Super Chow takes the Tom Fool Handicap (G3) March 2 at Aqueduct (Susie Raisher)
Power Squeeze Doing ‘Very Good’ Ahead of Kentucky Oaks
The Past the Wire annual Kentucky Oaks and Kentucky Derby seminar, the best in the game DETAILS HERE
NYRA Press Office
OZONE PARK, N.Y.— Lea Farms’ Super Chow brought a pair of Grade 3 sprint wins at the Big A to Saturday’s seven-furlong Grade 2, $300,000 Carter presented by NYRA Bets here, but the seven-furlong distance proved too much for the 4-year-old Lord Nelson colt, who settled for third.
Trained by Jorge Delgado and ridden by Maddy Olver, Super Chow enjoyed moderate splits of 24.38 seconds and 48.18 over the fast main track. He opened up by 1 1/2-lengths at the stretch call, but tired late and drifted out into the path of the streaking favorite Post Time, who surged to a narrow neck score over Castle Chaos. It was a further 1 1/4-lengths back to Super Chow in third.
“We got beat fair and square. The horse that won the race is in top form and ran a very good race,” Delgado said. “We had an easy lead like we wanted and things went our way, so no excuse. We were facing top horses and maybe yesterday wasn’t his day.
“At a shorter distance against these kind of horses we may have a good chance,” Delgado added. “But yesterday at seven furlongs, which is not our strength, that last sixteenth was a little too long for him. The horse that won was a very nice horse and I’m sure he has a promising future.”
The ultra-consistent Super Chow has banked $722,900 through an 18-8-4-5 record, boasting stakes scores in the 2022 Bowman Mill at Keeneland to go along with last year’s Inaugural at Tampa Bay Downs and Hutcheson at Gulfstream Park. He made the grade with a frontrunning score in the seven-furlong Toboggan in February and doubled up in the six-furlong Tom Fool Handicap in March.
“He had a very nice winter, hitting the board in every stakes race there in this division and finished with two wins and one third,” Delgado said. “I’m proud of the horse and everyone that put a little something into developing the horse this winter. I look forward to the rest of the year for him.”
Delgado said he’ll give Super Chow plenty of time to recover with one potential target being the 6 1/2-furlong Grade 2, $350,000 True North presented by F. W. Webb on Belmont Stakes Day on June 8 at Saratoga Race Course.
“He’ll take a week off and we’ll start training him a little light and look for a race at the end of May or beginning of June,” Delgado said. “It was a busy winter and he is a solid, strong horse and he gives 100 percent all of the time. A horse that finishes 17 times in the money out of 18, and at eight different tracks – that tells you a lot and we’re very proud of the horse.”
Delgado said Lea Farms’ Power Squeeze, last-out winner of the Grade 2 Gulfstream Park Oaks, is in fine fettle ahead of her upcoming start in the Grade 1 Kentucky Oaks at Churchill Downs.
“She’s doing very good. We’re really excited about her,” Delgado said. “Watching the races all around the country this weekend and seeing the potential competition – as far as the numbers are concerned, I believe we’ll have a good chance. Leslie’s Rose was very impressive in Keeneland.”
Power Squeeze, by Union Rags, has won 4-of-6 starts, taking the Cash Run at Gulfstream Park and Suncoast at Tampa Bay Downs ahead of her Gulfstream Park Oaks coup.
“We’ll make sure to bring our best of the filly to the race. We’re due to win a Grade 1 race and I’m very grateful for the opportunity,” said the multiple graded stakes-winning conditioner.
Delgado said that Power Squeeze will continue her preparations at her Gulfstream base before flying to Kentucky on April 25.
“She likes her stall and likes the environment here. I think it’s best to keep her home and breeze her and then send her there,” Delgado said.
