World champion Arrogate returns to action at Del Mar

Preview: USA, Saturday 2.10am Sun BST (live on ATR)
Del Mar: San Diego Hcap (Grade 2) 1m½f | dirt | 3yo+

World champion Arrogate (Bob Baffert/Mike Smith) returns from his summer holiday since his spectacular last-to-first victory in the Dubai World Cup in a Grade 2 event at Del Mar in southern California on Saturday.

The highest prize-money earner in racing history after his winning spree in the Breeders' Cup Classic, Pegasus World Cup and Dubai, the four-year-old superstar concedes 8lb and more to five seemingly overmatched opponents in the San Diego Handicap.

However, Arrogate would be giving away far more in a true European-style handicap and still has stacks in hand according to Racing Post Ratings in a $300,000 contest that is being used by trainer Bob Baffert as a prep race for the $1 million Pacific Classic on August 19.

America's King Croesus

How Arrogate became the top prize-money earner of all time

August 2016 - Saratoga: Travers Stakes (total prize-money $1.25m)

After missing Triple Crown, 13-length romp establishes Arrogate as best three-year-old in America.

November 2016 - Santa Anita: Breeders' Cup Classic ($6m)

Arrogate beats California Chrome in epic duel for America's most prestigious race, enough to make him world champion in 2016.

January 2017 - Gulfstream Park: Pegasus World Cup ($12m)

As California Chrome fails to run his race, Arrogate has little more than a lap of honour to win the richest race ever run.

March 2017 - Meydan: Dubai World Cup ($10m)

After missing the break and racing wide on a muddy track, Arrogate confirms his superstar status with an unforgettable victory.

Baffert notes that, although Arrogate won a minor allowance race over course and distance 12 months ago, the San Diego is over a trip short of his optimum. "It's a mile and a sixteenth, which is not really his distance, but he's ready for a race," said the west-coast legend, who also saddles six-time winner Cat Burglar (Rafael Bejarano), a seven-year-old work partner of the favourite.

Even so, anything other than a resounding victory will be regarded as an unpleasant shock for Arrogate's connections, given that he has not met defeat in seven starts since his career debut in April last year and is sure to start a long odds on. He is a 1-10 chance with Ladbrokes, for example.

"He still has to break and there's still racing luck involved," said Baffert. "As long as he's healthy and doing well, I just take him there and he always shows us something different."

Longines World's Best Racehorse Rankings for 2017

1. Arrogate 134 (Bob Baffert, USA)

2. Winx 132 (Chris Waller, Aus)

3. Gun Runner 125 (Steve Asmussen, USA)

4. Ribchester 124 (Richard Fahey, GB)

5. Churchill 123 (Aidan O'Brien, Ire)

= Hartnell 123 (John O'Shea, Aus)

= Highland Reel 123 (Aidan O'Brien, Ire)

= Jack Hobbs 123 (John Gosden, GB)

Ratings compiled by IFHA for period Jan 1 – July 9, 2017

Arrogate has scared off any potentially dangerous rivals, and none of those lining up against him are likely to strike fear into anybody's hearts. Accelerate (John Sadler/Victor Espinoza) and Dalmore (Keith Desormeaux/Kent Desormeaux) are the only other Graded stakes winners but neither has scored this season.

Cat Burglar may never have won a Graded race but he was in front of Accelerate and Donworth (Doug O'Neill/Mario Gutierrez) in a Grade 3 at Santa Anita last month. Minor allowance winner El Huerfano (Peter Miller/Evin Roman) completes the line-up; he was beaten by Cat Burglar in an optional claimer in March.

Also on Saturday

Saratoga: Diana Stakes (Grade 1) 1m1f | turf | 3yo+ | f/m (11.18pm BST, live on ATR)

No messing about at North America's most prestigious meeting as Saratoga gets into top-level action on only the second card of its 40-day meeting with the first of 18 Grade 1s scheduled before September 4.

Top turf mare Lady Eli (Chad Brown/Irad Ortiz) bids for revenge against Dickinson (Kiaran McLaughlin/Paco Lopez), who nipped her in the Jenny Wiley at Keeneland in March.

Lady Eli, who has won eight and finished second three times in 11 career starts, raced more prominently than usual last time when scoring off a slow pace in the Gamely; there might not be much of a gallop here either as she bids for her fifth Grade 1 triumph.

Dickinson has an 8lb pull with Juddmonte's Antonoe (Chad Brown/Javier Castellano), who beat her a length last time at Belmont.

Ladbrokes: 5-4 Lady Eli, 9-4 Antonoe, 4 Dickinson, 8 Quidura, 25 Harmonize, 33 My Impression

>>A total of about $40 million in prize-money at an average of $100,000 will be distributed at Saratoga this summer, when they race every day except Tuesdays until September 4.