‘Maturing’ Bonny South Headlines Field Of 11 In Black-Eyed Susan

An evenly-matched field of 11 fillies, led by graded-stakes winners Bonny South, Hopeful Growth, Perfect Alibi and Project Whiskey, are set to gather for the 96th running of the $250,000 Black-Eyed Susan (G1) Saturday, Oct. 3 at Pimlico Race Course.

The 1 1/8-mile Black-Eyed Susan for 3-year-old fillies will be Race 10 on an all-stakes Preakness Day program, immediately preceding the 145th edition of the Preakness Stakes (G1). Post time for the Black-Eyed Susan is 4:41 p.m., and will be part of NBC's national television coverage from 4:30-6 p.m.

First run in 1919 as the Pimlico Oaks, the 1 1/8-mile Black-Eyed Susan was originally scheduled for May 15 in its traditional spot on Preakness eve, but both races were subsequently rescheduled amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic and the Black-Eyed Susan repositioned on the Preakness undercard.

Nine horses to win the Black-Eyed Susan have gone on to be named champion 3-year-old filly including Hall of Famers Twilight Tear, Davona Dale, Serena's Song, Silverbulletday and Royal Delta. Among other prominent winners are Hall of Famer Gallorette; Nellie Morse, the only filly to also win the Preakness, in 1924; High Voltage, Caesar's Wish and Wide Country.

Post time for the first of 12 races Preakness Day is 11 a.m.

Juddmonte Farms homebred Bonny South was rerouted to the Black-Eyed Susan following the announcement in mid-August that it was to join the Preakness lineup. The chestnut daughter of multiple graded-stakes winning sprinter Munnings tuned up for the race with a five-furlong work in 1:01 Saturday morning at Churchill Downs.

Winner of the Fair Grounds Oaks (G2) in March, Bonny South was a closing second behind Swiss Skydiver in the 1 ¼-mile Alabama (G1) last out Aug. 15 at Saratoga and then bypassed the Kentucky Oaks (G1) Sept. 4. Swiss Skydiver is entered to face the boys in the Preakness.

“Since the Alabama she's done really, really well,” trainer Brad Cox said. “She's maturing. She's still somewhat lightly raced, only run six times in her life. I think we have yet to see the best of her. Hopefully, she'll take a step forward.”

Florent Geroux, up for both her recent work and the Fair Grounds Oaks, will ride Bonny South from Post 5 at 124 pounds, sharing topweight with Project Whiskey and Perfect Alibi.

Tracy Farmer's Perfect Alibi won the Schuylerville (G2) and Spinaway (G1) at 2 but has gone winless in five tries since, including a second in the Alcibiades (G1) and a fourth in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1) to cap her rookie season. She didn't get started this year until June and finished off the board in the one-mile Acorn (G1) and seven-furlong Test (G1) before running third by a length in the Sept. 7 Weber City Miss at Laurel, an automatic qualifier for the Black-Eyed Susan.

Trained by Hall of Famer Mark Casse, Perfect Alibi drew outside Post 11 with jockey Paco Lopez.

St. Elias Stable's Hopeful Growth was fifth to Project Whiskey in the 1 1/16-mile Delaware Oaks (G3) July 4, but avenged that loss with a four-length triumph in the Aug. 1 Monmouth Oaks (G3). Most recently she was sixth to Bonny South's stablemate Shedaresthedevil in the Kentucky Oaks.

Hopeful Growth will carry 122 pounds including jockey Trevor McCarthy from Post 8.

Cash is King and LC Racing's Project Whiskey, who captured the Parx Juvenile Fillies last fall, was a determined half-length winner of the Delaware Oaks at odds of 38-1. She ran well to be a decisive second in the Monmouth Oaks and got within four lengths of the lead midway through the Weber City Miss before tiring to be last of nine.

“She hasn't run well at Laurel, so we're not sure if she just doesn't like the surface too much,” trainer Robert E. 'Butch' Reid Jr. said. “She didn't get away clean and got back a little further than she normally is and had to eat some dirt, and it wasn't to her liking.

“She came out of her race like she never even ran,” he added. “We're going to give her a mulligan on that one and look for better things because she's training perfectly. So, we're going to take another shot.”

Victor Carrasco has the call on Project Whiskey from Post 1.

