Heading into the latest renewal of the Grade III, $100,000 Maryland Sprint for older horses on the Preakness Stakes undercard, the compact field of six runners appeared evenly matched. In fact, the post time favorite would eventually be a very lukewarm 5-2 while the longest shot on the board was only a moderate 6-1, with the winner’s price squarely in the middle.

Prevalence (Irad Ortiz, jr.) the runner-up in this event one year ago, was made the very tepid 5-2 favorite for trainer Brendan Walsh and owner-breeder Godolphin, while Coastal Mission (Arnaldo Bocachica), the reigning West Virginia-bred horse of the year, was also 5-2 for owner-breeder-trainer Jeff Runco. In a win pool that approached $775,000, the top two choices were separated by a mere $408 when the gates opened and the windows closed for the Maryland Sprint.

Prevalence, Super Chow (Javier Castellano) and Jaxon Traveler all broke on even terms, but it was Super Chow who gained command between horses down the backside before reaching the opener in 23.23. Co-favored Coastal Mission was reserved well off the pace, with Prince of Jericho alongside him. Coastal Mission and Prince of Jericho had finished one-two in the recent Frank Whitely Stakes at Laurel Park.

As he is accustomed to doing, Super Chow led the way through the far turn and Casetllano began to shake the reins with less than a quarter mile remaining with Prevalence just over a length back and the only pursuer with a serious chance to overtake him. But Super Chow, already no stranger to graded stakes success in similar events, held sway through the lane for a 1 3/4-length score in 1:11.19 as Prevalence settled for second in this event for the second straight year. Prince of Jericho edged Coastal Mission for third.

A four-year-old son of Lord Nelson trained by Jorge Delgado for owner Lea Farms LLC, Super Chow recorded his third Grade III tally in four starts this year and rebounded from a third-place effort in the Grade II Carter Handicap at Aqueduct. In 19 career outings, Super Chow now owns a 9-4-5 slate and over $780,000 and redeemed himself for a fifth-place effort in the Grade III Chick Lang Stakes on the Preakness Day undercard a year earlier.

“Jorge told me earlier today he was going to run a big race,” Castellano said. “He was able to dictate the pace. The first quarter, you can see, he’s a fast horse. He can go 21 and today he went 23 and change. That was the key to winning the race. I like the way he comes out of of the race, very quick out of the gate. I got the call [on Friday] for the mount. It worked out perfect. It’s amazing just be part of this big day. It’s a big crowd and a great day to be at the track.”

“I had a beautiful trip,” jockey Irad Ortiz said after riding Prevalence to a second-place finish. “I was right there, inside, so I tried to save some ground. The horse did everything right. He was just second best today. I tried to go, but [Super Chow] had a better post than me and he cleared me. After that, I just followed him. My horse showed up, he is a fighter.”

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