NYRA/Adam Coglianese
by Sarah Mace
Sudden Surprise, a handsome bay 2-year-old son of New York freshman sire Giant Surprise, delivered a strong performance in his unveiling over the sloppy main track at Saratoga on Thursday, emerging as the much-the-best wire-to-wire winner of a New York-bred maiden special weight at 5 1/2 furlongs and giving his young sire a first progeny winner.
A homebred for Mike Repole trained by Todd Pletcher, Sudden Surprise went to post seven (of ten) under Hall of Fame jockey John Velazquez as the fourth betting choice at odds of 9-2.
Getting a jump on his rivals at the bell, Sudden Surprise shot to the lead in the opening strides of the race and never looked back. Carving out splits of 22.67 and 46.06 as he traveled comfortably over the sloppy going with a one-length lead, the colt negotiated the turn unchallenged in the two path and swung out three-wide for the drive. Sudden Surprise widened his lead in the stretch, and kept to his task to the wire, where he stopped the clock at 1:05.15 a 2 3/4-length winner. [VIDEO]
Pletcher said he was not surprised to see Sudden Surprise delivered such a strong debut performance. “He trained pretty well and we’d learned a few things about him his last couple breezes,” said Pletcher. “It seemed like he was a speed horse and wants to run freely. When it came up sloppy especially, we just wanted to make sure he got away alertly and utilize his speed.”
According to Pletcher, who also trained the colt’s sire Giant Surprise, the apple did not fall far from the tree. Said Pletcher, “Mike [Repole]’s got a handful of these Giant Surprises and they’ve all been training pretty well, but I told him [Sudden Surprise] one is the most physically similar [to his sire].”
Foaled at Mill Creek Farm in Stillwater, Sudden Surprise is the first foal out of Ready and Good, a placed Florida-bred runner by Ready and Good, also trained by Pletcher, who had a lone career start for Repole. She has visited Repole stallions exclusively, and has a yearling filly by Overdriven and a weanling filly by Stay Thirsty. She was bred this year to Uncle Mo.
Giant Surprise, who stands at Rockridge Stud in Hudson for $2,500, won his lone start for Repole-Pletcher exactly four years ago by 4 1/4 lengths in a much-anticipated debut at Saratoga. He completed the six furlongs in 1:10.23 and earned a 90 Beyer Speed Figure. Unfortunately his career was cut short prematurely after he suffered a non-displaced, condylar fracture in that start.
Bred in Kentucky by George and Charles Bolton and purchased by Repole from the Lane’s End consignment at the 2010 Keeneland September Yearling sale for $130,000, Giant Surprise is the first foal out of the unplaced A. P. Indy mare Twisted Sis. His second dam Twist Afleet, by Afleet, was a multiple Grade 1 winner of $659,240. Twist Afleet produced stakes-winner A New Twist and three stakes performers. The third dam Twist Her (Nativo) was also a stakes winner and multiple stakes producer.
