Arrogate is beginning to resemble a superstar and that accolade will be put to the test in Saturday's G1 Dubai World Cup (2000m), the thrilling finale to a stunning six-race simulcast broadcast from Meydan's annual glory day.
The huge four-year-old colt has emerged with such force that there were fears that even the possibility of his presence would deter rivals but not only is it a numerically strong field but there is no shortage of international quality.
And California-based Bob Baffert, trainer of the world's top-rated racehorse after winning the G1 Breeders' Cup Classic (2000m) at Santa Anita and being a runaway winner of the inaugural G1 Pegasus World Cup (1800m) at Gulfstream Park, is well aware of these facts. The 63-year-old says: "I brought this great horse over here and I don't want to mess it up. I'm not taking anything for granted - it's still a horse race and I'm going into it focused."
Baffert has twice won the Dubai World Cup before but those triumphs were at the former track at Nad Al Sheba, and whilst praising the Meydan dirt surface the trainer makes some interesting observations: "I really liked that old track but Meydan is totally different with tighter turns. You need a lot of racing luck to get away from the gate, and it can become a jockeys' race."
And whilst he reports that Arrogate seems in great shape, he adds "You never know until they are turning for home. Is your horse going to show up?"
Those touted to give Mike Smith's mount most worry over the 2000m include Arrogate's own talented stablemate Hoppertunity, and the small but highly effective Gun Runner trained by Steve Asmussen, another former Dubai World Cup winning American.
Of the many other points of interest include the fact that Joao Moreira has been booked to ride Japan's Gold Dream, winner of a prestigious G1 at Tokyo in February. And let's not forget issues of where the pace will come from? There are plenty of theories about that, and maybe it will be especially relevant because all four dirt races on 'Super Saturday' earlier this month were won from the front.
Strategy will also be intriguing in the Dubai Sheema Classic (2410m), one of four other G1's in the broadcast. Ryan Moore's mount Highland Reel captured the G1 Breeders' Cup Turf (2400m) and nearly won a second G1 LONGINES Hong Kong Vase (2400m) with bold tactics and his rivals include confirmed closer and last year's brilliant winner Postponed.
Postponed's rider Andrea Atzeni needs to prevent a similar scenario to his shock defeat by Prize Money on Super Saturday after suffering a nightmare trip. Trainer Roger Varian sounds positive however and reports that Postponed - a four times G1 winner - to be "much sharper" for that 2017 return.
Amongst opponents to Hong Kong's Dundonnell and Not Listenin'tome in the G1 Dubai Golden Shaheen (1200m) is the extraordinary eleven-year-old speedster Reynaldothewizard, who won this 1200m charge way back in 2013. Discussing the old boy this week jockey Richard Mullen said: "He doesn't know he's eleven and he's only raced 27 times in his life. There's no sign of him slowing up."
Equally extraordinary is the fact that Chad Summers, trainer of possible favourite Mind Your Biscuits in this G1 encounter, is yet to send out a single winner, admittedly after only a handful of attempts. It would make a great story if the 32-year-old New Yorker's first-ever winner comes on this huge international stage.
