Black-Eyed Susan, Pimlico Special & the Preakness

Post positions have been drawn for the races at Pimlico this weekend.  The tenth race on the card on Friday is the Black-Eyed Susan Stakes, the second race of the Triple Tiara; the distance is 1 and 1/8 miles , and the purse is $500,000.  Nine three-year-old fillies will contest the race; five were bred in Kentucky, two in Florida, and one each in Maryland and Ontario.  In the first gate will be Monuka Honey, with Edgar Prado in the stirrups; second is Lady Banks; Fiftyshadesofhay breaks from the three hole, under Joel Rosario; Petit Trianon starts from gate four; Walkwithapurpose  is next; with Maracuya, ridden by John Velazquez in the sixth spot; Emollient, carrying Mike Smith ,will break from the seven; the chestnuts filly Toasting breaks from the eight; and Marathon Lady completes the field.  I like the pedigrees of Monuka Honey, Marathon Lady, and Maracuya is a daughter of Big Brown.
  The Pimlico Special has seven entries, and will be the 12th race on Friday, run at 1 mile and 3/16, it's the same length as the Preakness, but the purse is $300,000, and it's for horses age 4 and up.  Breaking from position one will be Avenida Paseo, a 5-year-old grey/roan.  Number two is Indian Dance, a bay gelding, born 7 years ago in Maryland. Brimstone Island is number three, a 4-year-old grandson of Tiznow. In four will be Eighttofasttocatch, a 7-year-old chestnut gelding bred in Maryland.  Richard's Kid will be the eldest starting, at age 8, a son of Lemon Drop Kid.  Breaking from post six is Concealed Identity, a 5-year-old bay gelding bred in Maryland, and a son of Smarty Jones.  Last Gunfighter will start from the seven; he's a 4-year-old bay "invader" from Kentucky.  I like the pedigrees of Indian Dance, Richard's Kid and Avenida Paseo.
   Only nine colts will race in the Preakness, compared to the twenty in the Kentucky Derby.  Six of those colts ran in the Derby, and the other three are new-comers to the Triple Crown.  The purse for the Preakness is $1 million, and the distance is 1 and 3/16 miles.  Orb, who won the Kentucky Derby 12 days ago, drew the number one gate; he will be ridden by Joel Rosario, and is trained by Shug McGaughey.  Goldencents will start from the two hole, carrying Kevin Krigger, as he did in the Derby.  Titletown Five is a new colt, trained by D Wayne Lucas and ridden by Julien Leparoux, in three. In the four spot is Departing, a bay gelding, ridden by Brian Joseph Hernandez, Jr.  Rosie Naparvnik will be riding Mylute, coming out of the five gate.  Gary Stevens riding Oxbow is in number six.  Will Take Charge breaks from seven, under Mike Smith.  Govenor Charlie, trained by Bob Baffert and ridden by Martin Garcia will be next.  And John Velazquez will break from the outside, nine, on Itsmyluckyday.  Seven of the nine colts are bay, with one chestnut and one grey/roan; and all were bred in Kentucky.  I haven't seen any of the three new guys run; and Orb will be/is the betting favorite.  I have a feeling that Departing or Govenor Charlie will be the winner...