Lea Farms LLC's Super Chow's dominating triumph in Saturday's $100,000 Hutcheson came as a surprise to no one, but the way the 1-5 favorite got to the Gulfstream Park winner's circle did open a lot of eyes.
Super Chow had built and impressive career record while employing his abundant early speed that carried him to five wins, including three straight stakes, in seven starts. Saturday, the son of Lord Nelson broke a step slowly from his inside post position in the starting gate allowing Two of a Kind and Youbetterbejoking to get the jump on him. Instead of rushing Super Chow along the rail in pursuit of the early speedsters, jockey Chantal Sutherland eased the Kentucky-bred colt off the rail to gain a more advantageous stalking position.
“Chantal, all the credit to her for Plan B. It wasn't expected, but that's why you have a professional rider on the horses. They're able to make changes,” trainer Jorge Delgado said. “I definitely didn't want to be on the rail. When I saw her go outside in the middle of the track, I loved that. I knew we had the best horse and he was training good. It was just a matter of how he was going to handle it.”
Super Chow handled the new scenario just fine, advancing on the leaders along the backstretch before making a three-wide sweep on the turn into the homestretch and drawing clear to win the six-furlong race by 5¼ lengths.
“I work him, all his works. I know his personality; we know each other. I know when to ask him to do stuff. Today was a little different,” Sutherland said. “We're usually in front, but he broke a little slower today, and it was kind of shocking, being on the rail. But he overcame all adversity, so that shows us a little bit more about him because I didn't know if he was that versatile.”
Super Chow remains undefeated in his six starts at the six-furlong distance. After winning three straight stakes at the distance with Sutherland aboard, he came up just horse after setting the pace in the seven-furlong Swale (G3), defeated by highly regarded Shug McGaughey-trained General Jim by just a half-length.
Saturday, Super Show kicked in through the stretch to complete six furlongs in 1:09.95. Lea Farms-owned and Delgado-trained Live Is Life closed from last in the field reduced to four by three morning scratches to finish second. Two of a Kind, who set fractions of :22.09 and :45.18 for the first half mile, faded to third, another 3¼ lengths back. Youbetterbejoking finished last.
“He's really super competitive and we never seen him beside another horse, kind of first time,” Sutherland said. “Now we know he's got grit. It's fun to see his tenacity.”
Super Chow will be pointed toward the six-furlong Chick Lang (G3) on the Preakness Stakes (G1) undercard in May at Pimlico. Lea Farms-owned, Delgado-trained Lightening Larry won the 2022 Chick Lang with Sutherland aboard.
Delgado said a possibility exists that he will enter Live Is Life in the $1-million Curlin Florida Derby (G1) April 1 at Gulfstream if the field comes up light due to the imposing presence of champion and Fountain of Youth (G2) winner Forte.
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