Three horses – Landing Zone, Miss Marissa and Mizzen Beau – enter the Black-Eyed Susan off victories. Alfonso Cammarota's Miss Marissa has won two straight including a front-running optional claiming allowance going 1 1/8 miles Aug. 13 at Saratoga, while Mizzen Beau captured the 1 1/16-mile Bison City over Woodbine's all-weather surface Sept. 12.

BB Horses Landing Zone takes a three-race win streak into the Black-Eyed Susan for Maryland's three-time defending leading trainer Claudio Gonzalez. The Morning Line filly has stretched out from 5 ½ furlongs to a mile to one mile and 70 yards in each of her victories, which have come by 16 ¾ combined lengths.

“The last two races have been really big and we decide with the owner to take shot in the big race,” Gonzalez said. ““I believe the longer races, she's more relaxed and she likes it more. In the morning when she breezes, she looks good. Sometimes she beats the good fillies and in the afternoon she wasn't showing what she was in the morning. That's why I told the owner I want to figure out what is the best I can do to change something and when we did, she likes it.”

Landing Zone went gate to wire to win by 11 lengths at Delaware Park Aug. 31, following up with a 3 ½-length triumph over Black-Eyed Susan rival So Darn Hot Sept. 10. Gonzalez claimed her for $25,000 out of a runner-up finish sprinting six furlongs last November at Laurel.

“I claimed her last year and she was very nervous for everything. Now she's more mature and she looks better and not nervous like before, even in the paddock,” Gonzalez said. “That's why she improved a lot. Now we can train her different and she likes it. She's showing me now in her last few races. Her last few races have been really good.”

Angel Cruz will ride Landing Zone for her stakes debut from Post 10.

“It's very exciting for me. Horses [that cost] a lot of money, I don't have horses like that. But I try to claim horses with back class or something like that and try to improve them,” Gonzalez said. “Now I have horses in the stakes races and I believe that's good not only for me but for everybody. They can see we're doing something good and doing good work.”

Trainer George Weaver captured last year's Black-Eyed Susan with Point of Honor, who would go on to run second in the coaching Club American Oaks (G1) and Alabama at 3 and the Ogden Phipps (G1) in June. Weaver returns to defend his title with Stetson Racing, Lanni Donato and Rita Riccelli's So Darn Hot, owner of a six-length maiden win June 18 at Belmont Park from just four lifetime starts.

Completing the field are Sharp Starr, most recently third in the Fleet Indian against fellow New York-breds Sept. 4 at Saratoga; Truth Hurts, third in the Bison City; and Delaware Oaks runner-up Dream Marie.

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Kentucky Oaks Top 10 for Sept. 2

Four months after its initial date, the GI Kentucky Oaks is finally upon us and the race promises to be one of the best renditions ever of what has become the most important 3-year-old filly race on the calendar. This may be a two-horse race, but it is a two-horse race between two fillies, Swiss Skydiver (Daredevil) and Gamine (Into Mischief), who appear to be among the best of their generation. Superiority will be settled on the racetrack

With Swiss Skydiver and Gamine dominating the competition throughout the late spring and summer, cases of Oaks Fever were in short supply this year. Only nine entered the race, making this the smallest Oaks field since 2009 when Rachel Alexandra topped a field of seven.

 

1) GAMINE (Into MischiefPeggy Jane, by Kafwain)

‘TDN Rising Star’ O-Michael L. Petersen. B-Grace Thoroughbred Holdings LLC (KY). T-Bob Baffert. Sales History: $220,000 yrl ’18 KEESEP; $1,800,000 2yo ’19 FTMMAY. Lifetime Record: MGISW, 4-3-0-0, $363,600.

Last Start: GI Longines Test S., SAR, Aug. 8

Accomplishments: 1st GI Longines Acorn S., BEL, June 20

Next Start: GI Longines Kentucky Oaks, CD, Sept. 4

Equineline PPs. KY Oaks Points: 50.

Installed as the even-money morning line favorite, Gamine drew post five. The game plan is obvious. She has a tremendous asset in her natural speed and will likely open up early and dare them to catch her. That may mean a quick pace, but Gamine seems capable of running fast early and having enough left late. She posted fractions of :22 3/5 and :45 in the GI Acorn and then drew off to win by 18 3/4 lengths. That, of course was at a mile and the Oaks is a mile-and-an-eighth, so she does have one important question to answer.

On the Beyer scale, she is clearly faster that Swiss Skydiver. She ran a 110 in the Acorn and a 108 in the GI Test. Swiss Skydiver’s best number is a 102.

