by Jenny Blandford
A. P. Arrow will make his first start since finishing fourth behind Horse of the Year Curlin in the Emirates Airline Dubai World Cup (UAE-G1) on March 29 in the $250,000 Maryland Lottery Pimlico Special Handicap (G1) on Friday at Pimlico Race Course.
An Allen Paulson Living Trust homebred, A. P. Arrow will make his third start of the season in the Pimlico Special. The A.P. Indy horse finished second to Spring At Last in his season debut in the Donn Handicap (G1) on February 2 at Gulfstream Park. Last season, A. P. Arrow earned two graded stakes victories in the Skip Away (G3) and Clark (G2) Handicaps.
A. P. Arrow will bid to add a Grade 1 victory to his record against a talented field of eight older horses—all graded stakes winners—in the 1 3/16-mile contest.
Grade 1 winner Student Council is winless in three starts this season and enters off an unplaced finish in the John B. Connally Turf Handicap (G3) on April 5 at Sam Houston Race Park. The Kingmambo horse has not reached the winner’s circle since he posted back-to-back wins in the Pacific Classic Stakes (G1) on August 19 and the Hawthorne Gold Cup Handicap (G2) on September 29.
Gottcha Gold enters off a win in this year’s Skip Away Handicap on March 15 at Gulfstream Park. Last season, the Coronado’s Quest horse won the Salvator Mile (G3) and Philip H. Iselin (G3) Handicaps before capping the season with a runner-up finish to Corinthian in the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile.
Grasshopper opened the season with a win in the Mineshaft Handicap (G3) on February 9 at Fair Grounds. The Dixie Union colt enters off consecutive runner-up finishes in the New Orleans Handicap (G2) on March 8 at Fair Grounds and the Westchester Handicap (G3) on April 30 at Belmont Park.
Other contenders are Grade 2 winners Wanderin Boy and Sir Whimsey; multiple Grade 3 winner Xchanger; and Grade 3 winners Temporary Saint and Ryan’s for Real.
Jenny Blandford is a Thoroughbred Times assistant daily news editor
The field, in post position order, with (sire), jockey, weight, and trainer:
1. Ryan's for Real (Sword Dance [IRE]), Erick D. Rodriguez, 115, Dale Capuano;
2. Gottcha Gold (Coronado's Quest), Charles C. Lopez, 118, Edward Plesa, Jr.;
3. Student Council (Kingmambo), Shaun Bridgmohan, 118, Steven M. Asmussen;
4. A. P. Arrow (A.P. Indy), Ramon A. Dominguez, 122, Todd A. Pletcher;
5. Xchanger (Exchange Rate), Garrett K. Gomez, 115, Mark Shuman;
6. Wanderin Boy (Seeking the Gold), Kent J. Desormeaux, 118, Nicholas P. Zito;
7. Grasshopper (Dixie Union), Robby Albarado, 117, Neil J. Howard;
8. Sir Whimsey (Jump Start), Edgar S. Prado, 117, James J. Toner; and
9. Temporary Saint (Awesome Again), John R. Velazquez, 114, Bruce N. Levine.