MASTERY’s stakes placed daughter Surprisingly became another graded stakes winner for her sire on Saturday with a victory in the Endeavour Stakes (G3).
The filly broke well before dropping back to race alongside the closers in the 1 1/16 mile turf race. Racing along the rail, Surprisingly started making a move down the backstretch to find herself in midpack just in time to hit her best stride and start working her way through the field. Surprisingly stayed on the rail until the stretch when she moved a few paths out to dig in and chase down the leaders.
The 4-year-old was flying late and reached the leaders in the shadow of the wire before getting her neck in front for a fourth career victory.
A homebred for Phipps Stable, Surprisingly is trained by Shug McGaughey with the victory taking her earnings to $250,950. The filly ended last season with a second in the Listed Tropical Park Oaks after winning three of her first four starts earlier in the year.
Surprisingly is out of a two-time winning Arch half-sister to Grade 3 winner and Grade 1 placed Great Island and the dam of Grade 3 placed Jungle Fighter. Surprisingly’s third dam is Matlacha Pass, whose runners include five-time Grade 1 winner Point of Entry and dual Grade 1 winner Pine Island.
MASTERY’s 14 winners in 2023 is second best among all third crop sires with Surprisingly also putting him second by stakes winners this year.