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Pimlico Special back to highlight Preakness Eve card

After a one-year hiatus, the Pimlico Special H. (G1) returns to the fold on Friday's Preakness Eve program at Pimlico, a 13-race marathon card that includes four other stakes including the Black-Eyed Susan S. (G2).

From its 1937 inaugural won by War Admiral to its most recent edition in 2006 won by eventual Horse of the Year Invasor (Arg), the Pimlico Special has routinely showcased many of the best older horses in training. Its return to Pimlico's schedule came with a cost, however, as the financially strapped course has endowed the Special to only $250,000, a figure smaller than other races of comparable grade.

What the Special possibly lacks in championship implications it makes up for in competitiveness. There are no standouts in the field of nine who will travel 1 3/16 miles, though favoritism will probably fall on A. P. ARROW (A.P. Indy), whose victory in the Clark H. (G2) last November preceded a close runner-up finish in the Donn H. (G1) and a fourth behind reigning Horse of the Year Curlin (Smart Strike) in the Dubai World Cup (UAE-G1). A.P. Arrow has turned in two published works at Belmont since his return from Dubai, and will once again have the services of Ramon Dominguez.

Grasshopper stretches out again after a failed one-turn experiment (Lynn Roberts Photo/Fair Grounds Race Course) GRASSHOPPER (Dixie Union), five lengths second in the Westchester H. (G3) at Belmont on April 30, might have found a mile too short that day and has tended to run best around two turns. The Neil Howard trainee, who will once again be piloted by Robby Albarado, captured the Mineshaft H. (G3) earlier this year and has run second in the Travers S. (G1), Super Derby (G2) and New Orleans H. (G2) over the past year. SIR WHIMSEY (Jump Start), winner of a modest renewal of the Gulfstream Park H. (G2) in March, hopes to rebound from a third-place finish in the Ben Ali S. (G3) in his initial venture over Polytrack. GOTTCHA GOLD (Coronado's Quest), runner-up in the inaugural Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile last fall, showed rare rating ability en route to a 3 1/2-length triumph in the Skip Away H. (G3) at Gulfstream more recently. Though the speed of the speed, Gottcha Gold might be kept honest by the likes of recent Grade 3 winners RYAN'S FOR REAL (Sword Dance [Ire]) and TEMPORARY SAINT (Awesome Again), as well as Grade 2 winner WANDERIN BOY (Seeking the Gold), the runner-up behind Invasor in this race two years ago.

The Pimlico Special is rounded out by Pacific Classic (G1) winner STUDENT COUNCIL (Kingmambo), who has been outrun in four starts since taking the Hawthorne Gold Cup (G2) in October, and XCHANGER (Exchange Rate), winner of the Barbaro S. (G3) and Federico Tesio S. over this track last year.

In post order, the Pimlico Special field with jockey and weight is Ryan's For Real, Erick Rodriguez, 115; Gottcha Gold, C.C. Lopez, 118; Student Council, Shaun Bridgmohan, 118; A.P. Arrow, 122; Xchanger, Garrett Gomez, 115; Wanderin Boy, Kent Desormeaux, 118; Grasshopper, 117; Sir Whimsey, Edgar Prado, 117; Temporary Saint, John Velazquez, 114.

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