First Look: Black-Eyed Susan leads buildup to Preakness

Pimlico Race Course will host eight graded stakes this weekend that aren't called the Preakness. Leading that list is the Black-Eyed Susan on Friday. Plus Churchill Downs has one graded stakes on Saturday.

The Preakness Stakes and Black-Eyed Susan will be drawn Monday, starting at 4 p.m. EDT. Pimlico's other graded stakes on Friday were drawn Sunday.

You can read about the Preakness field here. Below is an early look at the likely fields for the other weekend graded stakes.

Friday, Pimlico

Black-Eyed Susan (G2), 1 1/8 miles, 3-year-old fillies

Adare Manor was 2-for-2 this year for Bob Baffert, including a 13-length win in the Las Virgenes (G3), before losing by a neck in the Santa Anita Oaks (G2) under new trainer Tim Yakteen. Beguine broke her maiden in her first start this year and then lost by a neck to Yuugiri in the Fantasy (G3). Luna Belle makes her graded-stakes debut after winning her last five starts, all at Laurel Park.

2022 Black-Eyed Susan (G2)

Pimlico Special (G3), 1 3/16 miles, 3-year-olds and up

First Captain tries his longest distance yet after two 7-furlong efforts – the latest a seventh-place finish in the Carter (G1). Forewarned beat Untreated by a neck in the Excelsior before his fifth-place finish in the Native Dancer. Untreated would make his first start here since that race.

Allaire Dupont (G3), 1 1/8 miles, fillies and mares, 3-year-olds and up

Exotic West and Frost Point return from the Excelsior, where the former won by three-quarter lengths, and the latter was seven lengths back in third. Super Quick tried graded-stakes company for the first time in the Doubledogdare (G3), finishing third behind Malathaat and Bonny South.

Miss Preakness (G3), 6 furlongs, 3-year-old fillies

Happy Soul returned from an 8 1/2-month layoff to win the black-type Dixie Bell at Oaklawn before finishing sixth in the Ashland (G1) at Keeneland. Under the Stars returns to sprinting; she won the Santa Ynez (G2) at seven furlongs before finishing second in the Santa Ysabel (G3) and fourth in the Santa Anita Oaks (G2).

Saturday, Pimlico

Dinner Party (G2), 1 1/16 miles (turf), 3-year-olds and up

This will be Admission Office's first start since finishing sixth in the Mac Diarmida (G2) in February. His last win was in last year's Louisville (G2) in June, and he took seven months off after that. English Bee was seventh in this race last year and has not won since a Colonial Downs allowance in August.

Gallorette (G3), 1 1/16 miles (turf), fillies and mares, 3-year-olds and up

Crystal Cliffs has a record of 7: 3-2-2, and her win in the listed Sand Springs at Gulfstream was her first start since last June. In a Hurry had hit the board in six straight starts before finishing ninth in the Pegasus World Cup Filly and Mare Turf. She bounced back to finish second by a half-length in the black-type Dahlia Stakes at Laurel Park.

Chick Lang (G3), 6 furlongs, 3-year-olds

Chasing Time cuts back in distance after finishing fifth in the Rebel Stakes (G2) and ninth in the Arkansas Derby (G1). Cogburn won an Oaklawn allowance off a six-month layoff before his runner-up effort in the listed Bachelor Stakes.

Maryland Sprint (G3), 6 furlongs, 3-year-olds and up

Jaxon Traveler has an impressive career record of 15: 5-6-3 but has been second in both his starts this year. Disco Pharoah broke his maiden in January after two tries last year and then won the black-type Frank Y. Whiteley at Laurel to go 2-for-t for the year.

Saturday, Churchill Downs

Louisville (G3), 1 1/2 miles (turf), 4-year-olds and up

Camp Hope won a stretch duel by a nose last month in a Keeneland allowance – his first start since finishing 10th in the Hollywood Derby (G1). Ajourneytofreedom would make his first start since he was sixth in the John B. Connally Turf Cup (G3) in January.