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Horse Racing

At the Gate – Friday

VegasInsider Staff
VegasInsider Staff Sports Betting Expert
6 minute read
It is Black Eyed Susan Day at Pimlico on Friday and we have a 14-race card on tap which features seven stakes races and a first post of 11:30am ET.

The feature is the $250,000 Black Eyed Susan (G2) for three-year-old fillies and we have a key late scratch with Midnight Disguise not going.

Trainer Linda Rice reported that the filly showed signs of lameness on Wednesday night. She was 4-1 on the morning line and my third choice in the race. She won the Busher at Aqueduct on March 3 and was fourth in the Gazelle in her last outing.

That makes things a bit easier for my top pick Sara Street, who was the runner up in the Gazelle, beaten a half-length for the top spot. She was also 4-1 on the morning line but may end up a bit shorter by post time.

The rain continues to come and the track likely will be muddy or sloppy this afternoon. Track management insist that the turf course is doing well, and no races will be shifted to the main track.




It looks as if the rain could taper off by Saturday morning, meaning the main track potentially could be good to fast by post time of the Preakness (G1), which is set for 6:48 ET. The main track does dry out rather quickly, but the track condition may not matter if Justify brings his “A” game.

Purchase my two day Preakness Package which includes my reports for Black Eyed Susan Day on Friday and my Preakness Day Report for Saturday. Friday’s Report is now posted and I will have Saturday’s Report available by this afternoon.

To purchase my Belmont Park Report for Thursday click here .

Now is the perfect time to purchase my Monthly Package , which will give you a full month of reports from Belmont Park, my Best Plays Report each weekend, my Black Eyed Susan Day and Preakness Day Reports From Pimlico and the Belmont Stakes Festival from Belmont Park.

Here is the opening race from Belmont Park to get the day off to a good start:

BEL Race 1 Md Sp Wt (1:30 ET)
#7 Too Cool to Dance 1-1
#5 Striking Damsel 6-1
#7 Too Many Kittens 8-1
#1 Amazing Audrey 3-1

Analysis: Too Cool to Dance prompted the early pace, opened up a lead and could not hold off the winner late in a runner up finish going 1 1/16 miles at Aqueduct in her second career start. She was second in her debut going a mile at Gulfstream Park behind repeat winner Figarella's Queen, who came back to win the Sanibel Island in her next outing on March 31 at Gulfstream Park. She is out of a stakes placed Unbridled's Song mare that has dropped two other foals to race, one turf winner and both are stakes winners Sharp Kitty ($73,220) and Nomorerichblondes ($227,448). She will be tough here but is going to be a short price.

Striking Damsel is one of two in here sent out by the Motion barn. The filly makes her debut and has a solid pedigree. She is by Smart Strike out of a Tiznow mare that has dropped four winners and three have won on turf and a pair are stakes winners, top earner Noble Bird ($1.3 million). Motion is 20% winners with second out maidens.

Wagering
WIN: #7 to win at 6-5 or better.
EX: 5,7 / 5,6,7
TRI: no play

Today’s Featured Race of the Day from Belmont Park:

BEL Race 8 Clm $25,000N2L (5:18 ET)
#2 Daria's Angel 2-1
#5 Tee Up 8-1
#3 Impazible Creek 5-2
#7 Mercurian 9-2

Analysis: Daria's Angel drops back in for a tag after checking in fourth last out behind a 10 3/4 length winner against $40,000 starter allowance foes in her first start off the claim by the Diodoro barn. The filly was taken for $30,000 two back out of a third place finish, running into 11 1/2 length winner Operatic, who came back to beat Alw-1 foes in her next outing at Evangaline Downs on May 5. Her maiden win came at Fair Grounds way back in Feb. of '17 and she has lost 10 in a row but catches a softer spot here and is in a sharp claiming barn with Diodoro.

Tee Up is one of two in here sent out by the Nevin barn that has been very live at the meeting, hitting at a 41% clip. The filly was not a threat against state bred Alw-1 optional claimers at 33-1 in her first start for the barn after coming over from the low % Yates barn. Her three previous starts came on turf including her maiden breaker. She drops into a weaker spot here and the way the barn is going we have to give this gal another look here at a decent price.

Wagering
WIN: #2 to win at 9-5 or better.
EX: 2,5 / 2,3,5,7
TRI: 2,5 / 2,3,5,7 / 2,3,5,6,7

Today’s Featured Race of the Day from Pimlico:

PIM Race 7 The Miss Preakness G3 (2:39 ET)
#9 Good Move 3-1
#1 Happy Like a Fool 5-1
#6 Lezendary 4-1
#8 Almond Roca 5-1

Analysis: Good Move is perfect in two starts, breaking her maiden in his debut over a wet track at Oaklawn Park and last out beating Alw-1 optional claimers by 4 1/4 lengths. Two runners have come out of her last start to win next out. This gal is bred to like the off going, by Broken Vow out of the stakes winner Change Up ($375,420) who has dropped four other winners including stakes winner Pinch Hit ($159,050). She gets a class test today but looks up to it and has a sharp barn in Cox in her corner.

Happy Like a Fool tracked the early pace and did not have enough gas left late in a fourth-place finish last out in the Beaumont (G3) at Keeneland going seven furlongs. That was her first go off a 5 1/2 month layoff. She won the Matron (G3) last fall at Belmont Park in her U.S. debut. She should be tighter second off the bench for the Ward barn and the cut back in distance suits her. She has a strong off track pedigree, by Distorted Humor out of a Sky Mesa mare that has dropped two other winners including stakes winner Conquest Panthera ($310,676).

Wagering
WIN: #9 to win at 5-2 or better.
EX: 1,9 / 1,6,8,9
TRI: 1,9 / 1,6,8,9 / 1,3,6,8,9

Live Longshots:
These are price plays for exotic players looking to find a couple of extra contenders to use in their trifecta and superfecta wagers. Or for those with smaller bankrolls, you might want to get in a small win-place wager.

Belmont Park
R1: #7 Too Many Kittens 8-1
R2: #9 Turnstyle 12-1
R3: #4 Buy for Less 8-1
R4: #1 Shamcat 8-1
R6: #8 Dreams Are Pazible 8-1
R8: #5 Tee Up 8-1

Good luck today!

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