Arrogate becomes first G1 Travers winner to go on to Breeders' Cup Classic glory; Jose Ortiz gets first BC win

by NYRA Press Office

Juddmonte Farm's Grade 1 Travers hero Arrogate led the charge of New York Racing Association stakes winners to go on to victory in the 2016 Breeders' Cup World Championships this weekend, outdueling the venerable California Chrome to become the first winner of the Mid-summer Derby to go on to victory in Saturday's Grade 1, $6 million Classic at Santa Anita Park.

Although stabled at Hall of Famer Bob Baffert's training base in Southern California for most of the year, the late-developing Arrogate had stamped himself a solid Classic contender and staked his claim as a leader of this year's 3-year-old division with his 13 ½-length victory in the Travers at Saratoga Race Course, smashing the 1 ¼-mile track record of 2:00 by stopping the clock at 1:59.36 in his stakes debut on August 27.

Along with Arrogate, fellow Baffert trainee Drefong also honed his talents at Saratoga this summer, following up a 3 ¼-length victory on Travers Day in the Grade 1 Ketel One King's Bishop victory with his second graded stakes score in the $1.5 million TwinSpires Breeders' Cup Sprint on Saturday.

New York-based trainer Kiaran McLaughlin won his first Breeders' Cup race in California, and third overall, with Tamarkuz, who rebounded from runner-up finishes in the Grade 1 Priority One Jets Forego and the Grade 2 Kelso Handicap to earn his first North American victory with a 3 ½-length score in the Las Vegas Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile.

Six-time NYRA meet leading jockey Jose Ortiz continued his meteoric rise to the top ranks of his profession with his first Breeders' Cup victory aboard Oscar Performance for trainer Brian Lynch in the $1 million Juvenile Turf, his fourth Grade 1 of 2016.

With 295 wins and earnings of more than $20 million already in 2016, the 23-year-old native of Puerto Rico has been in the midst of a breakout year. Ortiz, who also won the Grade 3 Senator Ken Maddy on Saturday's Breeders' Cup undercard aboard Hall of Fame trainer Shug McGaughey's Fair Point, has earned four individual meet titles on the New York circuit this year, capped by his first leading rider titles during the Belmont spring/summer and Saratoga meets.

Javier Castellano, named the Eclipse Award winner for outstanding jockey in 2013-2015, picked up his seventh Breeders' Cup win when he piloted New Money Honey to victory in the Juvenile Fillies Turf, bringing trainer Chad Brown's Breeders' Cup win total to eight. Jockey Joel Rosario and Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott teamed up to score their respective fifth and 10th Breeders' Cup wins whenTourist burst through along the rail and hold off Tepin in the $2 million Mile.

Another star who dazzled in New York this year was Songbird, winner of the Grade 1 Coaching Club American Oaks and Grade 1 Alabama while stabled at Saratoga this summer. Making her first start against older horses, the 3-year-old filly nearly stole the crown from three-time Eclipse Award-winner Beholder in an epic edition of the $2 million Distaff when she came up a nose short of the champion mare to suffer her first defeat in 12 career starts.

Other New York stakes winners put in strong showings in their respective Breeders' Cup assignments as well, including two-time Grade 1 Sword Dancer victor Flintshire, who finished a hard-fought second to European invader Highland Reel in the Turf; 2015 Travers winner Keen Ice, a late-closing third in his first stakes start since the Dubai World Cup in March; Grade 1 Flower Bowl and 2014 Juvenile Fillies Turf winner Lady Eli, a valiant second in her much-anticipated Breeders' Cup return in the Filly & Mare Turf; Juvenile Fillies Turf runner-upCoasted, winner of the P. G. Johnson in September; and 2015 Filly & Mare Sprint winner Wavell Avenue, who returned to finish a close second in this year's edition.

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Arrogate becomes first G1 Travers winner to go on to Breeders' Cup Classic glory; Jose Ortiz gets first BC win

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