Issue link: http://nytbreeders.epubxp.com/i/609330
36 New York Breeder | nytbreeders.org | December 2015 Mike Repole legiance to him than I would to Union Rags or Bodemeister." "Mike's done a great job of getting him going" as a stallion, said trainer Todd Pletcher, who trains several Gi - ant Surprise offspring for Repole. "He's supported him with his mares, but he also went out and purchased them at the sales. It's great for breeders to know that someone like Mike is going to sup - port his stallions, and he's also going to help breeders by purchasing some of the horses." Giant Surprise will stand for $5,000 next year, Uncle Mo for $75,000, and Stay Thirsty, who like Uncle Mo is at Ashford Stud, for $10,000. "The stallion income is paying for my horse purchases," said Repole. Characterizing himself as a "giant fan" of Giant Surprise, Pletcher said, "He's off to a remarkable start. He's exceeded ev - eryone's expectations. He's gotten big, strong, good-looking horses, and they come out running. They've run well on dirt and on turf, in sprints and routes." He also sees in them, given their early success, something of their grandsire, the legendary stallion Storm Cat. "I've been around the Storm Cat line for a long time," he said, "going back to my early days with D. Wayne Lukas, when Storm Cat was just getting started. "We found that a lot of Storm Cats, especially colts, would work average, then get much more competitive when they were in a race situation. Part of what made Storm Cat such a remark - able stallion was that they had that nat- ural instinct to compete." After breeding to 50 mares in his frst year at stud and getting 35 foals, Giant Surprise saw his numbers decrease to 13 mares for 2015, a decline Repole expects to be arrested with the stallion's success this year. "He's had his fans since the very begin - ning despite the low numbers," said Erin Robinson, Rockridge's stallion manager, "and that's because everything that's gone through the sale has sold really well. You don't expect a $2,500 New York stallion to sell an $80,000 2-year-old." The 10 Giant Surprise offspring that have sold at auction as yearlings have av - eraged $29,170. "That got him a little following," said Robinson. "And they're well received because they're usually such fantastic physicals." Robinson, who previously worked at Maryland's Country Life Farm, com - pared Giant Surprise's potential with the horse currently at No. 10 on the general stallion list. "He could very well be the next Mali - bu Moon," she said. "He's the best value standing in New York right now, he's moving mares up, and there's little doubt that he'll get as many as he can breed. And he'll do very well." "Rockridge is already sending out contracts for 2016," Repole said. "I'd be disappointed if he didn't breed to 100 next year." Repole, who also has horses in New York with trainers Bruce Levine and Gary Gullo, acknowledges that he may have gotten a little lucky, given the infux of slots revenue into the state's breeding program just as the opportunity for him to begin breeding arose, but he pointed out that that money has also increased the quality and competitiveness of the horses bred in the state. "Look at New York-bred races," he said. "They're tougher than some open company races. Championofthenile, Sudden Surprise, Get Jets—these are great horses, no doubt. These are power - ful years for New York-breds. "I love the program," he went on. "I'd rather run at Aqueduct than at Churchill or Del Mar; I'd rather run a horse here for $100,000 than in another state for more money. It's more fun winning here, watching and going to as many races as possible." As he did with Giant Surprise, Re - pole not uncommonly delays naming his young horses until they're ready to run; though Pletcher, who good-naturedly bemoaned Repole's new proclivity for in - cluding part of the stallion's name in all of his progeny, Repole has no such scruples when talking about the last few years. "There have been," he said, pun fully intended, "a lot of surprises." adam coglianese/nyra photos Repole leads Super Surprise to the winner's circle (right) following her win in the Maid of the Mist Stakes