Defending Breeders’ Cup Classic champion Arrogate was cut to 5-2 (from 3) to retain his title at Del Mar on Saturday week after he, and market leader Gun Runner, impressed in their final serious workouts on Monday morning.

Arrogate (Liesl King)

Trained by Bob Baffert, who is seeking a fourth successive win in the $6 million event, Arrogate defeated California Chrome in a pulsating Classic 12 months ago before adding the Pegasus World Cup and Dubai World Cup to his haul, but has failed to win in two starts since Dubai.

However, after Arrogate stylishly breezed past a stablemate in a mile workout at Santa Anita on Monday, Baffert told bloodhorse.com: “We were looking for a stiff work out of him today. He handled it really well. Every work he’s moving forward. He looks great to me.

“Gun Runner – I got to see him work today, and he’s pretty impressive too. This is the toughest Classic I think I’ve seen in years. You cannot make a mistake. You have to be ready. It’s going to be a nail-biter.”

Baffert had not been the only person to have noted the workout from the Steve Asmussen-trained Gun Runner, the 7-4 favourite for the Classic.

He took to the track at Santa Anita around an hour before Arrogate to work with a stablemate over 7f, readily leaving his companion behind.

– bloodhorse.com