The Black Eyed Susan tops an outstanding 14-race card on tap on Friday at Pimlico. (Photo credit: Maryland Jockey Club).
Before we get to Preakness Day, Pimlico offers up a 14-race card on Black Eyed Susan Day on Friday and we will look for some Summer Luck in the featured race of the day.
A field of 11 will line up in the $250,000 Black Eyed Susan (G2), one of seven stakes on an outstanding card to kick off the weekend.
It’s tough to separate the field of three-year-old fillies in the Black Eyed Susan, with the Todd Pletcher trained Moana the lukewarm 4-1 morning line favorite. The filly is coming off a good looking maiden score in her second career start.
I am looking for Summer Luck to bounce back off her fifth-place finish in the Ashland (G1) at Keeneland where she did not get much pace to run at. She was a game third two back in the Davona Dale (G2) in her previous outing.
The stakes action kicks off early in the fifth race with the $150,000 Allaire Dupont Distaff (G3) which drew a field of eight fillies and mares that will go 1 1/8 miles on the main track.
Terra Promessa is the 6-5 morning line favorite off a runner up finish in the Apple Blossom (G1) at Oaklawn park in her last outing.
Shaman Ghost is the one to beat in the $300,000 Pimlico Special (G3). He ran second to Arrogate in the Pegasus World Cup (G1) and then won the Santa Anita Derby (G1) in his last outing.
The $100,000 Hilltop for three-year-old fillies going one mile on turf is a scramble that drew a field of 13. The Mark Casse trained Victory to Victory makes her second start off the bench and is the 5-2 morning line favorite.
The $150,000 Miss Preakness (G3) is wide open and drew a field of 14 three-year-old fillies that will go six furlongs on the main track.
The 11-year-old Ben’s Cat goes for his fifth win in a row in this race and sixth overall in the $100,000 Jim McKay Turf Sprint. The King T. Leatherbury trainee has won 32 times in his career and has earned over $2.6 million.
The final stake on the card is the $100,000 Skipat for fillies and mares going six furlongs on the main track. Nine go to the post with Clipthecouponannie the 9-5 morning line favorite.
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Let’s head out to Pimlico for Friday’s featured race of the day:
Pimlico Race 11 The Black Eyed Susan G2 (4:50 ET)
#9 Summer Luck 5-1
#7 Moana 4-1
#3 Dancing Rags 4-1
#1 Shimmering Aspen 9-2
Analysis: Summer Luck raced at the back of the pack early and made up some ground late to finish fifth last out in the Ashland (G1) at Keeneland, not getting much early pace to run into. Two back the filly came with a good late rally to finish a close up third in the Davona Dale (G2) at Gulfstream Park. The winner Miss Sky Warrior came back to win the gazelle (G2) at Aqueduct in her next outing on April 8. The Casse trainee is going to get some pace to run at in this spot and the extra ground as she stretches out to nine furlongs for the it time.
Moana is one of two in here sent out by the Pletcher barn that has won this race three times, most recently with Stopchargingmaria in 2014. This $300,000 Ocala purchase faces winners for the first time after a good looking maiden score last out at Keeneland going two turns in her second career start. She is by Uncle Mo out of a stakes placed More Than Ready mare and still looks as if she has a ton of upside.
Dancing Rags was off poorly last out in the seven furlong Beaumont (G3) at Keeneland in her first start off a five-month layoff. She won the Alcibiades (G1) at Keeneland last fall and then was not a threat in an eighth-place finish in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1). The Motion barn is 17% winners moving runners from sprint to route. She should move forward with a better break and the stretch out.
Wagering
WIN: #9 to win at 4-1 or better.
EX: 7,9 / 1,3,7,9
TRI: 7,9 / 1,3,7,9 / 1,3,7,9,11
Michael’s Report includes his selections, analysis, fair odds line, and wagering recommendations for the entire Preakness Day card from historic Pimlico. Michael is a Maryland bred and raced horses at Pimlico and knows the circuit from the backstretch to the finish line.
The second jewel of the Triple Crown will be run on Saturday May 20 at Pimlico. The big day of racing has seven supporting stakes including the Sir Barton Stakes, Miss Preakness Stakes (G3), Dixie Stakes (G2), Gallorette Handicap (G3), James W. Murphy Stakes, The Very One Stakes and the Maryland Sprint Stakes (G3). REPORT NOW AVAILABLE!
