Saratoga notes: Currency Swap, Doctor Chit likely to rematch in King's Bishop

Tom Keyser

Currency Swap, winner of the Amsterdam Stakes, will make his next start in the King's Bishop.

It appears the first two finishers in Sunday’s Amsterdam, Currency Swap and Doctor Chit, could be headed for a rematch later this month in the Grade 1 King’s Bishop.

Trainer Terri Pompay said the King’s Bishop would be the most logical choice for Currency Swap’s next start, especially considering his affinity for the Saratoga surface, over which he’s perfect in three starts.

On Monday, trainer Todd Pletcher said the King’s Bishop also would likely be next for Doctor Chit, who cut out a swift pace before proving no match for Currency Swap during the closing stages of the 6 1/2-furlong Amsterdam.

“He turned in a big effort,” Pletcher said. “We thought we might be on the lead, and when Gun Boat got away poorly it kind of left us there. We didn’t anticipate we’d go quite that quick, 21 and 2, 44 and 4, but I thought he ran a good race. He seemed to come out of it well, so the King’s Bishop looks like the next logical possibility.”

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The King’s Bishop also is expected to attract the multiple-graded-stakes-winning speedster Trinniberg.

Mott gets another birthday win

For the 14th time in the last 21 years, trainer Bill Mott won a race on his birthday, sending out Alaura Michele to capture Sunday’s Nani Rose Stakes. Two of those years, his birthday fell on dark days.

Mott said prior to Sunday’s card that he thought his chances of repeating the feat again this year, on his 59th birthday, would not be as good as he’d hoped after races for two of the horses he’d entered and had high regard for on Sunday’s program did not fill.

“I’m starting to wish my birthday would start falling on dark days more often,” Mott said earlier Sunday. “The pressure is getting to be a little too much.”

◗ Divine Fortune will seek his third straight victory in the Grade 1 A.P. Smithwick Memorial on Thursday, and he tuned up for the race by working five furlongs in 1:01.44 over the Oklahoma turf course Monday. Trainer Jonathan Sheppard said Divine Fortune suffered a minor foot bruise last week, but all appeared to be well in light of Monday’s work.