The $300,000 Black-Eyed Susan (G2) is the main attraction on the Friday card that kicks off Preakness Stakes (G1) weekend at Laurel Park.
Just as the Kentucky Oaks (G1) for fillies sets the table for the Kentucky Derby (G1) the following afternoon, the Black-Eyed Susan card is the lead-in to the biggest two days of horse racing in Maryland.
Pimlico Race Course is the traditional home of the Black-Eyed Susan and the Preakness. With Pimlico undergoing a long-overdue renovation, the stakes have taken temporary residence down I-95 at Laurel. It is similar to what is going on in New York, where the upcoming Belmont Stakes (G1) will once again be run at Saratoga while the finishing touches are being applied to the new Belmont Park.
While the Black-Eyed Susan is the next major stakes for 3-year-old fillies, it is always overshadowed by the Kentucky Oaks in terms of prestige and purse money ($1.5 million versus $300,000).
Even so, we have an interesting race that offers potential value for horseplayers.
That starts with My Miss Mo (7-2 co-second choice), who some bettors will discount because she drew the outside post, No. 10. There is a very short run in a 1 1/8-mile race from the starting gate until the runners encounter the first turn. Horses breaking from the outside run the risk of being caught extremely wide into the first bend.
That's a danger, but My Miss Mo is talented enough and fast enough to gun away from the gate and secure a good stalking position behind expected pacesetter Braken Poppa.
In addition to her speed, My Miss Mo is the class of the field. She spent the winter battling the leading 3-year-old fillies in Florida. She was second most recently to Prom Queen in the Gulfstream Park Oaks (G2). Prom Queen went on to the Kentucky Oaks, where she was a rallying fifth, picking up a minor share after jockey Javier Castellano failed to get her into the race.
This is the spot for My Miss Mo to shine.
“The last race was pretty solid, and I feel like the horse that beat her at Gulfstream had a troubled trip in the Oaks, so her form seems like it should stack up well,” trainer Saffie Joseph, Jr. said. “The last race was productive. I think she should have a pretty decent chance.”
We agree.
Braken Poppa (also 7-2) is a tough one to figure out. She has plenty of early speed, and the four-race winning streak certainly catches your eye ... until you realize the quartet of wins were against Louisiana breds. This is her first start away from the Fair Grounds, and it's fair to wonder how she stacks up against open stakes fillies.
She might be the Queen of Bourbon Street, but will it play in the Free State?
We're rounding out our top three with A.P.'s Girl (5-1). She was a close-up second last time out in the Weber City Miss Stakes, the local prep for the Black-Eyed Susan. She had the lead in the lane, only to be outkicked by Ivy Girl, who is also in this race.
It was a jammed-up trip under jockey James Graham, and the filly ran through the lane on the wrong lead. Irad Ortiz, Jr. gets the mount here and should sort out a smoother journey.
| # | Horse | Jockey | Trainer | M/L |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Miss Fulton Gal | J R Velazquez | M E Gorham | 30/1 |
| 2 | Ivy Girl | V R Carrasco | A J Green | 15/1 |
| 3 | Holly's Holiday | F Prat | K G McPeek | 6/1 |
| 4 | Savor It | M J Sanchez | U St. Lewis | 30/1 |
| 5 | Braken Poppa | J L Ortiz | S M Asmussen | 7/2 |
| 6 | Haute Diva | K J Asmussen | P L Biancone | 15/1 |
| 7 | Jumping the Gun | L Saez | A L Simoff | 3/1 |
| 8 | Majestic Lucia | J Alvarado | V Barboza, Jr. | 12/1 |
| 9 | A. P.'s Girl | I Ortiz, Jr. | P Eurton | 5/1 |
| 10 | My Miss Mo | T Gaffalione | S A Joseph, Jr. | 7/2 |
Last Updated on 05/12/2026
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