Gulfstream Park: Zero Rate Policy gears up for the Florida Sunshine Millions Sprint

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Trainer Terri Pompay had plenty reason to be smiling Friday morning at Gulfstream Park. Not only did her steadily improving sprinter Zero Rate Policy zip a half-mile in 46.61 seconds under jockey Paco Lopez shortly after the renovation break, but she’s also got her top 3-year-old prospect Currency Swap back in the barn and out on the track preparing for what she hopes will be a run along the Triple Crown trail.

Zero Rate Policy is working toward a rematch with Apriority here next Saturday in the Florida Sunshine Millions Sprint. The pair met for the first time Dec. 31, with Apriority coming out a nose the best in the Grade 3 Mr. Prospector. Zero Rate Policy is already a stakes winner at the meet, having rallied to a 1 1/4-length victory over Manicero in the Sunshine State going seven furlongs Dec. 4.

Zero Rate Policy finished very strong under some late urging from Lopez in Friday’s work, shading 23 seconds for his final quarter before galloping out five-eighths in 59.23 around the clubhouse turn.

“He went a little faster than I wanted him to, but he did it real easily,” Pompay said. “He’s doing great. He keeps getting better and better. He’s kind of matured up. He used to be kind of a geek, but he’s got it all together now and he loves this track. It looks like we’ve got to beat Apriority again.”

Currency Swap won both his starts at 2, including the Grade 1 Hopeful, before going to the sidelines with an ankle injury. He had been in light training on the farm in Ocala prior to being reunited with Pompay late Wednesday afternoon.

“He went to the track here for the first time” Thursday, Pompay said. “He’s breezed a slow three-eighths on the farm. I’ll give him a week just to take it easy and get acclimated to the surface here. Once I get a handle on how fit he is, we’ll get a game plan together for him.”