Friday, the 97th running of the Black-Eyed Susan Stakes at Pimlico Race Course, outside of Baltimore, Maryland will be run. From 1919 through 1951, the race was known as the Pimlico Oaks, as an echo of the Kentucky Oaks at Churchill Downs, but in 1952 it was renamed the Black-Eyed Susan in honor of Maryland's state flower. The race was not run between 1932 and 1936, nor, again, in 1950 but it will be run on Friday at Old Hilltop. It is the second jewel in the Filly Triple Crown.
And I just discovered that I have been misspeaking and miswriting for years - the Filly Triple Crown and the Triple Tiara are very different entities. The Filly Triple Crown consists of the Kentucky Oaks, the Black-Eyed Susan Stakes, and the Acorn Stakes. The Triple Tiara is a trio of races run in New York, at Saratoga and Belmont: the Acorn Stakes, the Coaching Club Oaks, and the Alabama Stakes. Currently, the National Thoroughbred Racing Association (NTRA) is trying to get the Filly Triple Crown officially recognized as being the Kentucky Oaks, the Black-Eyed Susan Stakes, and the Mother Goose Stakes.
In any event, the Black-Eyed Susan Stakes is run at the distance of 9 furlongs (1 1/8 miles), and is restricted to 3-year-old fillies. All entries will carry 120 pounds, and will be racing for a guaranteed purse of $250,000. This is the 13th and last scheduled race of the day, with a Post Time scheduled at 5:44 EDT.
With the announcement of the Kentucky Derby winner's positive drug test after the race, the post position draws for both the Preakness and the Black-Eyed Susan were postponed by 24 hours. I'm really not sure why the powers-that-be decided to postpone the draw for the fillies race - no fillies ran in the Derby, so none could suddenly declare for Friday's race.
I have not been able to find morning-line betting information regarding the Black-Eyed Susan, however I do have all other information... All of the 10 fillies entered are Kentucky bred; Spritz is a gray/roan, Forever Boss and The Grass Is Blue are chestnuts, the other seven are bays. Two of the fillies were sired by Pioneerof the Nile, the late sire of American Pharoah: Iced Latte and Adventuring.
I am listing post position, entry name, sire, and dam:
1. Army Wife Declaration of War Tread
2. Willful Woman Nyquist Foxy Danseur
3. Spritz Awesome Again Holy Blitz
4. Forever Boss Tapiture Calma Prado
5. Lady Traveler Quality Road Ask the Question
6. Iced Latte Pioneerof the Nile Malibu Prayer
7. Miss Leslie Paynter Zeenut
8. The Grass Is Blue Broken Vow Shine Softly
9. Adventuring Pioneerof the Nile Questing (GB)
10. Beautiful Gift Medaglia d'Oro Sea Gift
