The Black-Eyed Susan Stakes runs Friday at Pimlico, the race for 3-year-old fillies that serves to the Preakness as the Kentucky Oaks does the Kentucky Derby. The Grade II Black-Eyed Susan doesn’t quite stand on its own as well as the Grade I Oaks does -- the Oaks had a $1 million purse this year, whereas the Black-Eyed Susan’s is $250,000 -- but the race still serves as an ample warm-up to the second jewel of the Triple Crown.
Black-Eyed Susan Stakes 2015: Preview, time, TV schedule and live stream
Friday’s Preakness Stakes counterpart has a familiar link to the big race Saturday.
Winslow Townson-USA TODAY Sports
Kentucky Oaks winner Lovely Maria won’t run in the Black-Eyed Susan. Trainer Bob Baffert, whose American Pharoah is the prohibitive Preakness favorite, also trains Black-Eyed Susan favorite Luminance. Luminance finished second to Stellar Wind -- the Kentucky Oaks favorite that finished ultimately fourth in the race -- in the Grade I Santa Anita Oaks in her most recent start.
Baffert considered Luminance to run in the Oaks, according to Jim Dunleavy of the Daily Racing Forum, before opting to save her for the Black-Eyed Susan.
The Black-Eyed Susan runs Friday at 4:50 p.m. ET.
TV: NBCSN, 3-5 p.m. ET
Steaming: NBC Sports Live Extra website or mobile app
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