A. P. ARROW (A.P. Indy) entered the $554,000
Clark H. (G2) without a
prominent stakes win on his resume, but Allen Paulson Living Trust colorbearer
was able to fill the void on Friday, gamely outfinishing Brass Hat (Prized) to
win by three-quarters of a length. With Ramon Dominguez in the saddle, the Todd
Pletcher-trained horse stalked the pace before launching his rally into the
stretch, and the five-year-old completed 1 1/8 miles in 1:48 3/5 over the fast
Churchill Downs oval.
Dismissed as the 10-1 sixth choice, A. P. Arrow rated a few lengths back as
longshot Plug Me In (Hold for Gold) established the early pace in :23 4/5 and
:47 3/5. Fairbanks (Giant’s Causeway) took over through three-quarters in 1:11
2/5, but the field was bunching up around him as he turned into the stretch. A.
P. Arrow, one of three uncoupled runners from the Pletcher stable, surged
between rivals to hit the lead about a quarter-mile from the finish, but Brass
Hat was rallying strongly to his outside. Brass Hat leaned in to bump A. P.
Arrow soundly, briefly seizing the lead in the process, but the winner had more
in reserve and fought back to prevail in deep stretch.
“I was able to split horses to get in front and just make sure that he was
going to stay there,” Dominguez said. “The race unfolded just like Todd
(Pletcher) envisioned it. The other horse (Brass Hat) was always trying to
charge him, but he was making sure that he was going to stay there.”
“He is a horse that consistently has been running well,” Pletcher explained.
“Today, he got a really good position early, and I think that made the
difference.”
The chestnut returned $22.40, $10 and $5.20, and keyed the $313.40 exacta
with the 13-1 Brass Hat, who yielded $13.20 and $8.40 for the place. It was 2
1/2 lengths back to 3-1 second choice Diamond Stripes (Notebook), who paid
$3.20. Istan (Gone West), the 2-1 favorite, trailed by another 1 1/2 lengths in
fourth. The trifecta totaled $1,863.20, and the 4-5-1-8 superfecta was
$7,675.60. Fairbanks came next under the wire and was followed by Magna Graduate
(Honor Grades), Going Ballistic (Lite the Fuse), Purim (Dynaformer) and Plug Me
In.
Bred in Kentucky by his owner, A. P. Arrow is out of the Mr. Prospector mare
Garimpeiro, whose first foal, Grade 1 winner Geri (Theatrical [Ire]), earned
more than $1.7 million. The mare is also responsible for stakes winner Clure
(Theatrical [Ire]), Grade 3-placed runners Stage Sky (Theatrical [Ire]) and
Almonsoon (Giant’s Causeway), the unraced juvenile Vindgari (Vindication) and an
unnamed yearling filly by Theatrical (Ire). This is the female family of
champion and 1987 Breeders’ Cup Distaff (G1) winner Sacahusista (Raja Baba);
three-time Grade 1-winning millionaire Raging Fever (Storm Cat); and Grade 3
winner and sire Stormin Fever (Storm Cat).
Third in last year’s Clark (G1), A. P. Arrow earned his only previous stakes win in
the Skip Away H. (G3) earlier this season. He’s placed in eight black-type
events, including the 2007 Donn H. (G1) and the Hawthorne Gold Cup H. (G2) in
his most recent outing. With Friday’s $329,368 winner’s share, A. P. Arrow
became a millionaire, increasing his bankroll to $1,028,290 from a 21-5-4-6
line.