ARROGATE'S BIG WIN ON AN INTERNATIONAL STAGE UNDERLINES THE MAGNIFICENCE OF THE SPORT

By Graham Potter | Wednesday, March 29, 2017

Only a horse can take racing to its greatest heights.

Moments of true recognition of the magnificence of the sport are rare but when they arrive on the back of a superior galloper they are cherished ... as it was at the mighty Meydan racetrack with the running of the Dubai World Cup meeting.

Arrogate’s win in the $10 million feature race displayed racing at its finest. Here was a champion racehorse doing what champion racehorses do and the fact that his brilliance was complimented so superbly by the his team of connections who displayed so much class of their own during the event only added to the special nature of the occasion.

Arrogate did his talking on the track where he made an absolute statement. Off the track trainer Bob Baffert and jockey Mike Smith stole the show in the official post-race press conference for the humble manner in which they conducted themselves.

No over the top celebration. Just an awe-struck, genuine humbleness at the part they have been allowed to play in racing’s record books.

The post-race press conference takes you into the heart of the race which you can live through the eyes of the trainer and the ‘in the saddle’ view of the jockey.

This transcript shows what it feels like to be involved with arguably the best racehorse on the planet. As such it is well worth the read.

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BOB BAFFERT:

“That was a ‘WOW’. When he missed the break I was thinking, why?

“There were a lot of things going through my mind. This great horse was dead last and giving the others a head start.

“Down the back I didn’t know if he was running or not and I saw Mike was just sitting on the outside so I thought Mike would take care of him and won’t abuse him.

“Then, at the far turn, he made a little move and I got a bit of hope. When they turned for home I told my wife ... if he wins this race from there he is the most incredible horse I’ve ever seen.

“Then ... here he comes. I knew once he had them in his sights ... he’s got that long stride and when sees a target ... well, I knew what was happening.

“I got really emotional about being involved with this horse.

“The race itself was so emotional for me because I went from first was thinking I couldn’t believe we’ve come all this way and he is last. How could he break so poorly. I was like the whole crowd ... you could hear the heavy sign.

“I was thinking, what is this? There is no chance he can win. This is not Hollywood. This is not a script where he comes running at the end.

“Then, suddenly, my thoughts changed.

“He made that turn for home and all of a sudden started coming with that tremendous long stride of his. He was just gobbling up the ground and I was now thinking, no way.

“I was watching it unfold like everybody else thinking where does this horse come from. He just shows us something spectacular every time he runs. It is an unbelievable feeling but one of great satisfaction.

“He is still just a big kid, learning how to run.

“I did feel a little bit guilty bringing him all of the way here but he didn’t get to go through the classics. He doesn’t have what some others have had. You know American Pharaoh touched millions of hearts winning the Triple Crown. A great horse, but I have this other great horse and he has had to establish himself.

“There have been races where he has been every lucky but I think he did establish himself today. I mean, if anybody wasn’t like super impressed with that they just don’t like horseracing.

“I still can’t believe he won that race. There were good horses in there. I knew this was going to be his toughest challenge but it was quite unbelievable what he did.

“Watching Zenyatta win the Breeder’s Cup ... I had a horse in that race and I got beat but I was so excited that I was there to witness it ... to be part of it.

Everybody loved that day and everybody was so happy and feeling good about our sport.

I think that everybody that was here at Meydan tonight is going to leave here thinking, wow, I was glad I was there to witness that win.”

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MIKE SMITH:

“I had to be calm early. I had no choice to be honest.

We got squeezed on leaving and I had no choice but to let him collect himself ... let him gather himself ... and then to see where we are at.

“I rode the great mare Zenyatta and she used to come from way back there and she used to take a little time to get going ... but I had so much confidence in him.

"Once I got to the backside and he levelled off, I just moved a little and he jumped at them ... and when he did that I thought, we’re still here and we weren’t far off them.

“We’ve got this long stretch and I actually kinda geared him down a little bit again because I didn’t want him to get running and hit the front at the quarter pole.

“Then when I called on him heading for home he just took off and it was just incredible. Just incredible.

“I won the Breeder’s Cup Classic on Zenyatta and people have said that was the greatest race. I think this race just topped it.

“Whatever happened in the race I think it happened for a reason. It made this race and it made him much more impressive than if he had broken in second place.

“I mean can you imagine ... he did what he did after all of that. Otherwise it might have been kinda a boring race whereas the way it played out made it an unbelievable race.

It truly did!

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OWNERS' SPOKESMAN:

“We did have a pause after the Pegasus and did not commit to coming to this race for the reason of not wanting to overburden Bob with the pressure of having to make an early decision and also thinking of the horse.

“We waited and waited and waited ... but all the signals were good to come here.

“We were also talking about what made it worthy of coming here. Well, I think sometimes when you have a great athlete and they have the capabilities and you are not sure whether it is the right thing or the wrong thing to do ... you’ve got to take the chance and let them just flaunt their stuff.

“I didn’t expect that he would have to flaunt it so much today but it was very impressive.

“Sometimes a circumstance presents itself to allow a horse to really show how brilliant he is and he got that opportunity today.

“It wouldn’t have been out choice but, with the way it worked out, I delighted now that he got to show how brilliant he is ... because he had to be brilliant to win today.”