Betting With, and Against, Super Chow in the Hutcheson Stakes

A swift field of seven sophomores will vie in Saturday’s $100,000 Hutcheson S. at Gulfstream Park. The six-furlong dash is led by three-time stakes victor #3 Super Chow (1-1) for conditioner Jorge Delgado. The dark bay dons a 7-5-1-1 lifetime mark and comes off a strong runner-up showing in the Swale S. (G3) on the surface in his latest performance.

Super Chow capped his three-stakes win streak with a wire-to-wire score in the Limehouse S. on the oval and at the distance two prior, and he is surely the one to both catch and defeat on Saturday. Kentucky-bred son of Lord Nelson is a perfect 4-for-4 at the trip, and he has led at both the first and second call in each of seven career engagements to date. The fleet colt posted four solid morning drills in anticipation of the dash and retains the services of regular pilot Chantal Sutherland for this test.

I am intrigued by #1 Mooncapture (6-1) and will give him a chance if the top pick falters in the sprint. Trained by Ramon Minguet, the bay son of Uncaptured showed marked improvement when adding blinkers last time out and crushing maidens on the all-weather strip here. I believe that it was the equipment change, and not the surface change, that moved the sophomore forward. The Florida-bred was a $60,000 two-year-old buy who might just be coming into his own, and he might try to challenge the favorite from the break with a clean start from the rail. Jose Morelos will be in the silks once again.

If the pace completely falls apart in the contest, then #5 Live Is Life (10-1) could benefit most on the cut back in distance. Also conditioned by Delgado, the bay son of West Coast has never missed the board on the dirt at Gulfstream Park and has proven to be capable of passing horses in the stretch on multiple occasions. The Kentucky-bred will need to run a lifetime best to challenge for the upset, but he will improve second off the layoff and have swift splits to rally into on this occasion. Leonel Reyes will be in the stirrups.

Super Chow – With

• $20 exacta 3 with 1,5 ($40)

Super Chow – Against

• $2 trifecta 1,5 with 1,3,5 with all ($40)