Black-Eyed Susan Day Stakes Picks

The Triple Crown makes its way to the Mid-Atlantic for one of racing’s great traditions, Preakness Stakes Week.

Black-Eyed Susan Day kicks off the weekend, with full fields for most of the day’s stakes including the headliner. All eyes on the undefeated Faiza in the $300,000 Black-Eyed Susan as she ships in from Southern California for Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert.

Five other stakes compliment, including the Grade 3 Pimlico Special and Grade 3 Miss Preakness.

The handicappers are back looking for winners after some spotty results at Churchill Downs for Kentucky Derby Weekend. Sean Clancy came up with six winners at Churchill, including four on Derby Day, to lead the way. Rob Whitlock is second with four, with Joe Clancy, Jessica Paquette, Paul Halloran and Tom Law next at three. Charles Bedard trails with a pair of winners.

Here are the picks for Black-Eyed Susan Day, 2023 edition. Enjoy, be safe and good luck.

Fourth race. Allaire du Pont Distaff Stakes presented by Starry. $100,000, fillies and mares, 3-year-olds and up. Post time 1:02 p.m. ET.

Just six runners show up for the 1 1/8-mile stakes named for one of racing’s great people. Kelso’s owner, the reason Windfields Farm opened a Maryland division and supporter of worthy causes inside and outside racing, she bred and campaigned Thoroughbreds for decades from her home in Chesapeake City, Md. Beyond racing, she was an expert trap shooter, competitive tennis player and pilot. She set a record for women gliders and once flew her plane under the Chesapeake City bridge. Her race could use a few more runners, but the half-dozen includes a return from 2022 Black-Eyed Susan winner Interstatedaydream, recent Top Flight Invitational winner Falconet and the class-dropping Le Da Vida.

• Joe: Falconet, Le Da Vida, Interstatedaydream.
• John: Interstatedaydream, Le Da Vida, Falconet.
• Charles: Falconet, Interstatedaydream, Le De Vida.
• Jessica: Le Da Vida, Interstatedaydream, Falconet.
• Sean: Falconet, Interstatedaydream, Le Da Vida.
• Paul: Interstatedaydream, Falconet, Le Da Vida.
• Rob: Interstatedaydream, Falconet, Misty Veil.
• Tom: Le Da Vida, Interstatedaydream, Falconet.

Ninth race. The Very One Stakes. $100,000, fillies and mares, 3-year-olds and up, 5 furlongs, turf. Post time 3:56 p.m.

Fillies and mares tackle a quick 5 furlongs in the turf sprint honoring the the Maryland-based racemare The Very One (yes, the The was part of her name). Owned by Olney’s Helen Polinger and trained by Sonny Simms and later Steve DiMauro, The Very One won the Grade 2 Dixie Handicap against males in 1979 and was second in 1980. Her career began at Bowie and included early wins at Penn National, Shenandoah, Atlantic City, Delaware Park and Laurel Park before heading to the national stage and graded stakes scores in New York, California and Florida and even a third in the Japan Cup in 1981. We’re not sure what the 22-time winner would think of a turf sprint, but it’s nice to remember her every year. The 2023 field goes 11 deep. Maryland-bred Can The Queen won it last year and returns while seeking her eighth win in her 2023 debut. Wesley Ward runs Spicy Marg and Irish-bred Her World, the latter off two wins. Mike Maker counters with recent Gulfstream Park winner Get The Candy from post 11. Train To Artemus rates a mild 3-1 favorite in a competitive group.

• Joe: Get The Candy, Her World, Spicy Marg.
• John: Spicy Marg, Train To Artemus, Her World.
• Charles: Her World, Can The Queen, Train To Artemus.
• Jessica: Spun Glass, Spicy Marg, Her World.
• Sean: Her World, Spicy Marg, Can The Queen.
• Paul: Train To Artemus, Can The Queen, Her World.
• Rob: Spun Glass, Train To Artemus, Can The Queen.
• Tom: Spicy Marg, Her World, Train To Artemus.

