The dictionary defines "arrogate" as "to take or claim something without justification." Today, Juddmonte Farms' colt Arrogate showed that he is well and truly misnamed. In a spectacular performance, he took the historic Travers Stakes (USA-G1) fair and square, simply destroying his field with sheer speed and posting the largest winning margin since General Assembly waltzed in by 15 lengths in 1979.
Adding to the impressiveness of his race, Arrogate also broke General Assembly's 37-year-old stakes and track record of 2 minutes flat, going the distance in 1:59.36---and he did it while posting an internal split of 1:10.85 for the first six furlongs. To put his feat in perspective, only two other colts have run a faster six furlongs and gone on to win the Travers. Back in 1920, the immortal Man o' War ran the legs off John P. Grier with an opening six furlongs in 1:10 flat. He finished up in 2:01-4/5, with the chart noting that he was under restraint through the stretch. (For the record, he was also carrying 129 pounds against 115 on Grier and 123 on eventual runner-up Upset.) Then in 1994, eventual Horse of the Year Holy Bull dueled rabbit Commanche Trail into defeat in 1:10-2/5 and found just enough left to stave off future Breeders' Cup Classic (USA-G1) winner Concern in 2:02.
It will take more than one race to stamp Arrogate as being in the same class as Holy Bull, let alone Man o' War. Talent is not enough to make a legend; it also takes consistency---which Arrogate has yet to prove against top company---and soundness, which has not been the strong suit of the progeny of Unbridled's Song. Nonetheless, if Arrogate can duplicate Holy Bull's feat of thrashing top older horses in his next outing, the rest of the 3-year-old male division had better look out: there's a new kid on the block, and he's ready to take on all comers.
Adding to the impressiveness of his race, Arrogate also broke General Assembly's 37-year-old stakes and track record of 2 minutes flat, going the distance in 1:59.36---and he did it while posting an internal split of 1:10.85 for the first six furlongs. To put his feat in perspective, only two other colts have run a faster six furlongs and gone on to win the Travers. Back in 1920, the immortal Man o' War ran the legs off John P. Grier with an opening six furlongs in 1:10 flat. He finished up in 2:01-4/5, with the chart noting that he was under restraint through the stretch. (For the record, he was also carrying 129 pounds against 115 on Grier and 123 on eventual runner-up Upset.) Then in 1994, eventual Horse of the Year Holy Bull dueled rabbit Commanche Trail into defeat in 1:10-2/5 and found just enough left to stave off future Breeders' Cup Classic (USA-G1) winner Concern in 2:02.
It will take more than one race to stamp Arrogate as being in the same class as Holy Bull, let alone Man o' War. Talent is not enough to make a legend; it also takes consistency---which Arrogate has yet to prove against top company---and soundness, which has not been the strong suit of the progeny of Unbridled's Song. Nonetheless, if Arrogate can duplicate Holy Bull's feat of thrashing top older horses in his next outing, the rest of the 3-year-old male division had better look out: there's a new kid on the block, and he's ready to take on all comers.
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