Just six months into her career, Gamine has come a long way in a short period of time and had the Oaks been run May 1 there’s no way she would have been ready for the race. She made her second career start May 2 at Oaklawn in what normally would have been the day after the Oaks.

In the sorry-for-getting-way ahead-of-ourselves department: suppose Gamine wins the Oaks and Tiz the Law (Constitution) wins the GI Kentucky Derby. Could we possibly see a showdown for the ages between the two in the GI Preakness S? It’s worth noting that Gamine’s owner Michael Lund Petersen is from Baltimore.

 

2) SWISS SKYDIVER (Daredevil–Expo Gold, by Johannesburg)

O-Peter J Callahan. B-WinStar Farm (KY). T-Kenneth G McPeek. Sales History: $35,000 yrl ’18 KEESEP. Lifetime Record: MGSW, 9-5-2-1, $952,980.

Last Start: 1st GI Alabama S., SAR, Aug. 15

Next Start: GI Longines Kentucky Oaks, CD, Sept. 4

Equineline PPs. KY Oaks Points: 450.

It’s hard to imagine that a filly who is coming off a Grade I win, ran second against males in the GII Toyota Blue Grass S. and has four stakes wins this year could be second choice (8-5) in the morning line. That just tells you how highly regarded Gamine is.

It will be interesting to see what tactics jockey Tyler Gaffalione and trainer Kenny McPeek employ. Breaking from the one post, Swiss Skydiver is almost certain to be second in the early going behind Gamine. Will Gaffalione let Gamine get away from him or will he go after Gamine and try to take the fight to her early?

While Gamine remains an unknown at the distance, Swiss Skydiver will not have any problems at a mile-and-an-eighth. She didn’t blossom until McPeek was able to get her around two turns and has the very rare distinction of coming into the nine-furlong Oaks off a win at 10-furlongs, in the GI Alabama S.

She, too, could surface in the Preakness. McPeek has already tried her against boys once and is perhaps the most daring big-name trainer in the sport today.

 

3) SPEECH (Mr SpeakerScribbling Sarah, by Freud)

O-Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners. B-Gail Rice (FL).

T-Michael W. McCarthy. Sales history: $65,000 ylg ’18 OBSWIN; $95,000 RNA ylg ’18 FTKJUL; $190,000 2yo ’19 OBSMAR. Lifetime Record: GISW, 7-2-4-1, $353,840.

Last Start: 1st GI Ashland S., KEE, July 11

Next Start: GI Longines Kentucky Oaks, CD, Sept. 4

Equineline PPs. KY Oaks Points: 160.

How the race unfolds may also dictate how this filly fares and whether or not she will have any chance to unseat Gamine and Swiss Skydiver. Speech drew post four and trainer Michael McCarthy sees her sitting just off of Gamine and Swiss Skydiver. If those two hook up in a duel Speech could get a perfect trip.

“It kind of makes things pretty clear for us,” McCarthy said after the draw. “We’ve got speed outside of us and speed down inside. I think [Gamine and Swiss Skydiver] will probably keep each other company. Hopefully we can tuck in right behind them and have a nice trip.”

But will that be enough? Speech won the GI Ashland S. in her previous start, but before that she kept finishing behind fillies she will meet in this race. She was second behind Swiss Skydiver in the GII Santa Anita Oaks, second behind Gamine in an allowance at Oaklawn (she was subsequently placed first when Gamine tested positive for a prohibited substance) and second behind Donna Veloce in the GIII Santa Ysabel S.

A very good filly who was probably born in the wrong year.

 

4) DONNA VELOCE (Uncle MoCoin Broker {Ire}, by Montjeu http://www.fasigtipton.com/{Ire}) TDN Rising Star O-Kaleem Shah, Susan Magnier, Michael Tabor & Derrick Smith. B-Coin Broker Syndicate (KY). T-Simon Callaghan. Sales History: $450,000 yrl ’18 KEESEP; $800,000 2yo ’19 FTFMAR. Lifetime Record: MGISP, 4-2-2-0, $490,000.

Last Start: 1st GIII Santa Ysabel S., SA, Mar. 8.

Next Start: Possible for GI Longines Kentucky Oaks, CD, Sept. 4 OR GII Eight Belles S., CD, Sept. 4

Equineline PPs. KY Oaks Points: 62.

