Study Guide: 2026 Black-Eyed Susan Stakes

May 13, 2026 J. Keeler Johnson/TwinSpires.com

My Miss Mo wins at Gulfstream Park. (Photo by Coglianese Photos)

A field of 10 three-year-old fillies will race 1 1/8 miles at Laurel Park in Friday’s $300,000 Black-Eyed Susan (G2).

The historic race dates back to 1919 and serves as the feature event on Friday, preceding Saturday’s action-packed Preakness (G1) card at Laurel. Among the entrants is a filly who scratched from the Kentucky Oaks (G1).

Let’s take a tour through the field for the 2026 Black-Eyed Susan:

Miss Fulton Gal

Start(s): 9
Wins: 3
Place: 3
Show: 0

Owner: Trott Racing Stable, Five Sisters Farm, and John Polizos
Breeder: Malia Hopkins, Virginia Moore, and Lee Forestiere, MD
Trainer: Michael Gorham
Jockey: John Velazquez

Top Speed Rating: (84) when winning a $62,500 allowance optional claimer at Laurel Park.
Total Earnings: $159,450

Sire: Rock Your World
Dam: Leah Forestiere
Color: Bay

Miss Fulton Gal has shown flashes of talent, most notably winning the Beyond the Wire S. at Laurel. But in her latest start, she finished fourth against three of her Black-Eyed Susan rivals in Laurel’s Weber City Miss S. Miss Fulton Gal will need improvement to turn the tables.

Ivy Girl

Start(s): 6
Wins: 3
Place: 1
Show: 1

Owner: Lucky Hat Racing
Breeder: Farfellow Farms
Trainer: Amelia Green
Jockey: Victor Carrasco

Top Speed Rating: (85) when winning the Weber City Miss S. at Laurel Park.
Total Earnings: $181,020

Sire: Maxfield
Dam: Critikal Reason
Color: Bay

Ivy Girl prepped for the Black-Eyed Susan with a rallying triumph in the Weber City Miss. She closed from 10 lengths off the pace to prevail by half a length. Ivy Girl is progressing in the right direction and shouldn’t be underestimated, even while stepping up against tougher competition.

Holly’s Holiday

Start(s): 4
Wins: 2
Place: 0
Show: 0

Owner: 4 G Racing, Gregg Day, Steven Crain, and Holly Crain
Breeder: Peter E. Blum Thoroughbreds
Trainer: Kenny McPeek
Jockey: Flavien Prat

Top Speed Rating: (86) when winning the Valley of the Vapors S. at Oaklawn Park.
Total Earnings: $160,734

Sire: Maxfield
Dam: Blast
Color: Dark bay/brown

Holly’s Holiday is 2-for-2 this year. Last month, she closed from a couple of lengths off the pace to win the Valley of the Vapors S. by 1 3/4 lengths. Holly’s Holiday is improving with every start and has a chance to strike again while picking up two-time Eclipse Award-winning jockey Flavien Prat.

Savor It

Start(s): 8
Wins: 2
Place: 1
Show: 1

Owner: Trin-Brook Stables
Breeder: Tony Lacy and Kathie Maybee
Trainer: Bay
Jockey: Mychel Sanchez

Top Speed Rating: (84) when winning a $75,000 allowance optional claimer at Laurel Park.
Total Earnings: $87,950

Sire: Vino Rosso
Dam: Chalonitka
Color: Bay

Savor It exits a 4 3/4-length victory in a $75,000 allowance optional claimer, but she’s finished sixth and seventh in her two tries so far against stakes competition. Stepping up to the Grade 2 ranks for the Black-Eyed Susan could be challenging.

Braken Poppa

Start(s): 5
Wins: 4
Place: 1
Show: 0

Owner: Ken T. Reimer, Bradley D. Kent, and Madaket Stables
Breeder: Natalie Montgomery and Jim Montgomery
Trainer: Steve Asmussen
Jockey: Jose Ortiz

Top Speed Rating: (93) when winning the Louisiana Broodmare of the Year Charged Cotton S. at Fair Grounds.
Total Earnings: $196,200

Sire: Aurelius Maximus
Dam: Fab Fox
Color: Dark bay/brown

Braken Poppa has won four starts in a row for Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen, most recently crushing the Crescent City Oaks by 5 1/2 lengths. She’s competed exclusively in races for horses bred in Louisiana, so the waters are deeper in the Black-Eyed Susan, but Braken Poppa’s career-best 93 Brisnet Speed rating suggests she’s fast enough to vie for victory at Laurel.

