Mr. Rod's speed takes Generous

INGLEWOOD, Calif. - Jockey Chantal Sutherland, wintering in Southern California for the second straight year, earned her first graded stakes win on this circuit when she guided Mr. Rod to a front-running victory in the Grade 3, $109,300 Generous Stakes for 2-year-olds on Saturday at Hollywood Park.

Mr. Rod ($15.60) took advantage of an otherwise paceless field in the one-mile turf race and grabbed the lead from the start. Racing over a course rated firm, but still with some give from rain earlier in the week, Mr. Rod was nursed through fractions of 23.37 seconds, 46.71, and 1:10.88 en route to final time of 1:35.04.

Mr. Rod had a 3 1/2-length lead with a furlong remaining, then held off even-money favorite Bittel Road to win by 1 1/2 lengths. Bourbon Bay and Hype finished in a dead heat for third, 2 1/4 lengths behind Bittel Road.

Dan Hendricks trains Mr. Rod for owner Cecil Peacock, the same team that campaigned Brother Derek, the 2006 Santa Anita Derby winner. Mr. Rod took four starts to defeat maidens, including two starts against maiden claimers on Polytrack at Del Mar. A switch to turf for that maiden win, going six furlongs, earned Mr. Rod a spot in the Generous.

"I think grass helped him a lot," Hendricks said.

Sutherland said Mr. Rod was strong throughout.

"When I needed him, I felt like I had a lot of horse," she said. "He was happy."