Currency Swap and Trinniberg will go at it again Sept. 22 in the $300,000 Gallant Bob Stakes at Parx Racing, but both seem vulnerable nearing the end of a long 2012 campaign.
The sophomore sprinters have met three times before, once in their 2-year-old season and twice this year. First Currency Swap won the 2011 Three Chimneys Hopeful Stakes (gr. I) at Saratoga Race Course for Klaravich Stables and William H. Lawrence while Trinniberg finished second by three-quarters of a length. Then Trinniberg turned the tables in the 2012 Woody Stephens Stakes (gr. II) at Belmont Park, winning by 1 3/4 lengths for owner Sherry Parbhoo.
Between meetings, Currency Swap won the Amsterdam Stakes (gr. II) and Trinniberg finished second in the Carry Back (gr. III). But both failed to deliver in the third round, with Currency Swap finishing sixth and Trinniberg running ninth in the Aug. 25 Foxwoods King's Bishop Stakes (gr. I) last time out.
The colts also had three additional starts apart from each other this year. Trinniberg ran 17th in the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I) off back-to-back grade III victories in the Bay Shore and Swale Stakes. Currency Swap was 11th in the Illinois Derby (gr. III) between a runner-up finish in a Gulfstream Park allowance event and victory in Belmont's May 12 You and I Stakes.
Trainer Terri Pompay said Currency Swap came out of his off-the-board finish in the King's Bishop no worse for the wear. The son of High Cotton has two works at Pompay's Monmouth Park base, most recently four furlongs in :49 flat Sept. 13, second-fastest of 11 moves at the distance on the day.
"He's doing great, everything's on go with him," said Pompay. "I like my post in this race a lot better; he wasn't real happy at Saratoga when I ran him in the King's Bishop and he kind of got stuck down on the rail and boxed in. He wants to be more free-running; he's a big, heavy horse and he gets a little claustrophobic down in there."
Currency Swap drew the 8 hole and was assigned morning-line odds of 3-1 in the six-furlong Gallant Bob, which will be run as race nine on a 12-race Pennsylvania Derby (gr. II) Day card. The Gallant Bob has an approximate post time of 5:05 p.m. EDT.
"Hopefully we're kind of in the catbird seat out there in this race; we've got speed to the inside of us and can break good and let him get comfortable and see how the race is unfolding," said Pompay. "I expect him to run terrific."
Trinniberg, by Teuflesberg , has one breeze over the Calder Casino & Race Course surface since the King's Bishop; four furlongs in :47 flat Sept. 12, best of fifteen at the distance on the day. He breaks from post 7 at morning-line odds of 9-5.
"It's been a long campaign coming to the close of the year for these 3-year-olds," Pompay remarked. "They've had a pretty good year and some of these other guys who aren't as heavily raced at this point might prove to be formidable foes."
Il Villano, winner of the May 19 Chick Lang Stakes at Pimlico Race Course and third in the Woody Stephens behind the top two, could raise a challenge. At 9-2 on the morning line, the son of Pollard's Vision was second last out in the June 30 Red Legend Stakes at Charles Town for trainer Susan Crowell. He has never finished outside the top three in nine starts for owner Chuck Russo and was runner-up in the Hutcheson Stakes (gr. II) at the beginning of the season.
Laurie's Rocket comes off a fifth-place finish in the King's Bishop for Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas; the Bluegrass Cat colt seeks his first win since the April 7 Bachelor Stakes at Oaklawn Park. He was runner-up in the Chick Lang and danced many of the same dances as the top two, finishing fourth in the Hopeful, ninth in the Woody Stephens, and fourth in the Amsterdam for Gulf Coast Farms.
GSP Racing Stable's Well Spelled, the July 14 Jersey Shore Stakes (gr. III) victor by Spellbinder, got his only other win of the season going the Gallant Bob distance at Parx back in April for trainer Ben Perkins Jr.
Looking to hold a streak while bravely stepping up in company is James Costabile Jr. and Ronald Juliano's Raging Daoust, a son of Kafwain who was the comfortable winner of his past four outings in the allowance and claiming ranks for trainer Charles Carlesimo Jr. at Monmouth Park.
Good Friends Stable's Private Zone also makes an intriguing addition to the field. The Ontario-bred son of Macho Uno raced once in Panama, winning the group III Clasico German Ruiz, then ran twice at Del Mar with a fourth in optional claiming company and a fifth in the El Cajon Stakes. Leandro Mora is the trainer of record for the 20-1 shot as Doug O'Neill continues to serve a suspension.
Adirondack King, a Lawyer Ron colt whose most recent win dates back seven starts to the Nov. 13 Christopher Elser Memorial Stakes at Parx, and local allowance winner Jake N Elwood complete the field.
$300,000 Gallant Bob Stakes (Race 9, 5:05 p.m. EDT), 3YOs, 6 Furlongs
PP, Horse, Jockey, Weight, Trainer, Odds
1. Raging Daoust (KY), V. Santiago, 115, C J Carlesimo, Jr., 12-1
2. Adirondack King (KY), S. Elliott, 115, J C Servis, 20-1
3. IL Villano (KY), J.L. Flores, 119, S L Crowell, 9-2
4. Private Zone (ON), H. Karamanos, 124, L Mora, 20-1
5. Laurie's Rocket (KY), R.A. Dominguez, 115, D W Lukas, 6-1
6. Well Spelled (KY), P. Fragoso, 122, B W Perkins, Jr., 6-1
7. Trinniberg (KY), W. Martinez, 122, S Parbhoo, 9-5
8. Currency Swap (KY), R. Maragh, 122, T M Pompay, 3-1
9. Jake N Elwood (PA), F. Pennington, 115, M P Petro, 15-1
