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Sovereign Awards Derby & Auction Prices Santa Anita Derby Day Wood Memorial Day Kentucky Derby Contenders |
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 Stopchargingmaria and Javier Castellano after winning the Black-Eyed Susan | |
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The filly counterpart to the Preakness is the $500,000 Black-Eyed Susan Stakes (G2) held on the Friday before Preakness day. The 34,736 in attendance braved rainy weather and temperatures in the low 70's, but the rain gave way to clouds and some sun in time for the stakes races near the end of the card. A field of 11 three-year-old fillies went to post in this 1 1/8 mile main track feature, with Sloane Square sent off as the 3-1 favorite off her second place finish in the Bourbonette Oaks (G3) at Turfway. In to challenge her included 7-2 second choice Stopchargingmaria, fourth in the Fantasy (G3) at Oaklawn, and 9-2 third choice America, third in the Gulfstream Oaks (G2) last out.
 Stopchargingmaria and Vero Amore battle in the stretch. |
Pgm Horse Jockey Win Place Show 4 Stopchargingmaria Castellano 9.60 5.60 4.00 10 Vero Amore Pennington 12.80 9.40 9 Fortune Pearl McCarthy 5.80 Winning Time: 1:51.79 $2 Exacta 4-10 119.80 $2 Trifecta 4-10-9 871.40 $1 Superfecta 4-10-9-1 4,582.40 |
Left: Stopchargingmaria in the winner's circle.
Right: The trophy presentation for the Black-Eyed Susan. Winning trainer Todd Pletcher said, "It was a terrific performance. We actually got shuffled back a little bit going to the first turn. We were hoping to be a little closer. Javier was able to move her to the outside and get a good position, and she really picked it up. Once she got to the outside on the far turn, she started to make her move and she was rolling. This was certainly her best race. To be honest, I'm not really sure why her first two races this year didn't go as well as last year. It took her a little while after the Fantasy to get back. After the Fantasy we took her up to Saratoga and the cool weather seemed to invigorate her. Today she acted like she was back to her old self. I like this race; I think it's my fourth Black Eyed Susan."
Left: Stopchargingmaria circles after the race.
Right: Stopchargingmaria in the post parade. Winning jockey Javier Castellano said, "It set up perfectly for us and I had a beautiful trip. We took a look at the race beforehand. We figured there'd be a lot of speed and I just wanted to put her in a good position. We saved ground going into the first turn and after that it was a matter of keeping her in the clear. I had ridden her before at Saratoga on an off track, and she had no problems with it today at all. At the top of the stretch, I was pretty confident."
Left: Second place finisher Vero Amore in the post parade. Trainer Robert Reid Jr. said, "I can't believe she is still not a stakes winner. She's so game, this filly. What she lacks in size and maybe pedigree, she makes up in trying. I saw her give them the slip a little at the top of the stretch. I've got to give the winner a lot of credit. She ran really game. They were both really trying all the way to the wire."
Right: Third place finisher Fortune Pearl returns after the race. Trainer Graham Motion said, "I was pleased with her race. She was coming off short rest. She won very impressively last time, and she showed today that it wasn't a fluke."
Left: Ninth place finisher and beaten favorite Sloane Square heads to the paddock before the race. The 3-1 choice stalked the pace in third under jockey Joel Rosario but tired at the 3/8 pole to finish ninth beaten 9 1/2 lengths. The Todd Pletcher trainee has a record of 2 wins, 1 second, and 0 thirds in 4 starts, earning $61,480 for owner Michael Tabor.
Right: Shortly after the start of the Black-Eyed Susan.
The co-feature on Friday is the $300,000 Pimlico Special (G3). A field of 9 older horses contested this historic 1 3/16 mile trip, with Oaklawn Handicap (G2) runner-up Revolutionary sent off as the 2-1 favorite over 5-2 Moreno, off a third place finish in the Charles Town Classic (G2), and 11-2 Valid, an allowance winner at Gulfstream last out. Valid went to the front first time by and set fraction of 22.75, 46.98, and 1:11.33 whie stalked by Moreno and 13-2 Golden Lad. Entering the lane, Moreno gained the lead through 1 mile in 1:36.60 before tiring. Revolutionary, last early, rallied late and outfinished 11-1 Prayer for Relief by a neck for the win in 1:55.99 over the fast main track. It was another 1 1/2 length back t0 7-1 Cat Burglar third.
