New York Invaders Look Tough in Black Eyed Susan

The Black Eyed Susan tops an outstanding 14-race card on tap on Friday at Pimlico. (Photo credit: Maryland Jockey Club).

Friday’s 14-race card at Pimlico gets the festivities off and running in Baltimore, and it is a pair of New York invaders that are looking for the top prize in the $250,000 Black Eyed Susan (G2).

The Kiaran McLaughlin trained Sara Street (4-1) is coming off runner up finishes at Aqueduct in the Busher and Gazelle (G2) while the Linda Rice trainee Midnight Disguise (4-1) won the Busanda and Busher and then weakened to fourth in the Gazelle (G2), all of those starts coming at the Big A.

The Dale Romans trained Coach Rocks is the 7-2 morning line favorite. The filly broke her maiden in her seventh career start and then won the Gulfstream Park Oaks (G2) in her first start against winners. She then was not a threat in a seventh-place finish in the Kentucky Oaks (G1).

Mother Nature is not going to be kind to Baltimore this week. There is a 90% chance of rain on Thursday, 100% on Friday and 90% on Saturday.

The Black Eyed Susan is one of seven stakes on the Black Eyed Susan Day card. First post is 11:30am ET. Among the co-features are the $300,000 Pimlico Special (G3), $150,000 Miss Preakness (G3) and the $150,000 Allaire duPont Distaff S (G3).

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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) Post time 4:48 ET

9 Sara Street   4-1

4 Red Ruby   6-1

2 Midnight Disguise   4-1

7 Goodonehoney   5-1

Sara Street is coming off a game second in the nine-furlong Gazelle (G2) last out at the Big A. The filly set the early fractions while down in the two path on a day the inside was not the place to be. She battled on gamely and came up just a half-length short of the top spot. In her first start against winners in the Busher she pressed the early pace, took over the lead and was caught late by Midnight Disguise. The McLaughlin trainee should be forwardly placed, and she is bred to like a wet track, by Street Sense out of the stakes winner Sara Louise ($400,435).

Red Ruby was the beaten chalk last out in the Honeybee (G3) at Oaklawn Park. She stalked the early pace, made a middle move and then weakened in the stretch to finish fourth. The third-place finisher Sassy Sienna came back to win the Fantasy (G3) at Oaklawn Park and then was sixth in the Kentucky Oaks (G1). Two back this filly was an impressive winner of the Martha Washington in the slop in her first start against winners. She is proven over a wet track and has a solid off track pedigree, by Tiznow out of a Rubiano mare who has dropped three other stakes winners, top earner Mo Tom ($665,356).  The barn is 21% winners (with a +ROI) with runners coming back off a 61-180-day layoff.

Midnight Disguise along with our top pick ships in from New York. She won the Busanda at nine furlongs and the Busher at a mile then weakened to finish fourth in the Gazelle (G2) as the beaten favorite. She runs with blinkers on for the Rice barn that is 19% winners with first time blinkers. It appears she should get an honest pace to run at. She has not been on a wet track in the afternoon but has a decent enough off track pedigree, by Midnight Lute out of a Yes It’s True mare who has dropped a couple of good runners in Midnight Disguise ($349,150) and American Creed ($237,235).

Wagering:

WIN: #9 to win at 3-1 or better.

EXACTA: 4,9 / 2,4,7,9

TRIFECTA: 4,9 / 2,4,7,9 / 2,3,4,7,9