Pompay Poised to Strike in NATC Futurity

Hoping to continue a strong string of success with her 2-year-olds, trainer Terri Pompay will saddle a pair of runners in Saturday’s colt division of the $150,000 NATC Futurity at Monmouth Park.

In a six-horse field comprised of three one-time victors and three maidens, Pompay will send out one of each.

Klaravich Stables & W.H. Lawrence’s Managed Account was a dominant 5 ¼-length winner of his debut back on Aug. 13.  In his subsequent start, the Malibu Moon colt was jostled at the start before rallying to finish fourth in the Grade 3 Sapling.

“In his first race, he showed that he likes to sit a little bit off the pace,” Pompay said.  “Then in the Sapling, he broke fine but was shut off and was way out of it before closing huge to be fourth.”

Nick of Time Stable’s Dangerous Trick set the pace and tired to fifth behind his stablemate in the Aug. 13 maiden special weight event.  Last out, the son of Forest Danger sat off the pace and rallied to finish second behind Forward March.

“I didn’t really have any instructions for him first time out,” Pompay said.  “He was on the lead and ended up getting burnt out.  In his last race, I told the rider to break well and get position where he was comfortable.  It seemed like he finished much better in that race.  The winner was just much the best.”

While the Pompay pair, along with the Allen Iwinski-trained Unreal, make up the Monmouth Park-based runners in the colts division of the NATC Futurity, the Todd Pletcher-trained Hunt Crossing ships in from Saratoga after finishing seventh in the Grade 1 Hopeful behind another Pompay runner.

“Currency Swap seems to have come out of the Hopeful great,” Pompay said.  “I think at this point we’re going to train him up to the Breeders’ Cup [Juvenile].  We have the option of running him in the Champagne [Grade 1 on October 2 at Belmont Park], but I think I’d rather have a healthy, happy and undefeated horse heading to Churchill.”