A crowd of 48,265 attended Pimlico's Black-Eyed Susan day Friday despite the continued wet weather and rain-soaked surfaces. It was the second largest in the race's history as last year drew 50,339 under much better weather conditions.
Total handle for the afternoon was $18.591 million, down 6% from last year's $19.895 million on an afternoon when four races were taken off the turf on a program with 35 fewer starters. The day's feature race, the GII Black-Eyed Susan S., was won by Red Ruby (Tiznow) and there were seven stakes on the 14-race card.
“We witnessed some impressive performances on the track from our equine and human athletes, and we received positive feedback on the upgraded facilities in the Preakness Village and Turfside Terrace and our dining rooms,” said Sal Sinatra, President and General Manager of the Maryland Jockey Club. “Despite races being taken off the turf, handle was strong and the crowd enjoyed the afternoon. We want to thank our dedicated fans and horsemen. We're looking forward to showing off more of our improvements Saturday during Preakness 143, including a new stage for InfieldFest, a revamped infield layout, and five spectacular performers. The Stronach Group's commitment to Thoroughbred racing in Maryland and throughout the country is reflected by today's impressive results.”
Not a subscriber? Click here to sign up for the daily PDF or alerts.
