MARCH, 2017 ARROGATE VS. PHAROAH? IT=S ARROGATE >A= IS FOR ABSOLUTE By Bill Finley SUPERSTAR ARROGATE It=s one of those arguments that can=t be answered with concrete answers, only guesses and speculation. Nonetheless, when you have two once-in-a-lifetime type horses actually come along in successive years, both of them trained by the same person, it=s an irresistible debate. Who is the superior horse, American Pharoah (Pioneerof the Nile) or Arrogate (Unbridled=s Song)? Since the GI Breeders= Cup Classic, I thought the answer was Arrogate, but to say or write so seemed like blasphemy. Arrogate didn=t even race in the Triple Crown. Pharoah not only won it, he broke a 37-year dry spell, accomplishing the most important feat there is in the sportBa feat that was beginning to seem impossible. Triple Crown winners belong in a pantheon, and it=s a small group of 12 that doesn=t welcome many outsiders. The who-is-the-better horse question can only truly be Arrogate wins the Dubai World Cup | DRC/Neville Hopwood answered on the racetrack. Barring that, you can go to speed figures. On the Beyer numbers, Arrogate is better. American By Kelsey Riley Pharoah ran a 105 in the GI Kentucky Derby, a 102 in the Ride him like Zenyatta. That was the plan jockey Mike Smith GI Preakness S., a 105 in the GI Belmont S. and a 109 in the turned to when >TDN Rising Star= Arrogate (Unbridled=s Song), the overwhelming international favourite for Saturday=s GI Haskell Invitational S. He did not reach the upper G1 Dubai World Cup, found himself last going past the stands stratosphere of the Beyer scale until his Classic win, in which he the first time in the $10-million race. Not only was the grey ran a 120. Since he came of age in the GI Travers S., Arrogate slowly away from the starting gates, but he was squeezed by has run a 122 in his win in Saratoga, a 120 in his Classic win and rivals soon after exiting and found himself trailing in the opening a 119 in the GI Pegasus World Cup. He=s the faster horse. stages of the 1 1/4-mile event, far away from his customary Then there are earnings. $17 million for Arrogate. $8.6 million position on or near the lead. for Pharoah. But subtract the bounty from the Pegasus World AI honestly told myself--you know I rode the great mare Cup, a race that did not exist when American Pharoah was Zenyatta--and when I got away so bad, I thought, >you know racing, and the difference is not that noticeable. It=s not a fair what buddy, you can do it just like she did,=@ Smith said. She way to compare the two. used to run from back there and I know he can do anything.@ I am ignoring earnings and giving only slight credence to speed Arrogate justified his rider=s confidence as Smith kept his cool, prompting his mount to gradually make up ground on the figures. I am basing my vote on what Arrogate showed Saturday, outside as last-out G1 Al Maktoum Challenge R3 winner Long the ability to win the G1 Dubai World Cup despite tremendous River (A.P. Indy) led the field down the backstretch with Gun adversity. Cont. p5 Runner (Candy Ride {Arg}) and Neolithic (Harlan=s Holiday) on his heels. Arrogate began to loop rivals in the three path rounding the bend under a vigorous ride from Smith, and IN TDN AMERICA TODAY straightened with just his two compatriots to catch. Roaring FAST AND ACCURATE SPRINGS SPIRAL SURPRISE down the middle of the course as Gun Runner led Neolithic by a Dr. Kendall Hansen, who campaigned champion Hansen (Tapit), length, Arrogate swept past Gun Runner with ease passing the sent out that sire’s son Fast and Accurate to cause a boilover in 200-metre mark, with Smith able to gear down thereafter as Saturday’s GIII Spiral S. at Turfway Park in Northern Kentucky. Arrogate drew clear to win by 2 1/4 easy lengths. Cont. p2 Click or tap here to go straight to TDN America. TDN EUROPE/INTERNATIONAL • PAGE 2 OF 18 • THETDN.COM SUNDAY • 26 MARCH, 2017 >A= Is For Absolute Superstar Arrogate cont. from p1 Saturday, Meydan, Dubai DUBAI WORLD CUP SPONSORED BY EMIRATES AIRLINE-G1, $10,000,000, MEY, 3-25, NH4yo/up & SH3yo/up, 10f, 2:02.15, my. 1--ARROGATE, 126, c, 4, by Unbridled=s Song 1st Dam: Bubbler (MSW & GSP-US, $211,622), by Distorted Humor 2nd Dam: Grechelle, by Deputy Minister 3rd Dam: Meadow Star, by Meadowlake >TDN Rising Star= ($560,000 yrl >14 KEESEP) O-Juddmonte Farms Inc.; B-Clearsky Farms (KY); T-Bob Baffert; J-Mike E. Smith. $6,000,000. Lifetime Record: Ch. 3yo & MGISW-US, 8-7-0-1, $17,084,600. Werk Nick Rating: A+. