Black Eyed Susan Today...A further look at the Preakness

The Black Eyed Susan highlights the card at Pimlico today. The race...for three year old fillies...has 11 entries but non from the Kentucky Oaks two weeks ago.

Who do I like?

(1) Shimmering Aspen hasn't run in a stakes race in her young career but did win three races in a row at nearly Laurel Race Course and all three were with relative ease. she's never been moree than seven furlongs...but the 1 1/8th Black Eyed Susan seems within reach for a horse that was basically geared down for the final 1/8th of her last win. Steve Hamilton regains the ride and she's out of Rodney Jenkins barn.

(4) Full House ran into a monster in Miss Sky Warrior last time out in the Gazelle. "The Miss" won't be in the Black Eyed Susan and Full House should be forwardly placed and ready to pounce in the stretch under Rajiv Maragh. Full House was sharply checked in the first turn of the Gazelle by "The Miss" but the jockey's objection was overruled by the stewards. Veteran trainer James Jerkins trains and Maragh returns to ride.

(9) Summer Luck ran into several Oaks runners in the Ashland Stakes at Keeneland ran ran better than her fifth place finish indicates. Breaking dead last, she showed some gain on the rail late.and should be better placed today at the start. She gets Javier Castellano, who has won two out of the lasr three Black Eyed Susan's and comes out of Mark Casse's barn..which has been on fire lately. The gal barely missed getting in the Oaks...maybe today will be her lucky day.

(8) Torrent followed the leaders in Oaklawn's Fantasy but lost all hope of winning when she was forced eight wide going around the final turn. She showed some late gain despite this to finish fourth. Ron Moquett is high on her chances today and Jose Ortiz in the saddle certainly doesn't hurt at all. I fell in love with this hopeful last fall at Churchill when she won her first race...a maiden special weight affair...by six lengths. She looked like she could have gone around again and today's distance won't be a problem.

An interesting horse here is (10) Actress...a maiden running in this big stakes race. I'll use...must have a reason, right?

THE PLAY

I'll put these five in an exacta box and probably do a box wheel with them on top and everyone else on the bottom...and turning it around. A nice play possible would be a trifecta "pyramid" with them on top, adding Todd Pletcher runners (7) Moana and (5) Lights of Medina with them for second and going to the "all" button for third..

The Black Eyed Susan starts the late pick 4. I'll use 1,4,8,9,10 to begin it, go to the "all" button for race 12, single 13 (Clipthecoupon) in Race 13 and finish it with Foerza, West Coast Bias and She'slikethewind in Race 14. On the 50 cent level, it's a tidy investment of $150 but a probably payout way much higher than the initial investment.


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PREAKNESS

Me with Wm. Denzik's trophy for
winning his race with Like A Haint

I'm still not moving off Always Dreaming as my top choice here. I do expect Classic Empire to give a better account of himself Saturday and he'll be my second place pick. I feel really good about Senior Investment's chances Saturday and he's my third choice. Gunnervera will close to pick up fourth. 

I'll most likely repeat my Derby Day strategy and put Always Dreaming on top and everyone else beneath in exacta and trifecta selections. Maybe a side show bet on Senior investment as well. 

We'll look at this race and the stakes races on Saturday's Churchill card on Handicapping Heroes radio show tomorrow. The show starts at noon and can be accessed at the link below: 

HANDICAPPING HEROES 5/20/17 Broadcast


paulie
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