05/15/26 06:37:00
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05/15 18:36 CDT My Miss Mo holds on to win the Black-Eyed Susan by 1 3/4
lengths over Jumping the Gun
My Miss Mo holds on to win the Black-Eyed Susan by 1 3/4 lengths over Jumping
the Gun
By NOAH TRISTER
AP Sports Writer
LAUREL, Md. (AP) --- After she was scratched from the Kentucky Oaks, My Miss Mo
had to wait a couple more weeks to shine.
It was worth it for trainer Saffie Joseph Jr.
"It was the right decision," he said. "This was a better spot for her."
My Miss Mo won the Black-Eyed Susan on Friday at Laurel Park, holding off a
spirited effort from Jumping the Gun to win the 1 1/8-mile race for 3-year-old
fillies that takes place a day before the Preakness.
Laurel is hosting both races this year while Pimlico is being rebuilt.
A 5-2 favorite, My Miss Mo was around the front the whole way. Savor It showed
some early speed as a 62-1 long shot, but in the end Jumping the Gun was the
main threat and My Miss Mo was able to hold her off and win by 1 3/4 lengths.
"I thought we were going to run on by, but the winner still had horse," said
Luis Saez, Jumping the Gun's jockey. "We were second best today."
A. P.'s Girl was third.
The win capped an impressive double for Joseph after another of his horses,
Navajo Warrior, won the Pimlico Special the race before. My Miss Mo won for the
first time this year. She finished second in the Gulfstream Park Oaks in late
March and second in the Davona Dale the previous month.
"It's just a combination of things," jockey Tyler Gaffalione said. "Experience,
maturity and more confidence in herself."
Her lone victory before Friday was a 12-length rout at 7 furlongs at Gulfstream
in November.
"This filly, we liked her from the beginning. We thought she showed so much
speed that she was going to be a sprinter. We were wrong," Joseph said. "We
didn't see the goodness until we stretched her out. She is a different filly
going longer."
Jumping the Gun was the morning-line favorite at 3-1 but ultimately went off at
6-1. Andrew Simoff, her trainer, said he's eyeing the Delaware Oaks next month
as her next challenge.
"I thought I had it, but she just hung that last sixteenth a little bit. But
she'll do that," Simoff said. "I was talking to Luis and he said maybe wait a
little longer, don't make the lead at the quarter pole, just see what happens."
Majestic Lucia was fourth, followed by Miss Fulton Gal. Holly's Holiday and
Braken Poppa, two horses among the favorites, ended up sixth and seventh, the
latter after stumbling out of the gate.
___
AP horse racing: https://apnews.com/hub/horse-racing
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