Full results chart from DRF
Winning jockey Mike Smith said, "I didn't realize I was going to be so far back. I even asked him a little bit coming out of the gate. I was a little concerned and I thought, 'They've got to be flying out there.' I started picking up horses about the 4 1/2-pole. Going past the 5/8, he really started to level off and I felt very confident that he was going to run well. I didn't know if he would get by all of them, but at the 1/4 pole I was pretty confident." Trainer Todd Pletcher added, "That was a good win. He came from way, way off it. We didn't anticipate being that far back, but I felt a little better when the fractions were as fast as they were. Once they threw up 46-and-change, I felt better. Turning for home he was right in the mix. I think he showed last year and as a 2-year-old that he was a really good horse. He won the Louisiana Derby and he was third in the Kentucky Derby. The time off we gave him after the Belmont Stakes did him well. This was a big effort for him."
A field of 9 three-year-old fillies sprinted 6 furlongs in the $100,000 Miss Preakness Stakes. 5-1 Miss Behaviour was quickest away and set fractions of 22.74 and 46.03 while staklked by 14-1 Sweetmarys Success amd 24-1 Stormy Novel. Entering the stretch, Miss Behaviour opened up a 4 1/2 length lead through 5/8 in 58.10. Stormy Novel attempted to close but Miss Behaviour held her off by 1 3/4 lengths in 1:10.85 over the good track. It was a long 5 3/4 lengths back to 7-5 favorite Jojo Warrior third.
Full results chart from DRF
Winning trainer Phil Schoenthal said, "She's obviously come in with big hopes and dreams. But she didn't win the last two or three times. There's a lump in your throat, a little trepidation, but she beat some nice horses today. She's a classy act all around. It's why you pay the jockey. The plan was to lay off the pace, but she broke so well, he let her do her thing." Jockey Sheldon Russell added, "She really has a lot of speed. She broke sharp today and just carried me all the way around the track. She kept me out of trouble and not one time did I have to move on her until the stretch. When I asked her, she kept going nicely. She was very impressive today."
Kicking off the stakes action on Preakness weekend was the $100,000 Skipat Stakes featured a field of 5 older fillies and mares sprinting 6 furlongs. 6-1 Flattering Bea dueled for the lead with 8-5 favorite Winning Image through fractions of 22.92 and 45.84 over the sloppy main track. Flattering Bea continued to lead through 5/8 in 58.25, but 9-2 Lion D N A, third early, came through late to win by 3/4 length in 1:11.09. It was another 1/2 length back to Winning Image third.
Full results chart from DRF
Winning owner Gary Asquith said, "The shorter field really helped. My horse relishes the slop. It's a wet track today. The race set up perfectly for us, because there was speed up front. That helped us out and gave us a shot in the last 1/2 furlong." Jockey Joel Rosario added, "I tried to send her a little bit. I just let her sail and let her make the one run. It took some time to get her in the race. If I would have let her drop back."
The $100,000 Jim McKay Turf Sprint featured a field of 5 older horses (after 4 scratches) going 5 furlongs on the main track (originally carded for turf). Kendrick Carmouche sent 9-2 Great Attack to the front and he set fractions of 22.67 and 45.43 while stalked by 2-5 favorite Ben's Cat. Ben's Cat moved up to challenge in midstretch and drew clear late to win by 1 3/4 lengths in 57.75 over the good track. It was another 2 3/4 lengths back to 5-2 Smash and Grab third.
Full results chart from DRF
Winning trainer King Leatherbury said, "I criticize myself taking so much for granted. I expect to win. He's spoiling me. I was hoping for the slop. He really loves the slop. I think his best surface is equal – turf and slop. We say it every year, 'he's better than ever.' How long can we say that? He's 8. How long can he keep going like this? 9? 10? 11? It's hard to believe. He's a remarkable, amazing horse. He'll run in the Governor's Cup at Penn National." Jockey Julian Pimentel added, "I just have to hold on. He's been working well and at 8 he just keeps going. I didn't have any trouble in the race. He always knows just what to do. So if any of them want to come after him in the stretch, they better hurry up if they plan to catch him."
