More than one flashy chestnut horse has been catching the attention of railbirds at Nad Al Sheba Racecourse this week.
A. P. Arrow, a six-year-old son of A.P. Indy, has cut an impressive figure on the track under exercise rider Eddie King, drawing questions of "Who's that?" along with some oohs and ahhs, even when he has been out at the same time as that better known red streak called Curlin.
On Saturday, A. P. Arrow will be running in the historical shadow of inaugural Dubai World Cup winner Cigar, carrying the same "AP" silks that the two-time Horse of the Year toted for his late owner and breeder Allen Paulson.
Trained by Todd Pletcher, who is seeking his first winner in Dubai, A. P. Arrow was bred by and is campaigned by the Allen Paulson Living Trust.
"We're happy to get the AP silks back over here," Paulson's son Michael said during the World Cup post position draw, adding that A. P. Arrow's assignment of post 13 in the 13th year of the Dubai World Cup could be a good omen that might result in the horse being "number one like Cigar."
A. P. Arrow is giving indications back at the barn that please the Pletcher team. Assistant trainer Ginny De Pasquale displayed a bruise on her arm left by an aggressive bite by the horse on Wednesday morning.
But De Pasquale wasn't upset. She pointed out that Circular Quay had also bitten her just before he won the New Orleans Handicap (gr. II) on March 8.