Big Data Impresses in Revitalized Super Derby

Petal Power Racing Stable's Big Data , a recent Gulfstream Park allowance winner shipping in from Palm Meadows, rallied on the inside to take the 41st Super Derby by three-quarters of a length Sept. 2 at Louisiana Downs.

The $200,000 race marked the return of the track's signature event after a three-year hiatus. 

Big Data and jockey Emisael Jaramillo raced well off the early pace as Machine Gun Man  showed the way through fractions of :23.80, :48.71, and 1:13.41. Jaramillo ranged up on the clubhouse turn as the pace was slowing down, moving to within three lengths as the leaders passed the quarter-pole. Approaching the eighth-pole No White Flags  assumed the lead from a fading Machine Gun Man, but there was plenty of room toward the rail for Big Data to come through. The bay Cloud Computing   colt proved best, pushing through to win comfortably over No White Flags, with closing How Did He Do That  third.

The final time for 1 1/8 miles was 1:51.83.

"He has been able to develop on his own schedule," said winning trainer Michael Lerman. "He's incrementally improved every time we've run, physically and mentally, and here we are."

Favored Promise Me a Ride , who went from 5-2 to 6/5 as the gates opened, was floated into the middle of the track around the first turn by Donegal Arrow , giving up about 10 lengths and losing all chance. The Brad Cox-trained Promise Me a Ride finished sixth, ahead of only the offending Donegal Arrow. 

Big Data, the first foal out of Moxie , paid $8.20 as the second choice.