Go Maggie Go Soars in Black-Eyed Susan

Lightly raced but perfectly primed for a big effort, Mike Tarp's homebred Go Maggie Go soared to her second grade II victory May 20 in the $250,000 Black-Eyed Susan Stakes (gr. II) at Pimlico Race Course. 

The 3-year-old Ghostzapper   filly came off a fourth-place finish in the Longines Kentucky Oaks (gr. I), her only loss in four starts for trainer Dale Romans. 

"She just took it to them and won the race; she was pressed by a quality filly," Romans said. "I think she's one of the best fillies I've ever had... I don't know where the top is on her."

The 1 1/8-mile Black-Eyed Susan resulted in a big day for Romans, who also conditions 50-1 runner-up Ma Can Do It. The Kentucky native also won the 2015 Black-Eyed Susan with Keen Pauline. He has Cherry Wine geared up for a run in the May 21 Xpressbet.com Preakness Stakes (gr. I).

Jockey Luis Saez found himself forwardly placed aboard Go Maggie Go in the Black-Eyed Susan, completely opposite of her trip in the Kentucky Oaks. In the Oaks she found trouble at the break and closed with a big run, but Friday afternoon she was in the clear and on even terms with 5-1 Kinsley Kisses on the front end.

"When she broke from the gate (in the Kentucky Oaks), she got a little bothered, and then we came from way back and she made a big move, but we lost a lot of ground," Saez said. "Today she got a nice trip. I didn't want to be in that position, but when we came to the first turn I was right there and I had to let her run."

After splits of :23.49, :48.83, and 1:13.54, Go Maggie Go was set down for the drive and drew clear of the competition through a 1:38.58 mile. She finished 2 1/2 lengths clear of Ma Can Do It in a final time of 1:51.81 on a fast track. Kinsley Kisses held for third.

"This is a different filly," Romans said. "I knew she was special and that she could handle it. She's just a big, massive filly that needs some time. She got a late start in life. She's going to let you do things wrong and she'll make them right. If you'll wait on Ghostzappers, they'll pay you back. She just had 2-year-old stuff; she had a little shins and just took some time, and when she started getting good she just got better."

Go Maggie Go returned $5.60, $3.60, and $3 at odds of 9-5. Ma Can Do It paid $31.40 and $15. Kinsley Kisses brought $4.60. Land Over Sea, the Kentucky Oaks runner-up and winner of the Fair Grounds Oaks (gr. II) who went off favored at 8-5 in the field of 12, finished off the board after encountering trouble in the backstretch.

Bred in Kentucky out of the Tale of the Cat   mare Magibel, Go Maggie Go now has three wins from four starts, including the April 2 Gulfstream Park Oaks (gr. II)—her first start in stakes company off an impressive maiden debut score for Tarp.

"I've trained for him for over 15 years and he's one of the best guys in Thoroughbred racing; he's one of the best guys I've ever trained for," Romans said. "We bought her mother at a 2-year-old sale some time ago, and he let me pick the breeding, do what we want, and he comes up with good horses."

The trainer, who was in a car accident May 7 on his way home from the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I), is still healing from rib injuries sustained in the crash. A Black-Eyed Susan exacta made things a whole lot better.

"I was having a lot of pain earlier in the day, but for some reason it went away—and it wasn't even bourbon yet," Romans said with a grin.