Unbeaten Faiza in $300,000 Black-Eyed Susan (G2)
At 0h32, on May 19, 2023 • By PIMLICO
Michael Lund Petersen’s undefeated Faiza will try to extend her perfect record and win her fifth graded stake in Friday’s $300,000 Black-Eyed Susan (G2) at historic Pimlico Race Course.
Faiza and regular rider Flavien Prat will start from Post 9 in the field of 12.
The 99th running of the 1 1/8-mile Black-Eyed Susan for 3-year-old fillies highlights a spectacular 14-race program that includes six stakes, three graded, worth $1 million in purses and serves as an exciting prelude to Saturday’s 148th Preakness Stakes (G1), Middle Jewel of the Triple Crown.
Other graded stakes on the Black-Eyed Susan program are the $250,000 Pimlico Special (G3) for 3-year-olds and up at Preakness distance of and the $150,000 Miss Preakness (G3) for 3-year-old fillies sprinting six furlongs.
Rounding out the stakes action are the $100,000 Allaire du Pont Distaff and a pair of turf events, the $100,000 Hilltop for 3-year-old fillies at one mile, and $100,000 The Very One, a five-furlong dash for females 3 and older. First-race post time Friday is 11:30 a.m. Post time for the Black-Eyed Susan, which is carded as Race 13.
Faiza broke her maiden sprinting at Del Mar on Nov. 12 and promptly won the Starlet (G1) at Los Alamitos on Dec. 10 under Prat. This year, she has reeled off victories at Santa Anita in the Las Virgenes (G3), the Santa Ysabel (G3) and the Santa Anita Oaks (G2).
Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert noted that this will be her first race outside of California, where his stable is based. Faiza could give Baffert a record-tying fourth victory in the Black-Eyed Susan. He has a 3-0-1 record from seven starters. His wins were with Hall of Famer Silverbulletday in 1999, Yearly Report (2004) and Fiftyshadesofhay (2013). The three trainers with four wins are all in the Hall of Fame, too: “Sunny Jim” Fitzsimmons, D. Wayne Lukas and Todd Pletcher.
“She’s very professional. She’s got a really good mind,” Baffert said. “Every time Prat rides he says there is so much more in the tank because she doesn’t win by a lot. I think it’s going to be a step up. She will be running against more horses, so you never know. But she’s doing really well.”