10th race. Miss Preakness Stakes presented by Case Tractor (G3). $150,000, fillies, 3-year-olds, 6 furlongs. Post time 4:07 p.m. for 3-year-old fillies at 6 furlongs on the dirt. This ought to be fun. Trainer rad Cox shows up with Key Of Life, off back-to-back wins including the Grade 2 Beaumont in April. She’s even money. Jeremiah Englehart counters with the undefeated Maple Leaf Mel at 8-5. The New York-bred has won all three starts, topped by the East Vivew at Aqueduct in March.

• Joe: Maple Leaf Mel, Key Of Life, Afternoon Tea.
• John: Maple Leaf Mel, Key Of Life, Topsy.
• Charles: Key Of Life, Afternoon Tea, Maple Leaf Mel.
• Jessica: Topsy, Key Of Life, Afternoon Tea.
• Sean: Key Of Life, Maple Leaf Mel, Bound By Destiny.
• Paul: Maple Leaf Mel, Key Of Life, Afternoon Tea.
• Rob: Maple Leaf Mel, Bound By Destiny, Afternoon Tea.
• Tom: Maple Leaf Mel, Key Of Life, Topsy.

11th Race. Hilltop Stakes presented by Aerovanti. $100,000, fillies, 3-year-olds, 1 mile, turf. 4:38 p.m.

Big field of 12 with Breath Away, winner of the Sanibel Island last time out at Gulfstream, the one to beat for trainer Christophe Clement. She’s 2-for-3 with the lone defeat coming to Thirty Thou Kelvin, who also shows up here. Chad Brown goes with the duo of Aspray and Up And Down, while Todd Pletcher hopes Aunt Shirley improves off her fifth in the Sanibel Island.

• Joe: Aunt Sheila, Aspray, Breath Away.
• John: Breath Away, Aunt Shirley, Well Into.
• Charles: Breath Away, Well Info, After Eight.
• Jessica: Well Into, Hang The Moon, After Eight.
• Sean: Breath Away, Well Into, After Eight.
• Paul: Aspray, Well Into, Breath Away.
• Rob: Hang The Moon, Up And Down, Well Into.
• Tom: Breath Away, Well Into, Aspray.

12th Race. Pimlico Special Stakes presented by Bulleit Bourbon (G3). $250,000, 3-year-olds and up, 1 3/16 miles. Post time 5:10 p.m.

Rattle N Roll makes rare back-to-back start at 1 3/16-mile distance, fresh off victory in the Grade 3 Ben Ali late in the Keeneland spring meet. Son of Connect is a multiple graded stakes winner and meets seven foes led by New York shipper Law Professor, 2022 Claiming Crown Jewel winner Keystone Field, Grade 3 Ghostzapper winner Clapton and Speed Bias.

• Joe: Rattle N Roll, Law Professor, Armando R.
• John: Law Professor, Rattle N Roll, Speed Bias.
• Charles: Raffle N Roll, Law Professor, Cooke Creek.
• Jessica: Law Professor, Rattle N Roll, Kuchar.
• Sean: Law Professor, Rattle N Roll, Clapton.
• Paul: Law Professor, Speed Bias, Rattle N Roll.
• Rob: Cooke Creek, Law Professor, Rattle N Roll.
• Tom: Rattle N Roll, Speed Bias, Law Professor.

13th Race. George E. Mitchell Black-Eyed Susan Stakes (G2). $300,000, fillies, 3-year-olds, 1 1/8 miles. Post time 5:44 p.m.

Faiza puts her unbeaten mark on the line and looks to stay at head – or at least close to it – of the 3-year-old filly division. Daughter of Girvin has won four straight graded stakes, starting with the Grade 1 Starlet last December up to the Grade 2 Santa Anita Oaks in early April for Bob Baffert. No shortage of opponents though, with 11 others entered in the field including Merlazza, Sacred Wish, Hoosier Philly, Comparative and Balpool.

• Joe: Faiza, Balpool, Hoosier Philly.
• John: Faiza, Merlazza, Sacred Wish.
• Charles: Faiza, Hoosier Philly, Balpool.
• Jessica: Merlazza, Comparative, Sacred Wish.
• Sean: Faiza, Merlazza, Balpol.
• Paul: Faiza, Sacred Wish, Comparative.
• Rob: Sacred Wish, Miracle, Faiza.
• Tom: Faiza, Cats In the Timber, Comparative.