Gallegos Del Norte Racing's La Sorpresa rallied to win Saturday's one-mile, $100,000 Sydney Valentini Handicap (R) for New Mexico-bred fillies and mares at Sunland Park.

Ridden by Alejandro Medellin for trainer Jose Gonzalez Jr., La Sorpresa covered her eight-furlong trip in 1:37.51, closing off of the fractions of :23.53, :47.20, and 1:11.85 set by pacesetter Fan's Cat. La Sorpresa's victory was her second in a stakes, as the 6-year-old mare scored a 1 1/4-length victory in last year's Sydney Valentini.

Desert Tap, a 45-1 longshot, finished second, 3 3/4-lengths behind La Sorpresa. Cali Baby, the 3-10 favorite, ran third.

La Sorpresa was bred by Miguel Gallegos, and the mare is one of two stakes winners from 16 starters sired by Valet Man, a winning son of the Mr. Prospector stallion Carson City and half brother to 2007 Pacific Classic Stakes (G1) winner Student Council and Grade 3 winner Gradepoint. Now 13, Valet Man has sired the earners of more than $642,700 from five crops, and La Sorpresa represents his top earner. He stands for a $3,000 fee at Gallegos Del Norte Farm in Albuquerque.

La Sorpresa is also one of two winners from three starters foaled by Sea Sis, a 12-year-old daughter of the Believe It stallion Al Mamoon. Sea Sis's full brother, the Al Mamoon gelding Sea To See, was a two-time turf stakes winner in California who ran third in the 2001 Ascot Handicap (G3) and Bay Meadows Derby (G3).

La Sorpresa traces back to her fourth dam, the unraced Sea-Bird mare Seadell. A 1970 Kentucky-bred foal, Seadell produced eight winners from 13 starters, including the stakes-placed Vitriolic colt Rough Sea.

Campaigned exclusively in New Mexico, La Sorpresa has won seven of 25 races, and the $60,000 winner's share of the Sydney Valentini Handicap pushed her earnings to $364,483. The mare's stakes resume includes a second-place finish to Cali Baby in the October 31, $182,690 Peppers Pride New Mexico Cup Fillies & Mares Championship (R) at Zia Park.

Dream Kin ran fourth and was followed by Jengoneby, Please N Teras, Fan's Cat, Happy Me, and Ambers Pride.

Runner-up Desert Tap banked $21,500 for her owner, William Du Pont III. A 4-year-old filly by Desert God, Desert Tap has won two of 16 races, and her stakes record includes a runner-up effort in last year's 6 1/2-furlong, $75,000 Aztec Oaks Stakes (R) for state-bred sophomore fillies at SunRay Park.

Cali Baby brought a four-race win streak into the Sydney Valentini, a streak that included a 1 1/2-length victory in the 6-furlong, $120,000 New Mexico State Racing Commission Handicap (R) on December 12 at Sunland. The 5-year-old bay mare has earned $345,774, and her eight wins in 15 outs include two stakes victories.