Mucciolo’s Pimlico Friday Plays

Friday’s program at Pimlico is highlighted by the $250,000 Black-Eyed Susan (G2) for three-year-old fillies. Here are some of my thoughts on the 14-race card:

Race 8, Hilltop Stakes: Mark Casse’s #3 VICTORY TO VICTORY looks like a promising one with a big future. A Grade 1 heroine at two in a maiden-breaking performance at Woodbine, the Live Oak homebred was a decisive winner on a yielding course at Keeneland in her seasonal bow and looks super tough against her dozen foes here. Daughter of a Canadian turf champion is perfect since adding blinkers and stretching out, and Victory to Victory also has the versatility to be on the lead or running from off of it with Florent Geroux.

Race 9, Miss Preakness (G3): #5 OUR MAJESTY is very intriguing to me and should be good value in a 14-horse field. Trained by Ron Moquett, the daughter of Majesticperfection has crossed the line first in each of her trio of lifetime outings to date (she was DQ’d from a stakes win at Oaklawn two back) and was visually impressive in a dominant allowance tally at Keeneland last time. Our Majesty is swift with a strong late burst and has room for further improvement. She could be a nice price in a field with a slew of options.

Race 11, Black-Eyed Susan: A field of 11 will contest the featured event and recent maiden heroine #7 MOANA gets top billing for conditioner Todd Pletcher. In a race lacking a standout, $300,000 Uncle Mo filly has a pair of two-turn races under her belt and I love the aggressive move by these connections to try this race, which to me means they have a ton of confidence in her abilities. Moana should get a nice trip with much of the speed to her inside and I like that John Velazquez will ride for a jockey/trainer duo looking to sweep the two features this weekend.

Race 14: The get-out race is a maiden event on the lawn and it’s always good to have an opinion in the finale of any card. Turf wizard Michael Dickinson has two fillies entered for this affair and I am giving first-time starter #2 LASKARINA a big chance to put a good foot forward in an average field. By capable turf sire Elusive Quality, the bay is from a sharp family being kin to a pair of Grade 2 winners and I simply have a hunch that the connections saved the sophomore for this big weekend. Kentucky-bred shows two turf works in advance of this debut and if some early money comes her way, that’s a positive sign to get down.