Just a few weeks ago it didn’t appear that Donna Veloce had any chance of making the Kentucky Oaks. She was working for trainer Simon Callaghan, but hadn’t raced since winning the March 8 Santa Ysabel and had fallen off the radar. But after a work last Friday at Del Mar Callaghan signaled his intention to start the filly in the Oaks. The other option was the GII Eight Belles S. at seven furlongs.

She was good enough to easily defeat Speech in the Santa Ysabel after stumbling at the start, but it’s hard to imagine her winning such a tough race after such a long layoff.

Ricardo Santana, Jr. replaces Flavien Prat, who elected to stay at Del Mar for the weekend.

 

5) SHEDARESTHEDEVIL (Daredevil–Starship Warpspeed, by Congrats)

O-Flurry Racing Stables LLC, Qatar Racing Limited & Big Aut Farms. B-WinStar Farm, LLC (KY). T-Brad Cox. Sales History: $100,000 wlg ’17 KEENOV; $20,000 RNA yrl ’18 KEESEP; $280,000 2yo ’19 KEENOV. Lifetime Record: MGSW, 9-4-2-2, $501,768.

Last Start: 1st GIII Indiana Oaks, IND, July 8

Next Start: GI Longines Kentucky Oaks, CD, Sept. 4

Equineline PPs. KY Oaks Points: 90.

Though she’s won her last two starts, the race that really tells you where Shedaresthedevil stacks up is the GIII Fantasy S. run May 1 at Oaklawn. She appeared to run her race that day but was third–beaten 13 1/4 lengths–by Swiss Skydiver. She came back to win an allowance at Churchill and the GIII Indiana Oaks, but couldn’t get out of the eighties when it comes to Beyer numbers. The Oaks is loaded this year and it’s very hard to see Shedaresthedevil or any of the long shots posting what would be a monumental upset.

 

6) HOPEFUL GROWTH (TapitureMaiden America, by Rock Hard Ten)

O-St Elias Stable. B-Phillips Racing Partnership (KY). T-Anthony Margotta Jr. Sales History: $160,000 Ylg ’18 KEESEP. Lifetime Record: GSW, 5-3-1-0, $183,240.

Last Start: 1st GIII Monmouth Oaks, MTH, Aug. 1

Next Start: GI Longines Kentucky Oaks, CD , Sept. 4

Equineline PPs. KY Oaks Points: 50.

Like many in this race, it would be a noteworthy accomplishment if she could finish third or fourth. It’s hard to imagine anything better than that. She seemed to be a cut below even Grade III company until her last stat when she scored an upset at 11-1 in the GIII Monmouth Oaks. Trainer Anthony Margotta, Jr. went with the blinkers that day, so that may be what woke her up. Appears to be getting better but would take a monumental improvement for her to win the Oaks.

 

7) DREAM MARIE (Graydar–Lin Marie, by Curlin

O-Miracles International Trading; B-Wynnstay LLC & GWR LLC (KY); T-Matthew Williams. Sales History: $10,000 yrl ’18 FTKOCT; $25,000 2yo ’19 OBSMAR. Lifetime Record: GSP, 11-3-2-1, $160,160.

Last Start: 4th GIII Monmouth Oaks, MTH, Aug. 1

Next Start: GI Longines Kentucky Oaks, CD, Sept. 4

Equineline PPs. KY Oaks Points: 35

Part of the bottom three in the field, all of whom are 50-1 in the morning line, and will be hard pressed to finish among the top four. Showed a little life when second in the GIII Delaware Oaks, but followed that up with a dull showing when fourth in the Monmouth Oaks. Should she somehow win it would make for quite a human interest story. Trainer Matthew Williams is a native of Jamaica who is just 24. He has a five-horse stable and all of his horses are owned by his family’s Miracles International Trading Inc.

 

8 ) TEMPERS RISING (BayernMarchmont, by Mountain Cat)

O-Mark H & Nancy W Stanley; B-Dr Bryan Boone DVM (KY); T-Dallas Stewart. Sales History: $50,000 Wlg ’17 KEENOV; $70,000 Ylg ’18 KEESEP; $145,000 RNA 2yo ’19 OBSMAR; $170,000 RNA 2yo ’19 FTMMAY; $150,000 RNA HIT ’20 KEEHRA. Lifetime Record: 10-1-5-2, $222,627.

