Betty's Critters - & History Views

 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...

 The Preakness counter-part of the Kentucky Oaks for 3-year-old fillies is the Black-Eyed Susan Stakes.  It will take place this Friday, 19 May, at Pimlico Race Course, outside of Baltimore, Maryland.  The Preakness Stakes will be run on Saturday, 20 May.  The Black-Eyed Susan is now a Grade 2 race.  It's run on the main dirt track at Old Hilltop, as is the Preakness.  The race is now a handicap race, where the fillies who are considered "better" by the horsemen at the track carry more weight in the race than the other entries.  This race covers 1 1/8 miles, or 9 furlongs, and the purse is $300,000.  Post time is listed as 5:44 pm EDT  (3:44 MDT).  There are 12 entries, carrying weights of 118, 120, or 124 pounds.  The weight differences are supposed to get all the fillies at the finish line at the same time.    Of the twelve fillies entered, Pate was bred in Virginia, Miracle was bred in New York, Balpool and Frosty O Too...