Spot Plays for Black-Eyed Susan Day May 16

May 14th, 2025

From this view, Friday's Black-Eyed Susan Day undercard at Pimlico offers more intriguing options than Saturday's Preakness Day program. Here are some of the races I'll be keeping an eye on for win propositions.

Race 2: Maiden, 12:01 p.m. ET

#12 Software (7-2) had a useful comeback appearance from a nine-month spell at Keeneland on April 16, making a belated run to grab fourth in a 5 1/2-furlong event. She should find the step up to a mile here helpful in her third career start.

Software's pedigree is also outstanding. In addition to half-brothers Alignement (Group 2 winner in France) and Dataman (three-time stakes winner), Software's full sister Alda won the Hilltop S. over this course.

Race 6: Allowance, 2:04 p.m. ET

#10 Had to Have Him (10-1) is a potential value play here. Newly gelded, the sturdy four-year-old won a pair of allowance sprints last season, including one over this course and distance on Preakness weekend over returning rival Tidewater. Although he's unraced since November, he shows a couple of fast half-mile works in advance of this and might be sharp enough without a prep.

Race 9: Hilltop S., 3:36 p.m. ET

#6 Pretty Lavish (8-1) wasn't ready to tackle the likes of Nitrogen in the Florida Oaks (G3) two months ago in her first try in stakes company, but this appears a far more suitable spot. She won both of her previous starts, a maiden at Gowran in Ireland and an allowance at Tampa, and wouldn't need to improve much off her previous best to be in contention here.

Race 10: Miss Preakness (G3), 4:07 p.m. ET

#4 G W's Girl (12-1) was a multiple stakes winner at Oaklawn over the winter, but threw in the first real clunker of her career last time in the Beaumont (G2) at Keeneland over a sloppy strip she might have disliked. If the Pimlico main track is dry, she might pick up a lot of pieces late in a speed-laden field.

Race 14: Maiden, 6:23 p.m. ET

In the nightcap scheduled for five furlongs on the turf, #6 Town Light (15-1) is an interesting first-time starter for strong debut conditioner Phil Schoenthal. Her sire, City of Light, gets 14% debut winners, and her dam has already produced Grade 3 winner Safeen.

Others I'll be taking a look at on Friday are #5 Wow Whata Summer (10-1) in Race 7, a course-and-distance winner against similar on this weekend a year ago, and the Godolphin-owned pair of #3 Encino (6-1) in the Pimlico Special (G3, Race 12) and #6 Paris Lily (8-1) in the Black-Eyed Susan (G2, Race 13).


Join us for Preakness!

Join us for Preakness for exclusive LIVE race day coverage, including interviews, breaking horse racing news, expert picks, in-depth handicapping analysis, LIVE odds, and more. It is sure to be a great day of racing with a packed field of worthy contenders all running for the winner's circle. 


ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT