They have called him the best horse since Secretariat. Some have even claimed that he is better than Big Red and is the GOAT. Arrogate burst onto the national racing stage in 2016 and became the all-time leading money earner in North American horse racing history. Despite his accomplishments, Arrogate is a polarizing racehorse. There are just as many people who feel that his accomplishments are overrated and that the horse is not nearly as talented some claim. These differences in opinion prompt the question, exactly how good is Arrogate?
Is Arrogate The Greatest Horse Ever?
Arrogate was foaled on April 11, 2013. While some may think the rise of this colt has been similar to an April Fool’s Day joke, Arrogate’s win record is no laughing matter. He captured the 2016 running of the Traver’s Stakes in his first ever stakes appearance. The Travers is one of the most competitive races of the year for three-year-old horses. Its field regularly contains Triple Crown candidates. To put the difficulty of the race in perspective, 2015 Triple Crown winner American Pharoah lost the race to Keen Ice.
Not only did Arrogate win the race, the horse also set a track record. This victory was then followed by a win in the 2016 Breeders’ Cup Classic, the Super Bowl of American horse racing. It is rare for a horse to win these types of events back-to-back, but Arrogate did it with ease. After the Classic win, the comparisons with Secretariat began to be whispered on the backside of every racetrack in the country. Online racebooks were flooded with new sign ups as those with little prior interest in horse racing took a shine to the Kentucky-bred colt. These efforts earned Arrogate an Eclipse Award for Champion Three-Year-Old Male.
As 2017 dawned, Arrogate was placed on an aggressive stakes schedule by trainer Bob Baffert. Baffert is no stranger to big races. He won the Triple Crown with American Pharoah in 2015 and is a fixture in the paddocks of the most important races. Baffert’s first target was the inaugural Pegasus Cup, designed to be the richest horse race in the world. The purse for the race was an amazing $12 million dollars, eclipsing the Dubai World Cup by $2 million.
The race gathered much interest because it was a rematch between Arrogate and California Chrome. Arrogate had beaten Chrome in the Breeder’s Cup Classic and Chrome’s connections were hoping for redemption. Sadly, the expected match up did not materialize. California Chrome was injured early in the race and was eased by his jockey. Arrogate went on the win the affair and set a track record.
Baffert pushed onward, next setting his sights on the $10 Million Dubai World Cup. The break from the starting gate was bad, but just a little over two minutes later Arrogate was crossing the finish line in front. His earnings from the race pushed him over the $17 million dollar mark, a record for North American race horses.
Is Arrogate Overrated?
Despite the success of Arrogate, there are some who contend his record is overblown due to the purse values for which he has competed. The record earnings primarily come from victories in the two richest horse races in the world, the Pegasus Cup and the Dubai World Cup. Those who criticize Arrogate use this and other factors to justify their argument.
When Arrogate returned to the United States in 2017, his results on the track were less than impressive. The first race he tried was the San Diego Handicap. This event proved to be an embarrassing disaster for Baffert and company. Arrogate appeared listless and was beaten by more than 15 lengths. The horse’s supporters, however, contend that Arrogate was assigned the top weight of 126 pounds. The other horses were carrying significantly less.
Even great horses can have an off day. Everyone remembers Secretariat’s humbling defeat in the Wood Memorial before he went on to capture the Triple Crown. Yet, another poor outing came in the Pacific Classic at Del Mar on August 19, 2017. Arrogate once again failed to win and finished second.
The primary argument that Arrogate’s critics make is that the horse simply benefited from rich purses in races that went well for him. But how do they explain the track record set by the horse in multiple races? How do they explain the 120 Beyer Speed Figure the horse received? These are questions that are hard to answer.
Will The 2017 Breeders’ Cup Validate Arrogate?
On November 4, 2017 at Del Mar Race Course in California, Arrogate will once more attempt to silence his critics. The horse is scheduled to compete once again in the Breeders’ Cup Classic. A win in this race would push the horse’s earnings over $20 million, a feat that may never be duplicated. It is almost certain that Arrogate will retire after this appearance.
There will be other horses like Gun Runner who want to spoil the day for Arrogate. It could be that the horse was simply tired in the early months of 2017 and needed time to recuperate. Is he rested now and ready to challenge a field of new rivals?
EZ Horse Betting Wagering Opportunity
We believe that the 2017 Breeders’ Cup Classic presents an exciting opportunity for fans of EZ Horse Betting. It appears that the recent performances of Arrogate may serve to dampen his odds at post time. Gun Runner could easily be the favorite, and this means a better price on Arrogate. We recommend you consider a bet on Arrogate if the horse is offered at 2-1 or greater.
To bet Arrogate in the Breeders’ Cup Classic, simply visit our recommended racebook today and sign up for an account. All U.S. players are welcome! Signing up takes just a few minutes and you can make a deposit with Visa, MasterCard, or other methods. You will also receive a huge bonus for signing up. Once your account is set up, you can play Arrogate’s race from your computer, smartphone, or tablet. Check our Bovada racebook review, Twinspires review or even our Betamerica review. All great choice if you are in the US. 5Dimes review for folks anywhere!
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