Black-Eyed Susan Results and Payouts for 5/20/22

Interstatedaydream Makes Victory a Reality in Black-Eyed Susan

(Edited Press Release)

Jockey Florent Geroux and trainer Brad Cox, teaming up for the third consecutive year, registered their first victory in the $250,000 Black-Eyed Susan (G2) when Flurry Racing Stables’ Interstatedaydream passed tiring pacesetter Beguine at the top of the stretch and drew clear through the lane for a 1 ¼-length triumph May 20 at historic Pimlico Race Course.

The 98^th running of the 1 1/8-mile fixture for 3-year-old fillies was the centerpiece of a sensational 14-race program featuring six stakes, four graded, worth $1.05 million in purses that served as a fitting prelude to Saturday’s 147^th Preakness Stakes (G1).

In beating the largest Black-Eyed Susan field since 13 also went to the post in 1994, Interstatedaydream ($14.20) completed the distance in 1:48.73 over a fast main track. Grade 3 winner Adare Manor, the 2-1 favorite racing outside of California for the first time, was second, a length ahead of fast-closing Radio Days.

“I’m just very proud of her. She stepped up and ran a huge race,” Cox said of Interstatedaydream. “I was very shocked to see she was the price she was going into the gate. She wasn’t getting a lot of respect, and I really thought she fit well with this group. Congratulations to [owner] Staton Flurry. It was a big effort and I thought Florent did a good job of getting a good early position. Her last two works have been phenomenal, and she showed up and ran a big race.”

Geroux was eighth on the Cox-trained Adventuring in the 2021 Black-Eyed Susan, and they finished second by a neck as the favorite with Bonny South in 2020, when the race was pushed back to October amid the coronavirus pandemic and run on the same day as the Preakness.

Earlier in the day, Geroux won the $150,000 Allaire du Pont Distaff (G3) with Norm Casse-trained Super Quick.

Beguine, the lone also-eligible that didn’t draw into the field for the Kentucky Oaks (G1) May 7, was eager in her first start since a runner-up finish in the April 2 Fantasy (G3) and went straight to the front under jockey Jose Ortiz. They maintained their advantage while going the first quarter-mile in :23.34 and a half in :46.65.

Geroux had Interstatedaydream positioned just off the lead while given clear run two-wide in second, flanked by Adare Manor on her outside and Divine Huntress saving ground inside. Luna Belle, the locally based filly that entered the Black-Eyed Susan off five consecutive stakes wins, trailed all but two horses as the field entered the backstretch.

Positions remained mainly unchanged as horses reached the mid-point of the far turn, though Geroux had given Interstatedaydream her cue and they closed in on Beguine, drawing on even terms before emerging with the lead once straightened for home. Geroux set his filly down for a drive to the wire and Adare Manor, who had followed their move, was unable to match strides as Radio Days made a furious bid up the rail.

“There was no game plan,” Geroux said. “I thought there would be a couple of fillies, especially on the inside, who would have gone. I was really expecting Adare Manor to be a little bit forwardly placed. But when [jockey] Johnny [Velazquez] was content to sit right off me, I just took advantage of it. I was not going to pull too hard on my filly just to let him pass. I thought my filly was great where she was.

“I’d say top of the lane, I could tell I put away Adare Manor. My filly took a nice breather twice during the race. So, I thought there was plenty of oxygen in her lungs.”

Interstatedaydream, by Classic Empire out of the Uncle Mo mare Babcock, broke her maiden at first asking last June at Belmont Park. She raced once more at 2, finishing second as the favorite in the 6 ½-furlong Adirondack (G2) at Saratoga, before getting the rest of the year off.

The Ontario-bred Interstatedaydream opened her 3-year-old season March 13 at Oaklawn Park, romping by 8 ¼ lengths in a 1 1/16-mile optional claimer. She remained at the distance for the April 8 Ashland (G1) at Keeneland, her stakes debut in which she ran third behind subsequent Kentucky Oaks favorite Nest. Cox kept his filly out of the Oaks by design to point for Pimlico.

Luna Belle, Maryland’s 2-year-old champion filly of 2021 based at nearby Laurel Park with trainer Hamilton Smith, suffered her first loss this year. She had strung together wins in the Maryland Juvenile Fillies in mid-December followed by the Jan. 29 Xtra Heat, Feb. 19 Wide Country, March 19 Beyond the Wire and April 16 Weber City Miss, the latter earning her an automatic berth in the Black-Eyed Susan.

First Captain Up in Time in Pimlico Special

West Point Thoroughbreds, Siena Farm, Bobby Flay and Woodford Racing’s First Captain came with a steady run down the center of the track and stuck his head out at the wire to edge favored Vindictive in a thrilling edition of the historic $300,000 Pimlico Special (G3) at Pimlico Race Course.

The 52^nd running of the 1 3/16-mile Pimlico Special for 3-year-olds and up was the fifth of six stakes, four graded, worth $1.05 million in purses on a sensational 14-race Black-Eyed Susan Day program headlined by the 98^th edition of the 1 1/8-mile fixture for 3-year-old fillies.

First Captain ($12) gave both jockey Luis Saez and Hall of Fame trainer Shug McGaughey their first wins in the Pimlico Special. Since 1988, McGaughey had run fifth in 1998 with Draw and in 2012 with Hymn Book, and fourth in 2015 with Top Billing.

The winning time was 1:56.24 over a fast main track.

First Captain settled in fifth, given clear run by Saez in the five-path as Untreated coasted through a quarter-mile in :24.99 chased by 17-1 longshot Workin On a Dream. Vindictive, ridden by Irad Ortiz Jr., saved ground in third along the rail with Excellorator tracking outside in fourth.

The half went in :49.80 and six furlongs in 1:14.27 with Untreated still leading the way. Vindictive ranged up on his Todd Pletcher-trained stablemate once straightened for home and was able to forge a short lead following a 1:38.46 mile. First Captain was looming right behind and Saez had to steer the 4-year-old colt around Vindictive when he came out slightly in mid-stretch but was able to sustain his momentum and get up in time.

“I didn’t want him up on the pace,” McGaughey said. “I thought that one of the problems in the Carter was that maybe we were laying a little too close and he didn’t have that kick. I wanted him back a little bit. It’s going to be a little bit easier for him when he does get a pace. We’ll just have to see from there.”

Vindictive held second by 1 ¼ lengths over Untreated, who was 7 ¼ lengths in front of Workin On a Dream in fourth.