The Black-Eyed Susan Stakes (Grade 2)- $250.000 Purse
PIM- For Fillies Three Years Old
One Mile and One Eighth on the Dirt
May 14, 2021

In some circles, the Black-Eyed Susan Stakes will be called the second leg of the Triple Tiara, since it is run on PRK weekend. Within our virtual world, it is not a distinction we really make with the race, leaving it as simply a nice Grade 2 stake to win. There is only one horse in this field who ran in the KYO two weeks ago, though most of these got their feet wet with at least one race during the KYO prep season. This is the 18th time that the race will be run, and the purse has ranged from $150.000 to $500.000 over those years. Since 2015, it has been steady at $250.000. Last year, One Step West took home the win for her trainer, Maxmillion Farm, and it would be her last win. She now serves as a broodmare for Smokey Stover. In this race, we will have a field of eight, and here is a look at those going to post!

#1- Notorious Return (TwinTowersRacing, ridden by Ru Fuentes)- After an inconsistent two year old season, this filly has begun to get it together on the race track and become more reliable. The problem with that is that it made it difficult for TwinTowersRacing to get her into the KYO, and her third place finish in the Ashland was not enough. She comes here, which is a great spot, and she looks able to get a piece of the purse. Hard to put a horse with one win in nine starts on top, though.

#2- Fleeting (D J C Racing Stables, ridden by S X Brigmohan)- Never ended up on the KYO trail, and she has been able to pick up wins in overnights, and then the $100.000 May in the meantime. Now, she is being given the chance to run against some very good company for the first time. Her last race does not really excite me, but I do feel as though there may be a good reason for that behind the scenes. That can’t happen again here.

#3- Last Lady (Lindeman Prairie, ridden by D Davis)- Claimed for $8.000 in February, then won an optional claimer a month later. This excited the trainer, who swung for the fences and entered her in the Grade 3 Beaumont after giving her bute for the first time. Last Lady stepped up, too, running second there, but she needed more to get into the KYO. Works are great, and she should run well here. The trainer won a four way shake when he claimed her, and that goes down as being quite a triumph!

#4- Anivia (BomBay Stables, ridden by L Contreras)- If Lindeman swung for the fences with Last Lady in the Beaumont, then BomBay is doing that with Anivia here. Sometimes, it can pay off. For Anivia, this is only her third start, and she is here off of breaking her maiden at WO last month with a 92 SRF. Those numbers show she can run with these, but still faces her toughest competition yet.

#5- Big Challenge (Waldo, ridden by R M Hernandez)- She has been a regular in the graded ranks, but still has just one race win over her nine starts. This did not stop her from earning a spot in the BC Juvenile Fillies, and she was a decent fifth. As a three year old, she turned out decent performances in preps, but did not do much for her earnings, or her KYO point total. She enters this race well rested, and figures to fare better, but it is time for her to step up as well.

#6- Secret Eyes (Arindel, ridden by E Jaramillo)- Here is the only horse that ran two weeks ago in the KYO, but Secret Eyes did not do much there, and only beat one of her rivals. She comes back on short rest, with the trainer perhaps telling her that she pretty much pulled a no show two weeks ago, so it’s time for her to actually race competitively this month. Won the Gazelle at the beginning of April, so the ability is there.

#7- Break From Holly (Nakamura Stables, ridden by V R Carrasco)- Speaking of the Gazelle, we saw this filly in that race as well, but Break From Holly was only sixth. She had a string of disappointing performances, and in light of that, she was placed in an optional claimer three weeks ago. She’d win that, so maybe she is ready to follow that up here.

#8- Tokyo (Patterson Stables, ridden by D Fukumoto)- We have a maiden in the race. Tokyo has made three starts, and has done no better than third. She does have some good works, but I need to see it on the track.

Prediction: 5-1-3-7

— NS

Categories: Grade II, STAKES ARTICLES