Not Much of a ‘Surprise’ at Saratoga

Ron Winchell homebred Simple Surprise, a front-running debut winner in the Churchill slop June 18, stayed perfect with a switch to grass here. Simple Surprise raced in third early as favored Laxfield Road led through fractions of :21.94 and :45.34. She hit the front in the stretch and held Celestial Sighting, who was forced to alter course late, safe despite racing greenly down the stretch. Simple Surprise survived a stewards’ inquiry and jockey’s objection for the infraction.

“She’s doing everything right for us,” winning assistant trainer Scott Blasi said. “Second start, the timing of this race was very good for her, and it looked like she liked the grass. [Laxfield Road] got out of there pretty good, but Javier [Castellano] gave her a chance to get out on her feet and she finished up nice to the wire.”

Castellano added, “I’m glad she showed up; I think she was much the best in the race. Unfortunately, she tried to drift a little bit when she got to the lead and got distracted a little bit. A lot of young horses, they look around a little bit. It’s nothing against the horse, it’s just the way it unfolded. Irad Ortiz [Jr., on Celestial Sighting] was riding next to me, and when his horse switched leads to the wrong lead and he kind of leaned on top of my horse. My horse was drifting a little bit, but she was clear.”

Fellow stakes-winning Winchell homebred Simplify (Pulpit) produced an Unbridled’s Song filly in 2014; an English Channel filly in 2015; and was bred back to Super Saver.

BOLTON LANDING S., $95,000, SAR, 8-19, 2yo, f, 5 1/2fT, 1:03.39, fm.
1–#SIMPLE SURPRISE, 122, f, 2, by Cowboy Cal
1st Dam: Simplify (SW & GSP, $261,658), by Pulpit
2nd Dam: Classic Olympio, by Olympio
3rd Dam: Palm Beach Dewey, by Talc
O-Ron Winchell; B-Winchell Thoroughbreds LLC (KY); T-Steven M. Asmussen; J-Javier Castellano. $60,000. Lifetime Record: 2-2-0-0, $88,500.
2–Celestial Sighting, 122, f, 2, Eskendereya–Afternoon Stroll, by Stroll. ($75,000 Ylg ’14 KEESEP). O-Michael Dubb, Bethlehem Stables LLC & The Elkstone Group LLC; B-Taylor Brothers Properties LLC & Baysore Stables (NY); T-Rudy R. Rodriguez. $20,000.

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3–Laxfield Road, 122, f, 2, Quality Road–Katori, by Dixie Union. ($130,000 Ylg ’14 KEESEP). O-Wes Welker & Kent Spellman; B-Rose Hill Farm & Sean & Barbara Speck (KY); T-Wesley A. Ward. $10,000.
Margins: 1, 2 3/4, 7 1/4. Odds: 2.60, 1.55, 1.30.
Also Ran: Little Miss Miss. Scratched: Island Saint, Office Drama, Bruised Orange.
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