It's four in a row for BRAKEN POPPA, who goes gate-to-wire in the Crescent City Oaks at @fairgroundsnola! 🌟

Steve Asmussen trains and @jose93_ortiz was aboard.

🎥 #TwinSpiresReplay pic.twitter.com/zaj4J9CdUs

— TwinSpires Racing 🏇 (@TwinSpires) March 21, 2026

Haute Diva

Start(s): 9
Wins: 2
Place: 4
Show: 0

Owner: JSM Equine
Breeder: JSM Equine
Trainer: Patrick Biancone
Jockey: Keith Asmussen

Top Speed Rating: (85) when winning the Cash Run S. at Gulfstream Park.
Total Earnings: $167,015

Sire: Constitution
Dam: Diva Style
Color: Gray/roan

Haute Diva has competed three times against graded stakes competition, finishing sixth in the Alcibiades (G1), fifth in the Davona Dale (G2), and seventh in the Gulfstream Park Oaks (G2). She finished behind Black-Eyed Susan rival My Miss Mo in the latter two races and needs a step forward to turn the tables.

Jumping the Gun

Start(s): 6
Wins: 3
Place: 2
Show: 1

Owner: Imaginary Stables
Breeder: John Guarnere
Trainer: Andrew Simoff
Jockey: Luis Saez

Top Speed Rating: (90) on two occasions, including when finishing second in the Demoiselle (G2) at Aqueduct.
Total Earnings: $223,750

Sire: Gun Runner
Dam: Breaking Bread
Color: Bay

Jumping the Gun won her first three starts sprinting, including two stakes. But she’s 0-for-3 since stretching out over one mile and beyond, and she exits a third-place finish in the Weber City Miss. It’s possible that 1 1/8 miles may be farther than Jumping the Gun wants to run.

Majestic Lucia

Start(s): 3
Wins: 2
Place: 0
Show: 0

Owner: Elena Racing Stable and Carga
Breeder: Monarch Farms
Trainer: Victor Barboza Jr.
Jockey: Junior Alvarado

Top Speed Rating: (91) when winning a $50,000 maiden optional claimer at Gulfstream Park.
Total Earnings: $65,390

Sire: McKinzie
Dam: Starship Leia
Color: Dark bay/brown

Majestic Lucia has won two straight starts in Florida, including a $75,000 allowance optional claimer at Tampa Bay Downs. Her Brisnet Speed ratings are fast enough to suggest a top-three finish is within reach.

A. P.’s Girl

Start(s): 8
Wins: 2
Place: 1
Show: 0

Owner: C R K Stable
Breeder: Parks Investment Group
Trainer: Peter Eurton
Jockey: Irad Ortiz Jr.

Top Speed Rating: (85) when finishing second in the Weber City Miss S. at Laurel Park.
Total Earnings: $111,039

Sire: Honor A. P.
Dam: March X Press
Color: Bay

A. P’s Girl was beaten only half a length when second against Ivy Girl in the Weber City Miss. She’s improving and shouldn’t be underestimated with five-time Eclipse Award-winning jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. in the saddle.

My Miss Mo

Start(s): 5
Wins: 1
Place: 3
Show: 0

Owner: Averill Racing, Mathis Stable, and Tristan De Meric
Breeder: Valerie Mastromonaco, Tristan De Meric, and Uncle Mo Syndicate
Trainer: Saffie Joseph Jr.
Jockey: Tyler Gaffalione

Top Speed Rating: (92) when finishing second in the Gulfstream Park Oaks (G2) at Gulfstream Park.
Total Earnings: $148,030

Sire: Uncle Mo
Dam: In a Dream
Color: Bay

My Miss Mo competed with aplomb on the Road to the Kentucky Oaks, finishing second in the Davona Dale and Gulfstream Park Oaks. She scratched from the Kentucky Oaks (G1) and will instead tackle the Black-Eyed Susan, in which she rates as a dangerous win contender for hot trainer Saffie Joseph Jr.