Currency Swap and Gemologist to lock horns in an allowance race
Teresa Pompay trained 3-year-old colt, Currency Swap, who is already a grade 1 winner in the Hopeful Stakes at Saratoga as a juvenile is looking to add another grade 1 victory under his belt in the Grade 1 Florida Derby, but before he gets there he needs
a race to open up his account in the 2012 campaign, and see how far he has come after all the training.
Last raced in September, Currency Swap is pointed toward Gulfstream Park’s allowance test, over a distance of 1 mile on 16 March, 2012, where he will meet the winner of the Grade 2 Kentucky Jockey Club, Gemologist, at Churchill Downs last fall.
Todd Pletcher trains Gemologist, who is unbeaten in three career starts, will also make his 2012 debut in the Gulfstream Park allowance race over a distance of 1 mile. Currency Swap will be stretched out in distance from seven furlongs to 1 mile in his next
race, while Gemologist will be cut back in distance from 1 1/16 miles to 1 mile.
“It came up tough with Todd’s horse in there,” said Pompay. . “My horse is a monster, but so is Todd’s horse.”
Owned by William H. Lawrence’s Klaravich Stables, Currency Swap is the Florida bred son of High Cotton, out of mare Echo Bluff by Pine Bluff, and he will be ridden by jockey Rajiv Maragh, who guided him to all his victories as a juvenile.
Currency Swap broke his maiden at first asking at Saratoga, over a distance of six and a half furlongs, and then landed the Grade 1 Hopeful Stakes at about seven furlongs over the same race course, as he defeated Trinniberg in second and Big Blue Nation
in third with the winning time of 1 minute and 26.16 seconds.
On the other hand Gemologist is one race more experienced and accomplished than Currency Swap, as he is 3 of 3 in as many starts winning his maiden at first asking, and then downing an allowance/optional claimer at Churchill Downs. Capping off his season
with a win in the Grade 2 Kentucky Jockey Club.
Currency Swap is the 9 to 5 second choice for the Gulfstream Park allowance race, while Todd Pletcher’s Gemologist will be sent as the 8 to 5 favourite to win the race.
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