Pegasus World Cup: Chrome can cap remarkable career

The concept of the Pegasus World Cup attracted plenty of interest when it was first announced in May last year. It is unique in world horseracing in that the entrants have had to effectively buy their way in at the not inconsiderable sum of $1m to have a chance to compete for a share of the $12m prize fund. Once purchased, however, the owners of the slots were able to lease, sell or share their place in the line-up. All that has added up to what is now the richest horserace in the world, taking the place of the Dubai World Cup.

Of course, what the richest race in the world needs is the best horses, and for a while there was some doubt as to whether that would materialise – but materialise it has – with the two highest-rated horses in the world, Arrogate and California Chrome, renewing their rivalry following a scintillating battle in the Breeders’ Cup Classic last November.

Fresh from a front-running, track record-smashing win in the Travers at Saratoga in August, Arrogate took his form to the next level in the Classic, getting on top of the admirable California Chrome in the shadows of the post at Santa Anita. In so doing, Arrogate recorded a Timeform rating of 139, the highest ever given to a North American racehorse, nudging him ahead of Cigar and 2015 Triple Crown winner American Pharoah. In defeat, California Chrome actually equalled that pair’s rating, running the race of his life.

Saturday, however, presents a different set of circumstances for both, namely that the post-position draw hasn’t been particularly kind to either. Arrogate is down in stall 1 in the field of 12, while California Chrome finds himself marooned on the far outside. How this will pan out tactically is probably the most interesting aspect of the race given that the other 10 starters, on paper at least, are seemingly just there to make up the numbers.

The general consensus appears to be that Arrogate needs to go forward from the break, but if he isn’t sharply away (as was the case in the Classic), he could quickly find himself in a pocket. Conversely, Victor Espinoza needs to try and ensure that California Chrome doesn’t give away too much ground from his wide berth. The other salient point is that this clash comes over a furlong less than their Classic encounter, a distance that may well play more to California Chrome’s strengths than Arrogate’s. It is far from stretching it to say that Arrogate would probably have failed to reel in California Chrome had their clash been over this trip.

What of the others? Well, most are out of their depth in trying to lock horns with the big two, however, Keen Ice did take the rather notable scalp of American Pharoah in 2015, and was a plugging-on third to Arrogate and California Chrome in the Classic. With the prospect of a fast pace on the cards, he looks the best option to fill that position once more.

As for the big two, well, you pays your money and you takes your choice.

Arrogate will have his supporters, and could well go down as one of the greats in time, but the circumstances of this clash may just favour California Chrome in his final start before retirement, and he is taken to edge out his younger rival in what is sure to be a race for the ages.

Recommendation:

Back California Chrome in the Pegasus World Cup