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Black-Eyed Susan Stakes Odds, Picks & Predictions: Bob Baffert’s Faiza the Heavy Favorite

Dave Friedman

by Dave Friedman in Horse Racing News

Updated May 19, 2023 · 5:30 AM PDT

Black Eyed Susan Stakes contender Faiza trains
May 16, 2023; Baltimore, MD, USA; Black Eyed Susan Stakes contender Faiza trains Tuesday morning at Pimlico Race Track. Mandatory Credit: Gregory Fisher-USA TODAY Sports
  • Friday’s Black-Eyed Susan Stakes in Baltimore is the Preakness Stakes for female horses
  • Unbeaten Faiza is a heavy favorite in a field of 12 filly’s going a-mile-and-an-eighth
  • Is there betting value picking someone to upset Faiza in the Black-Eyed Susan Stakes odds, or try to earn a small profit and move to Saturday?

Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert has won the Preakness Stakes seven times. Officially, he has six victories in the Kentucky Derby, because number seven was stripped when Medina Spirit tested positive for a banned substance. Baffert was suspended each of the last two years at the Kentucky Derby, but he’s eligible in Baltimore, and has a big chance in Friday’s Black-Eyed Susan Stakes odds with Faiza.

The Kentucky Oaks, which is normally the Friday equivalent to Saturday’s Kentucky Derby, was missing several key contenders this year. With Baffert banned, his five-for-five filly Faiza couldn’t run. She’ll look to give Baffert his fourth Black-Eyed Susan title at Pimlico this weekend.

Load up your favorite horse racing betting app, and start examining the field. Let’s consider our best bet for the Black-Eyed Susan Stakes.

2023 Black-Eyed Susan Stakes Odds

Horse Odds
Faiza +140
Merlazza +600
Balpool +800
Hoosier Philly +1000
Sacred Wish +1000
Miracle +1000
Comparative +1200
Frosty O Toole +1500
Taxed +1500
Pate +2000
Towhead +2000
Cats Inthe Timber +3000

At +140 Fazia is the clear favorite in the Black-Eyed Susan Stakes odds, but Merlazza at +600 and Balpool at +800 are also listed shorter than 10-1. Odds as of May 19.

The Black-Eyed Susan Stakes, originally known as the Pimlico Oaks, has taken place since 1919. Recently, there has been money to be made. The favorite has not won since 2011. It has a purse this year of $300,000, with post time slated for 5:44 pm ET. FanDuel TV and Peacock will have coverage of the race. Temperatures are expected to be in the low 70s with a very minimal chance of rain.

Trainer Todd Pletcher has Miracle and Frosty O Toole seeking his record fifth win in the Black-Eyed Susan. If Merlazza or Comparative win it will mark back-to-back victories for Brad Cox, who sent out Interstatedaydream last year. Should jockey John Velazquez score on Sacred Wish, it would mark his record setting fifth victory in the event.

Let’s look carefully at the top contenders and make our Black-Eyed Susan Stakes betting predictions.

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Black-Eyed Susan Stakes Favorite Faiza

Last year Baffert was not permitted to saddle Adare Manor, the favorite in the Black-Eyed Susan Stakes odds, because of his ban. She ran second under the care of Sean McCarthy. Baffert will be in Baltimore this time around, and Faiza is a deserving favorite.

Owner Michael Lund Petersen could have transfered Faiza to a different conditioner and run her in the Kentucky Oaks, but remained loyal to Baffert. Her win in last month’s Santa Anita Oaks stampped her the chalk wherever she opted to run next.

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If you want to argue against Faiza, you can suggest her competition during five wins in California has not looked particularly strong. That said, she has typically won easily, and the $725,000 son of Girvin has steadily improved with the Santa Anita Oaks victory perhaps the most impressive race a three year old filly has run this year. The only alternative would be Pretty Mischievous scoring in the Oaks two weeks ago.

Black-Eyed Susan Stakes Contenders

This will be the graded stakes debut for Merlazza, who has won three of four races. She didn’t debut until January, and first tried two turns in late March. She won the Valley Of The Vapors Stakes as a heavy favorite last month at Oaklawn Park.

Florida bred Balpool has three wins in five starts and also will be trying a graded stakes for the first time. She crushed optional claimers in New York on April 7, and then in a scheduled turf race that was rained on to the main track she beat three rivals by close to four lengths in the Memories of Silver Stakes on April 29.

Black-Eyed Susan Stakes Longshots

Hoosier Philly went three-for-three last year and the hype was serious after she romped in the Grade 2 Golden Rod Stakes. Trainer Tom Amoss hinted that she could eventually face the boys in the Kentucky Derby, and said she might be the best horse he had ever trained. This year hasn’t gone so well. She was a distant third behind Pretty Mischievous in February, and even further back in March’s Fair Grounds Oaks. She is working really quickly right now, and maybe they can reverse the recent trend.

Sacred Wish has only one victory, but on April 1 ran a solid second in the Gulfstream Park Oaks.

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That was the two turn debut for Sacred Wish, her first effort against winners, and she didn’t get out great. She certainly can improve in Baltimore.

Miracle was a well beaten fifth in the Gulfstream Oaks. However, her previous effort, a tight second to Pretty Mischievous at Fair Grounds was strong. The New York bred has only one win in six starts, but her best effort looks competitive here.

Black-Eyed Susan Stakes Best Bet

Faiza stands out among this group in the Black-Eyed Susan Stakes odds, but there are questions. She hasn’t faced amazing competition, and the favorite has consistently failed to get the job done in this event. The problem is picking a winner from the rest of the group. Merlazza and Balpool are taking serious steps up in competition.

Miracle just hasn’t won enough. Sacred Wish is interesting, lightly raced and clearly talented, but Affirmative Lady didn’t exactly flatter her in the Kentucky Oaks. Hoosier Philly needs a serious reversal of form to get the job done. While any of those things could happen, the most likely result is the best horse continuing to prove that.

Black-Eyed Susan Stakes Picks: Faiza (+140)

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