The Black-Eyed Susan, the big filly stake for 3-year-olds on the day before the Preakness Stakes is set to go Friday at Pimlico in Baltimore.
The race is the 13th on the Pimlico card and is set to go with nine horses in a 2:44 p.m. PDT post.
The big difference between the three filly races that accompany the Triple Crown races is rarely do horses make the effort to run in all three of the races.
In fact, none of the nine starters here ran in the Kentucky Oaks. There is one horse – Princess Aliyah – that started on Oaks’ day in the Eight Belles.
Here are the nine horses in post-position order.
- Liam in the Dust (Rodolphe Brisset, John Velazquez, 6/1) is not bringing a big resume into this one with one win in seven career starts. She has run twice this year, finishing second once. After a three-month break, she came back for the Busher at Aqueduct in March and was eighth and last, beaten 23-lengths. A month later she came back in a $125,000 optional claimer at Keeneland, and she was second after chasing the pace around the track. Certainly not the toughest field, but I think a notch below the rest.
- Princess Aliyah (D Wayne Lukas, Nik Juarez, 15/1) did run on Oaks’ day and was 10th, beating one horse in the Eight Belles, never really running a lick that day. Has hit the board four times in eight career starts, with two wins and two thirds.
- Margie’s Intention (Brad Cox, Flavien Prat, 3/1) has run all five career starts at the Fair Grounds. Has run well in a pair of Louisiana-bred $100,000 stakes, running second both times Those two followed two straight wins – a maiden and an allowance. Doesn’t need the lead but does like to be near it.
4. Runnin N Gunnin (Steve Asmussen, Jose Ortiz, 5/2) was third in the Grade II Fantasy at Oaklawn after a horrible break. She did come back but could never get close to the top two, finishing over nine lengths off the pace. Does prefer to come from off the pace and she has won three of seven starts. - Kinzie Queen (Greg Compton, Junior Alvarado, 10/1) was fifth in the Fantasy but came back with a win in a conditional $200,000 optional claimer. I am very concerned about the two wins in 11 careers starts and will look elsewhere.
- Paris Lilly (Brendan Walsh, Joel Rosario, 8/1) has a win and a place in two starts this year but they have been a notch or two below what she will see here. The two starts this year have been in $100,000 optional claimers, the first at the Fair Grounds, then at Keeneland. Could be good here but we will have to see.
- Reply (Brittany Russell, Irad Ortiz, 8/1) is lightly raced with only two starts, the last of which was a second in the $150,000 Weber City Miss S Black at Laurel. That came April 19, so she should be ready here with a pair of good works. Brittany Russell was only the fourth female trainer to win the most races in a year in Maryland. Reply bumped early in the last start and rallied like a champion coming up just short. Stepping up but might be ready to score at a nine price.
- Amarth (Eddie Kenneally, Luis Saez, 4/1) last start was the Grade I Ashland where she was a non-threatening fifth. Two back, she was second, getting caught late in the Busher, where she easily beat the inside horse. Appears to like the stalking trip and in the field of nine, she will be comfortable.
- Moon Cache (Michael Gorham, Raul Mena) was third in the Weber City, a race where she suffered a bobble and a bump. I think she’s comparable to Reply but is getting a lot less respect. Could be a thought as part of your ticket.