DEL MAR — Arrogate, who turned in a lackluster effort in his most recent start after four consecutive scintillating victories, drew post No. 8 and was installed as the even-money morning-line favorite Tuesday night when entries were announced for the 27th edition of the $1 million Pacific Classic at Del Mar.
The Saturday race appears, on paper, to be a three-horse contest between Arrogate, Collected (5-2) and Accelerate (3-1). The other five runners in the eight-horse lineup were assigned morning-line odds of 15-1 or better by Del Mar oddsmaker Russ Hudak.
Trainer Bob Baffert, while optimistic, acknowledged he might be a little more anxious than normal heading into the 1¼-mile Pacific Classic, Arrogate’s first race since he finished an inexplicable fourth – beaten by 15¼ lengths – in the Grade II San Diego Handicap at Del Mar on July 22.
That effort followed Grade I victories in the Travers Stakes, Breeders’ Cup Classic, Pegasus World Cup and Dubai World Cup, a string of wins that catapulted the 4-year-old son of Unbridled’s Song to atop the career earnings list in North America with a $17.1 million bankroll.
Arrogate went postward in the San Diego Handicap, his first race in four months, as the overwhelming 1-20 favorite. He was so highly regarded, there was $1.2 million bet to show on the world’s top-ranked horse after a Dubai World Cup performance that saw him overcome a terrible start and win the world’s second-richest race.
“One thing’s for certain, I don’t think we’re going to see a million-two bet to show on him (Saturday),” Baffert said. “That’s the only thing I know for sure. I feel for those guys, but it happens.”
Baffert wasn’t even going to run Arrogate in the San Diego Handicap, thinking he was going to bring the colt into the Pacific Classic on workouts alone. When he checked out OK after the race, the Hall of Fame trainer second-guessed himself, believing maybe he didn’t have Arrogate cranked up enough for the race.
“But Del Mar, you gotta be ready,” he said. “Everytime you run, you better be ready or somebody’s gonna step up.”
It was Accelerate who stepped up in a big way in the San Diego Handicap, going gate-to-wire while posting an 8½-length victory at odds of 7-1. The 4-year-old Lookin At Lucky colt is unbeaten in three tries at Del Mar and has won four of 12 overall for $607,480 in earnings.
But Baffert is tossing that race out.
“I’m not even thinking about that,” he said. “We’re just thinking about this week. Think positive. Get out of the gate. He needs to get his legs under him, though. He can’t be sitting back there … none of this Dubai (stuff). He wants to be running, he wants to be rolling.”
“Sometimes, a loss like that is good … sometimes everybody can get a little bit too thinking they’re invincible.”
Arrogate was stabled at Santa Anita when he returned from Dubai, another factor Baffert believes might have played a part in the horse’s first loss in eight races.
“I think he looks better now,” Baffert said. “It was really hot at Santa Anita and he didn’t like the heat. I feel confident that he should run well. That’s all we can ask for.”
Another Baffert colt, Collected, will be making his first start since a 14-length victory in the Grade III Precisionist Stakes at Santa Anita on June 24, a race where Accelerate finished third. The 4-year-old son of City Zip has won seven of 10 lifetime for earnings of $660,500. He’s never raced at Del Mar.
Trainers Doug O’Neill and John Sadler both entered two horses in the Pacific Classic – Donworth and Curlin Road for O’Neill and Accelerate and Hard Aces for Sadler.
Donworth is 15-1 on the morning line, and Curlin Road, who comes in off a nose victory in the Grade III Cougar II Handicap at Del Mar on July 26, is 20-1. He’s one for five at Del Mar.
A CLASSIC LINEUP
The field, in post position order, for Saturday’s $1 million Pacific Classic at Del Mar, including jockeys and morning-line odds:
1. Royal Albert Hall, Corey Nakatani, 30-1
2. Collected, Martin Garcia, 5-2
3. Accelerate, Victor Espinoza, 3-1
4. Sorry Erik, Kent Desormeaux, 30-1
5. Hard Aces, Santiago Gonzalez, 20-1
6. Donworth, Mario Gutierrez, 15-1
7. Curlin Road, Flavien Prat, 20-1
8. Arrogate, Mike Smith, even-money
Note: The Pacific Classic will be televised live by NBCSN from 5-6 p.m.