Pletcher transfer Never Surprised makes first start for Attard

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – The classy turf miler Never Surprised makes his Woodbine debut and first start for trainer Kevin Attard in Sunday’s featured conditioned allowance. The race has a $50,000 claiming option and will be run at seven furlongs on the main course.

Never Surprised has made all 13 of his starts for trainer Todd Pletcher. The 6-year-old used his front-running style to win back-to-back 1 1/16-mile stakes by 6 1/4 lengths in the fall of 2021, the Gio Ponti at Aqueduct and the Tropical Park Derby at Gulfstream Park. His best performance may have been a second to Colonel Liam in the Grade 1 Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational early in 2022.

When returning from an extended layoff March 2, Never Surprised was beaten a nose in a conditioned allowance/optional claimer at Gulfstream and subsequently finished a close fifth there in the Appleton Stakes. Most recently, in the Grade 1 Old Forester Turf Classic at Churchill, he set a moderate pace traveling 1 1/8 miles over good ground before fading to finish ninth behind the likes of Program Trading and Webslinger.

Never Surprised has worked a half-mile twice here on the Tapeta since shipping in from Palm Beach Downs.

“He’s a nice horse,” Attard said. “He was a bit of a difficult horse to figure out early, but I think we’ve got him going pretty good right now. I like the way he breezed in his two local preps here. Obviously, he’s taking a step down in company, which could help him regain his confidence. Hopefully, we’ll have a nice summer and fall campaign with him.”

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Sahin Civaci will ride Never Surprised for the powerful Repole Stable.

The former California runner I’m A Gambler also is making his first start for Attard. The durable 5-year-old was ineffective in his last two outings in Grade 3 stakes at Golden Gate Fields and Santa Anita. All nine of his victories came in England and Ireland – eight were in handicaps and his most recent score was in a stakes in the fall of 2022 at Redcar.

The headliner drew 14 other older runners, including main-track-only entrant Rapid Test. Trainer Marty Drexler sends out Spirit Animal and Scoot Daddy.

Spirit Animal had a terrific 2023 campaign here with three wins and three seconds from six starts. He was competitive at this level in the fall before heading south and was victorious in a Jan. 28 starter at Gulfstream before running second in a starter/optional claimer and then fourth in a nine-furlong starter there March 30.

Claimed for $35,000 from a Jan. 17 victory, Scoot Daddy was fourth behind Sweet Cherry Pie in another six-furlong dirt sprint at Gulfstream at the allowance/optional-claiming level on March 24. Drexler has good numbers second time off a claim.

Blast in the Snow came from a stalking position to clear the first allowance condition in his seasonal bow in a 6 1/2-furlong allowance/optional claimer.

Capture the Lion closed for second behind the speedy Silent Reserve in a five-furlong inner turf dash at this level in his local debut May 19.

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