'Surprise' Confrontation Tough in Fred Hooper

Eric Dattner and Harry Astarita's Confrontation has been a pleasant surprise from the start.

The 5-year-old War Pass gelding began his career winning a $50,000 maiden claiming event at Saratoga Race Course, and on Feb. 7 he will try to become a stakes winner in the $100,000 Fred W. Hooper Stakes (gr. III) from Gulfstream Park.

"Everything he's done has been a surprise," trainer Barclay Tagg said. "We never expected that much from him. We didn't pay that much for him, and we just didn't have great expectations. He's a funny little mover, but when goes out there and runs, he runs. Everything he's done has been a complete surprise and a good surprise. That's the best way to have it."

Confrontation romped to a 7 1/4-length victory at Saratoga to break his maiden on Aug. 1, 2013, and the Kentucky-bred has continued to be a source of surprise for Dattner and Astarita ever since his sparkling debut.

Out of the money only once in 10 lifetime races, Confrontation looms as a strong contender in the Fred Hooper after finishing a close second behind Lea in the $150,000 Hal's Hope (gr. III) Jan. 10. Lea is expected to go off as the favorite in Saturday's $500,000 Donn Handicap (gr. I), one of six stakes on a 13-race program from Gulfstream.

Rajiv Maragh, who was Confrontation's regular rider before being sidelined by a broken arm in October, will return aboard the five-time winner in the one-mile, one-turn Hooper. He replaces Joe Bravo, who rode the gelding in back-to-back second-place finishes in the $200,000 Bold Ruler Handicap (gr. III) at Belmont Park and the Hal's Hope.

"I thought he ran very well (in the Hal's Hope). Nothing against Joey, but I put Rajiv back on for this race," Tagg said. "He's had five wins and a second in six rides on him, so the owner wanted to put him on there, and I couldn't blame him."

Confrontation's only off-the-board finish came in a ninth-place result in the $500,000 Forego Stakes (gr. I) at Saratoga Aug. 30.

"He's done everything we've asked him to do," Tagg said. "I think the race is going to come up pretty tough, but I think he'll run his race, I hope. It's back a little bit sooner than I wanted to run him back, but it was either go in a supposedly easier stake or a really hard stake a few more weeks away. He was doing really well and kicking the barn down, so I thought we'd put him in this one."

Confrontation will break from post 3 in the 12-horse field and will carry 119 pounds.

Grande Shores, along with Adirondack King and Valid, all will start carrying 121 pounds as the three co-high weights.

Jacks or Better Farm's Grande Shores will make his graded stakes debut in the Hooper after finishing no worse than second in 12 consecutive races, winning five times in that span.

"They always say that quality horses' form cycles don't vary much," trainer Stanley Gold said. "With cheaper horses, you never know who's going to pop up and win, but good horses maintain their form. He's been maintaining his form. Soundness has a lot to do with it. He's sound; he's durable; he's happy."

Grande Shores, a half brother to multiple graded stakes winner Jackson Bend, will break from the rail under jockey Edgard Zayas.

"I'm not worried about the mile," Gold said. "It's one turn, as long as it's one turn, it should be just fine for him."