Currency Swap, Going to Kukaro capitalize on Peter Pan undercard

Currency Swap, Going to Kukaro

capitalize on Peter Pan undercard

by John Cox

Klaravich Stables and William Lawrence's Currency

Swap captured the $83,300

You and I Stakes at Belmont Park on

Saturday in wire-to-wire fashion. Sent off as the nearly 3-2 favorite, the

Teresa Pompay trainee completed the seven-furlong contest in 1:22 2/5, winning

by three-quarters of a length over the fast dirt. Jockey Rajiv Maragh was aboard to

guide the High Cotton three-year-old to his second stakes victory and first win of 2012.

"When I saw him on the

overnight, I was really excited," Maragh said. "He's a really talented horse. I

got a good draw on the outside, so I had a shot to break and see what was

happening. It didn't seem like the pace was developing fast, so I kind of just

took advantage of that and stayed close and he finished strong. He kept on going

-- it definitely was not the end of his run at the wire. He had more left."

Currency Swap entered Saturday's race off his first unplaced finished after

running 11th in the Grade 3 Illinois Derby on April 7. He was sent off the 3-2

second pick in the five-horse field and returned $5.10, $3.50 and $2.10.

"The two turns, and a mile and

an eighth in the Illinois Derby was a lot to throw at him, and he had a rough

trip besides, so it was good to regroup," Pompay said. "There were still

some nice racehorses in here, but it was a little bit less salty and it will

pick his head up."

Currency Swap became a Grade 1 winner in just his second

career start, taking the Hopeful Stakes at Saratoga last September 5. He then took

a nearly six-month layoff until finishing second to eventual Kentucky Derby

contender Gemologist in an allowance while making his sophomore bow at

Gulfstream Park on March 16.

With hopes of making the field of 20 in

the Kentucky Derby, Currency Swap was then entered in the Illinois

Derby but failed to place, finishing a

disappointing 11th as the favorite. Saturday's win boosted his earnings to $248,300

and Currency

Swap's line now reads 5-3-1-0. Next up on the bay colt's radar could be the

Grade 2 Woody Stephens Stakes going seven furlongs on the Belmont Stakes

undercard.

"I talked to the owners and we

wanted to win this and thinking maybe the Woody Stephens and then maybe later in

the year trying to stretch him back out and see if he can do it," Pompay said.

"But we want to keep his confidence up and give him a few good races in a row

where we know he can be really effective."

Michael Dubb et al's Going to Kukaro held on to take the $85,000

Genuine Devotion Stakes by a nose

later on Belmont's Saturday card. Sent off as the

6-5 favorite, the Tony Dutrow trainee finished the six-furlong, firm-inner turf

battle in 1:09. Jockey Javier Castellano guided the four-year-old Speightstown filly

in her stakes bow, which improved her career mark to 7-4-2-1, $162,898.

Sunlight Sonata, the near 4-1 second choice in the Genuine Devotion, was

pulled up and vanned off.