The Black-Eyed Susan Stakes – Grade II

PIM 1 1/8m Dirt

Graded Stake
Purse $250.000  For Fillies Three Years Old.

1 Blackberry, trained by Our Athletes
Inconsistency tends to hang around this filly and it is difficult to know what to expect from her on any given day. The winner with a huge late run of the grade one Alcibiades she then flunked out in the BC Juvenile Fillies before bouncing back to win the Demoiselle. It was difficult to sum up her two year old season and when she came out and weakened in the Davona Dale it looked like it was business as usual as a three year old. She ran better in the Ashland to be a closing sixth and in her last start ran a great third in the KYO. With another decent draw she should be very close in this race as long as it is a go day for her.

2 Prime Design, trained by Mb Stables
Ran well on the turf as a juvenile but has campaigned on the dirt as a three year old with more success. A couple of decent runs in ungraded company saw her try the Bourbonette Oaks last time out where she had too many guns for her rivals and won by a length. With just average work times and just that ne graded win it is hard to give her a winning chance in this but she is a consistent sort and will be giving her best throughout.

3 Agent Bleu, trained by Mb Stables
With a stable full of top fillies this looks like the choice out of their two entries. Just decent in overnights as a juvenile she disappointed in the Santa Ysabel Stakes and looked like she may be on the outs but stepped up on that effort in The Gazelle last time racing on the pace and winning by a length. Her works are pretty sharp and if she has improved from that last effort may be hard to beat.

4 Fake Chow, trained by M.b.o. Racing Stable
Took her first two races of the year in overnight company and was then upped to black type last time out where she ran a pretty encouraging fourth in the SUN Oaks. Running on late from a widish gate she was only beaten a length and that effort told me she was improving all the time. If she takes another step up she will be a lively chance in this.

5 Mortality, trained by John Henry
One of the fastest fillies in the game she took the grade two Alexandra Stakes in such a way that she looked a hot choice for the Oaks. Though beaten in the Ashland in her final prep she was running on so strongly at the end and only beaten a neck that she went to the Oaks a very strong second favourite. Drawn fairly wide she went a bit quicker early on than she normally does and when the pedal was pushed there was nothing left in the tank and she ended up a disappointing sixth. I am keen to write off that KYO run because of the draw which put her in with a winning chance here.

6 Que Seras Creeps, trained by D J C Racing Stables
The owners of this one doesnt hide when it comes to entering their horses and this filly has been in the deep end since she took the grade one Spinaway last September. Though she has run well she hasnt managed another win but is always running on late in her races and this smaller field may help. A close fourth in the Las Virginies at the start of the year she ran a similar race in the Davona Dale to fill the same spot but couldnt handle the wide draw last time out in the Gazelle. Though eighth she was only beaten three lengths and i actually think that was a pretty good effort. I give her a big chance today and she really would deserve this good purse.

7 Lady Groove, trained by Alabarda Stable
perseverance finally paid off for this filly in the FG Oaks last time where she gave her owner some reward for their persistence. After scraping home in a little overnight at FE last October she was sent to the DED Princess a big outsider but ran pretty well to be fifth confirming there was more ability there than her form suggested. Sent back to the cheap seats for another win she then ran a great race to be beaten less than a length in The Busher. She needed to win the FG Oaks last time to get in the KYO but she could only manage a strong third which may have been the best result for her with a  view to this race.

SUMMARY
A trappy race you would have to say it looks between Mortality and Blackberry but neither of those fillies are very consistent so it would be easy to go outside the box and look for odds. If that was the case then Que Seras Creeps may be the chance.

Categories: STAKES ARTICLES