Pimlico Friday analysis: These 3 long shots are worth playing

Pimlico offers a solid 14-race card on Friday as an appetizer to their biggest day of the year, Preakness Saturday. Friday's card features six stakes races, including the Black-Eyed Susan (G2), but it may be the full-field allowance and maiden races that end up being the most profitable affairs for gamblers. Below I spotlight three horses who are 12-1 or higher on the morning-line that could lead to a successful Friday of betting. 

Race 1: No. 4 Monjid, 12-1

This gelding showed nice improvement when breaking his maiden in his first start in blinkers. It took Monjid a few starts to break through, but he has always had consistent form routing on the turf and the lightbulb may have now gone on following his win with the equipment change. He went gate-to-wire against a quality field at Keeneland after going a swift 21.35 seconds for the opening quarter of a 1 3/16 mile race. The cutback in distance to 1 1/8 mile should only help him as he looks to wire the field once more.

Race 7: No. 2 Doctor Davis, 15-1

Arnaud Delacour connects at 24 percent on the turf and can never be ignored with a live long shot. Doctor Davis is 15-1 because he is coming off of a poor effort and his best races have come on synthetic, but there is more to consider than what initially meets the eye with this runner. He was gelded on October 26, 2022. His last try on turf came prior to this date. I feel the ultimate equipment change improved this son of Tourist rather than the synthetic surface. His turf form was decent prior to two very good synthetic races and if he can match those efforts on the turf, then he is a prime contender. I feel he regressed last out after a pair of big efforts in a row and has now been given almost three months to freshen up. Both of his career wins have come off of layoffs of 60 days or more.

Race 13: No. 10 Taxed, 15-1

It is unlikely that Taxed will win the Black-Eyed Susan Stakes (G2), but do not be surprised if she completes a nice exacta or trifecta at a big price. Her effort in the Honeybee Stakes (G3) two starts back can be tossed. She made a strong middle move from post 12 over a sloppy track and faded. Without that effort, her form begins to brighten up. She ran a career high figure when running second to Kentucky Oaks favorite Wet Paint in the Fantasy Stakes (G3) last out in her first start without blinkers. She has trained very well leading up to this race and if she continues her ascent as expected, she will be squarely in the mix.