Betting the Black-Eyed Susan on a $20 Budget
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Stopchargingmaria wins the 2013 Demoiselle Stakes. (Photos by Eclips Sportswire)
The Grade 2 Black-Eyed Susan Stakes is the sister race to this Saturday's 139th Preakness Stakes at Pimlico Race Course. Featuring a purse of $500,000, the 1 1/8-mile race is restricted to 3-year-old fillies.
Todd Pletcher trains two of the three favorites on the morning line in this field of 11. Morning-line favorite Stopchargingmaria at 7-to-2 odds will break from post position 4 with Javier Castellano aboard, and Sloane Square at 5-to-1 odds will break from post position 8 with Joel Rosario booked to ride.
Stopchargingmaria started her career off quite well, winning her debut at Saratoga as well as the Tempted and Demoiselle Stakes at Aqueduct in 2013. Although she has yet to finish in the top three in 2014, the filly has shown plenty of class and ability, and Pletcher has been dedicated to getting her to regain her best form for this race.
Sloane Square has steadily improved throughout her short, yet successful career. Unraced at 2, she won her first two starts in 2014 at Gulfstream and Calder. Most recently, the Giant’s Causeway filly finished second in the Grade 3 Bourbonette Oaks at Turfway Park in March. I definitely think that Sloane Square is one to watch.
EUPHROSYNE
Two horses who could give Pletcher’s entrants some competition are Euphrosyne and Joint Return. Euphrosyne, trained by Steve Asmussen, has two wins, one second and one third in her four starts in 2014. The Harlan's Holiday filly is the second choice on the morning-line for the Black-Eyed Susan with 4-to-1 odds and will break from post number 5 with jockey Ricardo Santana Jr. aboard.
Going off at higher odds of 15-to-1, Joint Return also has had a successful 3-year-old campaign, winning 3 of 4 starts. Her most recent race was a clear victory in the Calder Oaks in April. Although Joint Return will being breaking from the inside post position with Kendrick Carmouche aboard, she tends to be a closer so the 1 spot should not hurt her chances.
Overall, I think this field is full of promise and it really could be any filly's race to win. Here’s how I would bet the Black-Eyed Susan:
#4 Stopchargingmaria, #5 Euphrosyne, #8 Sloane Square, #1 Joint Return
Betting Strategy 1 - $1 trifecta part wheel: 4,5,8 with 1,4,5 with 1,8 = $8
$0.50 superfecta box: 1,4,5,8 = $12
Betting Strategy 2 - $10 exacta box: 4,5 = $20
$500,000 Black-Eyed Susan Stakes (Grade 2)
Friday, Pimlico, Race 10, Post Time 4:47 p.m. ET
3-Year-Old Fillies, 1 1/8 Miles
TV: Live on NBC Sports 4-5 p.m. ET
PP
Horse
Jockey
Weight
Trainer
1
Joint Return
K Carmouche
118
J C Servis
2
America
J R Velazquez
116
W I Mott
3
Shanon Nicole
M E Smith
116
M J Maker
4
Stopchargingmaria
J Castellano
122
T A Pletcher
5
Euphrosyne
R Santana Jr.
120
S M Asmussen
6
Arethusa
R Napravnik
118
E G Harty
7
La Mejor Fiesta
V Espinoza
116
W A Ward
8
Sloane Square
J Rosario
116
T A Pletcher
9
Fortune Pearl
T McCarthy
116
H G Motion
10
Vero Amore
F Pennington
116
R E Reid Jr.
11
Image of Anna
L Saez
116
R A Violette Jr.