BY BROCK SHERIDAN

AUGUST 23, 1995—Despite both coming into the 1995 Forego Handicap (Grade 2) having won two graded stakes in their last two starts, Robert Van Worp’s Florida-bred Not Surprising was let go at odds of 9-2 while Richard E. Dutrow’s Lite the Fuse was made the odds-on favorite at 3-5.

Not Surprising had won the Finger Lakes Budweiser Breeders’ Cup (G3) on July 4 then won the A Phenomenon Handicap (G2) under jockey Robbie Davis at Saratoga on Aug. 6 by two lengths as the 3-1 favorite.

 

Meanwhile Lite the Fuse had won three of his last four including the Carter Handicap (G1) at Belmont Park in May, the Tom Fool Stakes (G2) on June 25 and the Frank J. De Francis Memorial Dash at Laurel Park in his previous start on July 15. His only loss during that span came when second to Florida-bred You and I in the Metropolitan Handicap (G1) at Belmont on May 29, a race in which Not Surprising was fourth.

Only four went to the gate for the seven-furlong Forego with Our Emblem the second choice at 2-1 and Florida-bred Slick Horn the 9-1 longshot.

Slick Horn and Lite the Fuse raced heads apart on the lead through splits of :22.61 and :45.03 as Not Surprising and Robbie Davis raced three lengths back in third. Not Surprising began to close the gap around the turn then made a quick move past the quarter pole to take a clear length-and-a-half lead in the stretch. The 5-year-old gelding pulled away to win by four lengths in 1:21.91 with Our Emblem second. Lite the Fuse was third with Slick Horn fourth. Mr. Greeley was scratched.

Not Surprising paid $11.40 to win.

 

Trained by the owner’s son, Judson Van Worp, Not Surprising improved his record at the time to 17 wins, 12 in stakes, in 37 starts with three seconds and three thirds. The $64,200 first-place prize increased her earnings to $725,072.

Among his 12 stakes victories up to that point were the $75,000 Dr. Fager division of the Florida Stallion Stakes and $50,000 Turnberry Isle in 1992 at Calder Race Course; and in 1994, the $28,550 Pelican and $47,550 Breeders’ Cup Super Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs and the $100,000 Seminole Sprint (Listed) at Hialeah in 1994. 

 

Prior to the Forego, A Phenomenon and Finger Lakes in 1995, Not Surprising repeated in the $28,550 Pelican, won the $47,550 Tampa Bay Budweiser Breeders’ Cup at Tampa Bay; and took the $100,000 Seminole Handicap (Listed) at Hiahleah. Following the Forego, he won the Vosburgh Handicap (G2) at Belmont then finished fourth behind winner Desert Stormer in the $916,000 Breeders’ Cup Sprint (G1) at Belmont Park.

 

Despite the loss in the Breeders’ Cup, Not Surprising was named the 1995 Eclipse Award Champion Sprinter and was honored by the Florida Thoroughbred Breeders’ and Owners’ Association as the 1995 Florida-bred Horse of the Year, Florida-bred Champion Male Sprinter and Florida-bred Champion Older Male.

In 1996, he won the $50,000 Hialeah Sprint Championship (Listed) and won the True North Handicap (G2) at Belmont Park. He raced until age nine and retired with 23 wins, four seconds and five thirds in 61 starts with earnings of $1,112,301.

 

Not Surprising was by Medieval Man, who stood in Florida at Live Oak Stud, and was out of Tenderly Calling, by Always Gallant. Tenderly Calling had five foals, all winners, with Not Surprising her only stakes winner.

Not Surprising as bred in Florida by Willard and Clare Rhodes’ Raven Brook Farm Inc., who consigned him to the 1991 Ocala Breeders’ Sales August Yearling Sale where Robert Van Worp Jr. purchased him for $7,200 in the name of his Rovan Farm.

Return to the August 23 issue of Wire to Wire