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. 2--Gun Runner, 126, c, 4, Candy Ride (Arg)--Quiet Giant, by Giant=s Causeway. O-Winchell Thoroughbreds LLC & Three Chimneys Farm; B-Besilu Stables LLC (KY); T-Steven Asmussen. $2,000,000. nbs graduate "He was slipping and sliding from the word go,@ Smith said. AOnce I got to the outside and he was straightened out, he 3--Neolithic, 126, c, 4, Harlan=s Holiday--Swingit, by Victory leveled out. And I made up five lengths so quick, I thought OK, Gallop. ($460,000 yrl >14 KEESEP) O-Qatar Racing & Starlight we are here. And now I just tried to be patient and not lose Racing; B-Edwin Anthony (KY); T-Todd A. Pletcher. $1,000,000. ground and let everybody work their way in, so that I didn't have Raised and sold by Denali Stud to check out too wide and it worked out great.@ A[Trainer] Bob [Baffert] had a heart attack when he was here last time [in 2012] and I think I had one too,@ Smith said. AI had Margins: 2 1/4, 5, 1 3/4. to get it pumping again after we got out. I'm just so blessed, God Also Ran: Mubtaahij (Ire), Awardee, Hoppertunity, Keen Ice, has blessed me so much, to give me a horse like this towards the Lani, Apollo Kentucky, Move Up (GB), Long River, Special Fighter end of my career is just, I'm lost for words, I am going to break (Ire), Furia Cruzada (Chi), Gold Dream (Jpn). down and cry. He is the best I have ever been on, he truly is. He Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com is the world's horse now." catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO. Baffert, who was winning his third World Cup in addition to Smith put Arrogate=s slow start down to a misunderstanding Silver Charm in 1998 and Captain Steve in 2001 and also trained with the assistant starter. the 2015 Triple Crown winner American Pharoah (Pioneerof the AI don=t know if the guy misunderstood me, but I said, >make Nile), was similarly emotional, describing the sure you keep his head straight,=@ he Juddmonte Farms colourbearer as Athe explained. AAnd then he got out instead. My “This is the greatest greatest horse we have seen since horse just didn=t realise he had to break. But horse we have seen since Secretariat.@ you know what? Things happen for a reason.@ Secretariat. "When I was watching it, I thought >I hope The rider said Arrogate didn=t immediately Unbelievable.” Mike takes care of him=, maybe I shouldn't take to the track, either, which has been have come here,@ the trainer said. pelted by unprecedented amounts of rain this -Bob Baffert on Arrogate week and was sealed earlier in the day. Cont. p3 TDN EUROPE/INTERNATIONAL • PAGE 3 OF 18 • THETDN.COM SUNDAY • 26 MARCH, 2017 Dubai World Cup cont. AIt=s unbelievable what he did,@ Baffert continued. AI was actually listening to the crowd and everybody was thinking, >oh, he has no chance.= That was an incredible performance. When he turned for home, he started to give and maybe I thought >this is it=. He did that. That is the best I have ever seen in my life." Baffert also paid credit to Smith, adding, AI tell you what, Mike VICE PRESIDENT, INTERNATIONAL OPERATIONS Smith did a great job. He didn't panic, he just thought, >well I just Gary King Twitter: @garykingTDN [have to] get him around there. Mike Smith, what a job he did. [email protected] Unbelievable.@ + 1.732.320.0975 International Editor Kelsey Riley Twitter: @kelseynrileyTDN [email protected] European Editor Emma Berry Twitter: @collingsberry [email protected] Contributing Editors Heather Anderson Alan Carasso Newmarket Bureau, Cafe Racing Sean Cronin Tom Frary [email protected] Connections of Khalid Abdullah, flying the Saudi flag, can=t resist a Irish Correspondent selfie with Arrogate | racingfotos.com Daithi Harvey With the win, Arrogate becomes the richest-ever North Regular Columnists American-trained Thoroughbred, the $6-million winner=s share Bill Oppenheim Andrew Caulfield of the purse pushing his bankroll to $17,084,600, past that of his John Berry old adversary and last year=s Dubai World Cup winner California Kevin Blake Tom Peacock Chrome (Lucky Pulpit) with $14,752,650. With targets like a repeat in the GI Breeders= Cup Classic in his sights later this year, Send Press Releases to: the win also puts Arrogate in striking range of Japanese Triple [email protected] Crown winner Orfevre (Jpn) (Stay Gold {Jpn})=s worldwide record Send Advertisements to: of $19,005,276.