NYRA/Chelsea Durand
By Sarah Mace
Repole homebred Sudden Surprise was looking for his first win of 2016 at Aqueduct on Sunday afternoon in the 6 1/2-furlong, $100,000 Times Square division of the New York Stallion Series for New York sired 3-year-olds. He was also seeking redemption for an inexplicable clunker last out on March 6 the open Jimmy Winkfield, when he failed to fire and finished last as the favorite. In the event, the son of New York-based Repole stallion Giant Surprise gratified his connections with a fifth career stakes victory as Aqueduct Racetrack concluded its 19-day spring meet.
Bet down to 4-5 favoritism with John Velazquez in the irons, Sudden Surprise broke cleanly from his inside post and assumed the lead shortly after the start.
Taking the field through a quarter in 23.76 and half-mile in 47.04, while maintaining a one-length advantage over Lucky Lurie, he was called upon for more run at the quarter pole when the competition began to encroach.
Steadfast to the wire, despite drifting out in the stretch, Sudden Surprise crossed the finish line a 1 1/4-length winner in a final time of 1:17.66.
Lucky Lurie finished second, three-quarters of a length in front of Dr. Shane and Bust Another, who finished heads apart in third and fourth. Completing the order of finish were Timber and Gaming. [VIDEO]
Velazquez commented, “[The trip was] just the way we expected it. We came out running and I put him to the lead and tried to hold on. With all those horses, he likes to be there, so why take away his fight, you know, his style.”
Continued the winning rider, “[He’s] pretty much the same [as last year]. The only thing he did today he was a little green, running in and out; I don’t remember him doing that before, but he put in a good fight. I thought once he was in front and the horse would come to him, he would get to put in his fight and we’d be good.”
Byron Hughes, assistant to trainer Todd Pletcher, said, “Now we can cross a line through that last race. He’s a very consistent horse and it was a good win. Last time out, he just didn’t fire. It’s very exciting for him to win his fifth stakes race. Timing-wise, we’ll see how he comes out of it and go from there.”
At two Sudden Surprise won five of six starts, including four stakes races: the Funny Cide at Saratoga second out following a Spa debut maiden-breaker, the Bertram Bongard at Belmont, and the Notebook and NYSS Great White Way at Aqueduct. Second in when he stretched out to 1 mile and 70 yards in the Gander Stakes in his 2016 debut, he gave way in the Winkfield, before the Times Square score.
From six wins, and five stakes victories, and a second, Sudden Surprise has netted just shy of a half-million dollars in earnings ($498,800).
Foaled at Mill Creek Farm in Stillwater, Sudden Surprise is the first foal out of Ready and Good, a placed Florida-bred runner by More than Ready, also trained by Pletcher for Repole, who had a lone career start. She has visited Repole stallions exclusively, and has a 2-year-old filly by Overdriven and a yearling filly by Stay Thirsty. She was bred in 2015 year to Uncle Mo with no foal reported as yet.
