Juddmonte mourn the loss of spectacular Arrogate
The racing and breeding world was shocked by the sudden death of the once world’s highest rated racehorse, Arrogate (Unbridled’s Song), on Tuesday.
Owners Juddmonte reported that the former US champion three-year-old colt fell ill during last week with a suspected sore neck, and suspended breeding duties for the seven-year-old, however, after later falling to the ground he could not be saved. A cause of death is unknown.
Arrogate, whose first yearlings are set to hit the sales ring in 2020, was spectacular in winning the 2017 Dubai World Cup after being hampered at the start, while the performance that earned him the accolade of the world’s best came courtesy of his defeat of California Chrome (Lucky Pulpit) in the 2016 Breeders’ Cup Classic (Gr 1, 10f) at Santa Anita.
He would go on to claim the world’s two richest races, the Pegasus Invitational (Gr 1, 9f) and Dubai World Cup (Gr 1, 2000m), in consecutive performances in the early part of 2017 before his retirement after a fifth-placed finish defending his Breeders’ Cup crown.
His trainer, Bob Baffert, described him as the ‘the most incredible horse I’ve ever seen’ and that from a handler who had produced American Pharoah (Pioneerof the Nile) to a first Triple Crown success in 37 years just two years prior.
Following Arrogate being declared Longines World’s Best Racehorse for a second year in a row in 2017 for his performance in winning the Dubai World Cup, Baffert said: “I don’t think I’ll ever witness a race like it again. Watching the replay got me a little emotional – he just showed so much heart and determination to win. It was off the chart.
“That was the single best performance I have ever seen. That was incredible.”
News of his death will come as a blow to Juddmonte’s USA operation in Lexington, where Arrogate spearheaded their roster, standing for a fee of US$75,000 for his first two years at stud, while he stood for US$50,000 in 2020.
“We will never forget the ride Arrogate took us on,” said Garrett O’Rourke, general manager for Juddmonte USA. “Those four amazing races established him as one of the great racehorses of our time, breaking two track records, taking down champion California Chrome in a battle for the ages and then running by Gun Runner in another worldly performance in Dubai.
“We hope that the heartbreak of losing him so young can be soothed by proudly watching the achievement of his runners”.
Purchased by Juddmonte for US$560,000 at the Keeneland September yearling sales in 2014, Arrogate went on the become one of the world’s highest earning racehorses following his 11 career starts, amassing US$17,422,600 in prize-money, with more than US$12 million courtesy of his wins in the inaugural Pegasus Invitational and Dubai World Cup.
Arrogate led the first-crop sires average for his weanlings at Keeneland’s November Sale in 2019, where a filly out of the stakes-placed mare Lucas Street (Silver Deputy) sold for US$425,000.