Last Start: 2nd Alw/Opt. Clm., ELP, July 31

Next Start: GI Longines Kentucky Oaks, CD, Sept. 4

Equineline PPs. KY Oaks Points: 47

Trainer Dallas Stewart is best known for his ability to get seemingly hopeless long shots to win or run well in huge spots, but even he appears to be overmatched this time. The daughter of Bayern was at her best when second in the GII Fair Grounds Oaks in March, but seems to have gone in the wrong direction since then. She was beaten 10 lengths in May in an allowance at Churchill and then failed to win as the favorite in a July 31 allowance at Ellis Park.

 

9) BAYERNESS (BayernWeight No More, by Pure Prize)

O-Belladonna Racing, LLC; B-Machmer Hall (KY); T-Cherie DeVeaux. Sales History: $170,000 yrl ’18 KEESEP; $350,000 2yo ’19 EASMAY. Lifetime Record: 5-2-0-2, $131,200.

Last Start: 3rd GIII Indiana Oaks, IND, July 8

Next Start: GI Longines Kentucky Oaks, CD, Sept. 4

Equineline PPs. KY Oaks Points: 8.

She is actually the only horse in the race ever to beat Swiss Skydiver, which she accomplished in an allowance last November at Churchill Downs. But Swiss Skydiver has improved dramatically since while this filly is still looking for her next win.  Has struggled this year, finishing a distant seventh in the GII Davona Dale S. and a distant third on both the GIII Dogwood S. and the GIII Indiana Oaks. Is trained by former Chad Brown assistant Cherie DeVaux.

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Learning With Experience: Hopeful Growth Wins Monmouth Oaks

Trainer Anthony Margotta, Jr. and jockey Antonio Gallardo know that much more went into Hopeful Growth's upset victory in Saturday's Grade 3 Monmouth Oaks at Monmouth Park in Oceanport, N.J., than just a perfect trip.

Two starts ago Margotta took the blinkers off the filly to get her to relax in a race at Tampa in which Gallardo rode her. Last time out the veteran conditioner sent her two turns for the first time. She finished fifth in the Grade 3 Delaware Oaks.

Both learning experiences, they agreed, keyed a four-length victory at odds of 11-1 in the 96th edition of the $200,000 Monmouth Oaks.

Hopeful Growth, able to sit chilly along the rail behind dueling leaders, mowed down the frontrunners in the lane for the first stakes score of her five-race career. She covered the mile and a sixteenth in 1:45.63.

Delaware Oaks winner Project Whiskey held for second, 2¼ lengths ahead of Eve of War.

“I had a really good trip,” said Gallardo. “I know this filly. I won with her in Tampa. Anthony told me that day `try to teach her. I don't want her to be a filly that just goes to the lead. I don't care if you lose, just teach her.'

“That's what happened in Tampa. She learned – and she still won. I was able to put her behind horses that day and she learned very fast. When I put her in the clear that race she took off. That lesson paid off today. She's a good horse and now she knows how to relax and sit behind horses. That's why she won this.”

Margotta said the filly's last two races were learning experiences for this one.

“Her last race was the first time she ran around two turns,” he said. “We were hoping to hit the board there, but typically a horse going two turns for the first time in our program may need a race around two turns the first time. This was our bull's eye target. I took the blinkers off her last two races so she would learn a little. I put them back on (today) so she would focus more after she learned a little bit.

“The Delaware Oaks was a race we needed to get in before this one for the two-turn experience and to learn. I loved the trip (today). She was patient on the rail. That's what we have been teaching her to do and it paid off.”

Owned by St. Elias Stable, Hopeful Growth returned $25.60 to win. The daughter of Tapiture–Maiden America by Rock Hard Ten now sports a 3-1-0 line from five career starts.

“She's bred to go long and she has trained that way the whole time so I knew she would go longer,” Margotta said. “She has always wanted to stretch out.

Gallardo kept Hopeful Growth along the rail as favored Lucrezia and Project Whiskey battled for command through early fractions of :23.94, :48.51, 1:13.52 and 1:139.10 for the mile.

Hopeful Growth found clearance in mid-stretch and proved to be much the best in the field of nine 3-year-old fillies.

“I had good position the whole way,” said Gallardo. “I was close to the leaders. I had the favorite (Lucrezia) in front of me with Project Whiskey with her and the two horse (Princess Cadey) was just outside us. I just waited to get clear. I was able to do that before the quarter pole. I knew she had a lot left and she responded.”

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