Super Derby winner Big Data eyeing another road trip

Big Data has returned to his South Florida base of Palm Meadows after winning his stakes debut in the $200,000 Super Derby at Louisiana Downs on Saturday. His next road trip could come later this month, trainer Michael Lerman said.

Big Data is being considered for a couple of different races the weekend of Sept. 23-24. He earned a career-high Beyer Speed Figure of 91 in the Super Derby.

“He didn’t seem to be too stressed by the trip,” Lerman said Monday. “I have a feeling I’m going to be sending him back to the track sooner rather than later.”

Big Data’s options include the Grade 1, $1 million Pennsylvania Derby on Sept. 23 at Parx Racing, the Grade 3, $400,000 Oklahoma Derby on Sept. 24 at Remington Park, and the $300,000 Bourbon Trail on Sept. 23 at Churchill Downs.

“The one I like the most at the moment is the ungraded race at a mile and three-sixteenths,” Lerman said of the Bourbon Trail. “I’d rather take incremental baby steps with him, not throw him to the wolves.”

Lerman and Kim Boulmetis, who bred and races Big Data, have taken great care to bring the horse along at his own pace. He had raced exclusively at Gulfstream Park ahead of the Super Derby, which was the sizeable son of Cloud Computing’s two-turn debut.

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“He’s coming around,” Lerman said. “So far, he’s answered all the questions correctly. Everything was a new experience to him, and he was able to handle it all.”

Big Data sat off the pace while racing along the rail in the Super Derby and came through along the fence in the stretch. He won the 1 1/8-mile race by three-quarters of a length one start after taking a first-level allowance in July at Gulfstream.

“I thought it was a very professional race,” Lerman said. “He’s learned to settle. There was plenty of speed. We wanted to let them go and be finishing the last three, three and a half furlongs.”

Gulfstream-based Emisael Jaramillo traveled to Louisiana Downs for the mount.

“Jaramillo really likes him – he rode him with a ton of confidence,” Lerman said.

Boulmetis races as Petal Power Racing Stable.

“We’ve been friends since college,” Lerman said of their days at the University of Miami.

Lerman, who earned a degree in finance, said Boulmetis has long had ties to racing, while he fell in love with the sport the first time he went to Belmont Park while growing up on Long Island.

“I was hooked,” he said. “She has a very big family connection.”

Boulmetis is the daughter of the late Hall of Fame rider Sam Boulmetis Sr.

Lerman is scheduled to head back on the road this weekend in search of more stakes success, this time with Xy Speed. He planned to enter the horse in the $150,000 Da Hoss on Saturday at Colonial Downs. The 5 1/2-furlong turf sprint for 3-year-olds and up is being run on the undercard of the Virginia Derby.

Florida Sire Stakes get under way

Bentornato drew post 10 for the $100,000 Dr. Fager division of the Florida Sire Stakes on Saturday at Gulfstream. The race is the first in a series of three stakes for 2-year-olds.

Jaramillo has the mount in the six-furlong Dr. Fager for trainer Jose D’Angelo. Bentornato has won both of his starts, including the Proud Man Stakes last month at Gulfstream with a Beyer Speed Figure of 88.

Saturday’s card also includes the $100,000 Desert Vixen filly division of the Florida Sire Stakes at six furlongs. The field of eight includes sharp debut winner R Harper Rose.

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