Arrogate © Del Mar Thoroughbred Club

Working on his own with jockey Martin Garcia in the tack, superstar Arrogate clipped off a solid seven-furlong drill in 1:25.20 Tuesday at Del Mar as trainer Bob Baffert and regular rider Mike Smith looked on from the track’s grandstand.

The big, gray colt broke off from the five-furlong pole at 7:55 on an overcast morning and worked about five lanes out from the rail. Track clockers caught him in splits of :25.20, :37.20, :48.40, 1:00.60 and 1:12.60 along the way. He was timed on the gallop out in 1:38.20. The son of Unbridle’s Song easily moved past a pair of unrelated workers down on the rail in the stretch and kept to his business. Garcia gave him a bit of encouragement toward the end of the work.

“It was a serious work,” said Baffert, who indicated he was quite pleased with his charge. “He didn’t need much encouragement. He’s showing no signs (of regressing following his fourth-place finish in the TVG San Diego Handicap on July 22). He’s moving forward. I’ve seen a big difference in him since that last race. He’s back to his old self again.”

Smith, who has been aboard Arrogate in his last five starts, four of which were Grade I affairs that he impressively captured and in the process pushed his career earnings past a record $17-million, liked what he saw Tuesday.

“He looked good,” the Hall of Famer said. “He galloped out strong.”

Baffert stated that the colt would work again next Monday in his final major move before the August 19 TVG Pacific Classic, a $1-million Breeders’ Cup “Win and You’re In” race that is likely to be his last start in front of the $6-million Breeders’ Cup Classic. Both of those races are at a mile and a quarter at this seaside oval.