Betty's Critters - & History Views

 The 100th running of the Black-Eyed Susan Stakes has a scheduled post time of 5:44 p.m. EDT on Friday, May 17.   This used to be the second jewel of the "Fillies Triple Crown" but it has been down-graded to a Grade 2 Stakes handicap race.  The race is 9 furlongs (1 and 1/8 miles), and has a purse of $300,000.  The only filly entered that ran in the Kentucky Oaks is Lemon Muffin, trained by D. Wayne Lukas, who finished 8th in the Oaks.  She has also been assigned the highest weight in this race, 124 pounds.  (All entries in the Oaks carried 121 pounds two weeks ago.)    There are 8 entries in the Black-Eyed Susan this year; 6 were bred in Kentucky, while Jeanne Marie was bred in Pennsylvania, and Call Another Play was bred in Maryland.  There are 5 chestnut fillies, 2 bays (Jeanne Marie and Whocouldaskformo) and Lemon Muffin is a gray/roan.  Seven stallions are represented in this race; Gun Runner sired two - Gun Song and Recharge. ...

 Nine 3-year-old colts will face each other (if there are no scratches) in the 155th running of the Belmont Stakes on Saturday, 10 June 2023.  Each colt will carry 126 pounds once around the 1 and 1/2 mile oval of "Big Sandy," which is also known as the Graveyard of Champions after several champion horses were defeated there by relative unknowns (ie: Onion beat Secretariat).  The 3-year-olds will be making the longest race in their life, and probably for their entire racing career.  The race is a full mile and a half (12 furlongs), and has a purse of $1,500,000.  Post time is scheduled for 6:50 EDT (4:50 MDT). Forte is the early betting favorite for the Belmont   Mage, who won the Kentucky Derby and finished third in the Preakness, is not running in the Belmont.  Of the nine horses in Saturday's field, 3 ran in the Derby and 2 ran in the Preakness.  None of them ran in both of the first legs of the Triple Crown.  Angel of Empire finished 3rd ...

 The Acorn Stakes for three-year-old fillies - the match for the colts' Belmont Stakes - will be run on Friday, 9 June, this year.  A field of 8 fillies (if there are no scratches) will race for a $500,000 purse, covering a distance of 1 1/16 miles (8.5 furlongs) on the main track.  Belmont Park's main track is a 1 and 1/2 mile oval, so the Acorn is a 1-turn race over the track known as "Big Sandy."  The post time for Friday's race is 5:14 EDT (or 3:14 MDT) in Elmont Park, New York.  This race is a handicap, with weights assigned so that the entire field should have a nose on the finish line at the same time.  Six of the eight fillies will carry 118 pounds, one carries 120, and the winner of the Kentucky Oaks has been assigned the high weight of 123. Pretty Mischievous after winning the Kentucky Oaks   All of the fillies are bay in color; 5 were bred in Kentucky, and 3 in Florida - Dorth Vader, Frosty O Toole and Munnys Gold.  The 8 fillies repres...