Surprise Factor looking to break fast, lead them all the way
Surprise Factor looks like the horse to both catch and beat Sunday in the featured eighth race at Gulfstream Park.
He’s part of a field of 12 in a $20,000 starter allowance over 1 1/16 miles on the grass. There are two main-track-only entrants – Ranger Up and New York Style.
Surprise Factor has been facing first-level allowance rivals and owns the best last-race Beyer Speed Figure in the field.
“We kind of got him where we wanted – this is the right spot,” trainer Kent Sweezey said. “He looks great in this spot.”
Surprise Factor has been a popular claim and in June owner Joseph Canosa took the horse for $20,000 out of a win at a mile on turf at Gulfstream. He enters Sunday’s race off a close fifth-place finish over the local turf, setting the pace to the late stages in the mile race on Aug. 7. Surprise Factor earned a Beyer of 80.
“He’s doing really good,” Sweezey said. “It kind of took us a while to get to know him a little bit. The girl that rides him" -- Samantha Dobles -- "does a really good job with him. He’s a tricky horse to train. We got him figured out.”
Surprise Factor will break from post 10 under Samy Camacho.
“We’re hoping he can pop out of there and get a nice lead, get out of the gate and get into a good stride,” Sweezey said.
Surprise Factor faces other speed, but based on the fractions he set in his last start, he could prove to be the dominant speed.
Surprise Factor is a son of The Factor. His stakes-producing dam, Smarty Deb, went 4 for 5 while winning three stakes in her career. Her wins included the Barbara Shinpoch, which will be held Sunday at Emerald Downs.
Sweezey also has entered Ethos, a son of Ghostzapper who won a maiden race over the Gulfstream turf course in his last start July 10.
“He’s a big, beautiful gray horse,” Sweezey said. “He’s been training really good.”
Edgard Zayas has the mount for Centennial Farms from post 5.
Seize the Hay will get support following a win over the Gulfstream turf in his last start on June 18. He closed from 14 lengths off the pace in the $16,000 claiming race and won by more than five, earning a career-high Beyer Figure of 79.
The start came at a mile and on the move to 1 1/16 miles Seize the Hay could sit a little closer to the pace. Cristian Torres has the mount from post 3. Carlos David trains the horse, who is by Carpe Diem.