After 4 scratches due to the race coming off the turf, just 4 older fillies and mares sprinted 5 furlongs in the $50,000 Rollicking Stakes. 3-5 favorite Hootenanny went to the lead early through a quarter in 22.74 before 9-1 Pret Say Eye took over through a half in 46.43. 6-5 Governmentshutdown, third early, rallied past the pacesetters to win going away by 3 3/4 lengths in 59.10. It was another 3 1/2 lengths from Pret Say Eye to Hootenanny third.
Full results chart from DRF
Winning trainer John Robb said, "The race didn't go as we planned but we got the finish we hoped for. (Hootenanny) outran us from the gate and dropped over on us and made it real tight. He showed a lot of improvement from his first start to his second. The blinkers made a real difference. We'll maybe try to go to the Bashford Manor at Churchill Downs." Jockey Jose Betancourt added, "We didn't have a picture perfect trip the way we wanted it, but he overcame a disastrous start. He impressed me today. We had to take back a little bit. That's not where I wanted to be, but I was really impressed the way he overcame that. So far he's been really impressive."
The last race on Friday was the $100,000 Hilltop Stakes for 3-year-old fillies going 1 1/16 miles on the main track (originally turf). After 5 scratches, just 3 loaded into the gate. 3-5 favorite Our Epiphany went to the lead setting fractions of 25.20, 50,79, and 1:16.61 while 1 1/2 lengths in front of 5-2 Southern Equity. In the stretch, Our Epiphany opened up a 3 1/2 length advantage through 1 mile in 1:41.65, and easily held off the onrushing 9-5 Tupancy Links by 1 1/2 lengths in 1:48.07. It was a long 8 1/4 lengths back to Southern Equity last.
Winning trainer Dane Kobiskie said, "When a race becomes a three horse race, it becomes a jockeys' race. I told him to make a decision to take the lead or fall back and get in the two or three path and force the other riders to work. I felt better when it came off the grass, because I know what she can do on the dirt." Jockey Grant Whitacre added, "She broke well from the gate and from there I was able to control the pace. You can get a better trip when you get out there and get good position. Once I got the lead, I was able to sit still and wait to move on her."
Full results chart from DRF
The 5th and final running of the Lady Legends for the Cure race, a typical $52,000 allowance for older horses going 6 furlongs on the main track, featured 8 retired female jockeys coming back to raise money for Susan G. Komen for the Cure. Kaymarie Kreidel opened a clear lead aboard 64-1 longest shot Clowning Around through 1/4 in 23.14 before Sharon Gunther aboard 11-10 favorite Big Lute took over through a half in 46.65 and 5/8 in 59.39, while stalked by Stacie Clark-Rogers aboard 5-2 second choice Graced. Clark-Rogers gained the lead aboard Graced inside the 1/16 pole but Clark-Rogers inexplicably stood up in the irons easing her horse short of the finish post. Andrea Seefeldt aboard 6-1 Zuestgold, rallying from seventh, got up to win by a neck in 1:12.70. It was another 3/4 lengh back to Tami Purcell aboard 11-2 Big Blue Talent third, and a nose back to favorite Big Lute fourth.
Left: All the jockeys for the Lady Legends. This year the jockeys competing were: Andrea Seefeldt-Knight, Stacie Clark-Rogers, Tami Purcell, Sharon Gunther, Abigail Fuller, Patty Cooksey, Cheryl White, and Kaymarie Kreidel.
Right: Andrea Seefeldt aboard Zuerstgold (outside) defeats Stacie Clark-Rogers aboard Graced (rail). Clark-Rogers, who also finished second last year, said, "He was awesome and did nothing wrong. Everything was going great and I just screwed up and misjudged the wire. It's been a while since I hit the wire first. It was fun for all the connections. We always have a lot of fun every year. It's kind of sad it's not happening anymore."
Full results chart from DRF
Seefeldt said, "I had so much fun prepping and getting ready for it. The media interest has been great. There's been a lot of good coverage, and to get people to the races is great. It was a lot of fun. I just found out yesterday that (sister-in-law Danica Roki Seefeldt) went for a lumpectomy, so this is for her. I saw the overnight and I was in the one hole and it was sloppy. I knew I wanted to close with the horse, but that's really hard to do, to let the other ones go and be back there and be in traffic. If you've ever been on the highway with two semi trucks on either side of you, it's really hard to make yourself go up in there."
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