Black-Eyed Susan Stakes 2017: Post Positions, Field and Race Preview

The 93rd edition of the Black-Eyed Susan Stakes will be run at Pimlico Race Course on Friday, where it will serve as something of a curtain-raiser in Baltimore, Maryland, ahead of Saturday's Preakness Stakes.

The race is one of 14 on Friday and one of six stakes, which boast a total purse of $1.15 million available to be won, per BloodHorse.com.

Kentucky Oaks winner Abel Tasman will not be competing, but there will be several fillies with their eyes on the $250,000 prize at the nine-furlong Black-Eyed Susan.

Here is the field, complete with post positions:

Post Position	Horse	Trainer
1	Shimmering Aspen	Rodney Jenkins
2	Tapa Tapa Tapa	Timothy Hamm
3	Dancing Rags	Graham Motion
4	Full House	James Jerkens
5	Lights of Medina	Todd Pletcher
6	Corporate Queen	Mark Casse
7	Moana	Todd Pletcher
8	Torrent	Ron Moquett
9	Summer Luck	Mark Casse
10	Actress	Jason Servis
11	Yorkiepoo Princess	Edward Barker

Summer Luck didn't get to run at the Kentucky Oaks earlier this month but is among the most experienced horses in the field at the Black-Eyed Susan Stakes.

She has competed in six races thus far in her career, tasting victory at Churchill Downs in November.

In three stakes at Gulfstream Park in January, February and March, the three-year-old trained by Mark Casse came third either side of a narrow fourth place.

Per BloodHorse.com, assistant trainer Norman Casse was full of praise for Summer Luck: "She's doing really well. We wanted to run her in the Kentucky Oaks. She came back and worked really well. The pace in the Ashland was probably too slow for her liking. We really think she's a legit horse, and we're excited to have the opportunity to run her in the Black-Eyed Susan."

Summer Luck also has an impressive pedigree, having been sired by 2010 Preakness winner Lookin at Lucky.

GREGORY PAYAN/Associated Press

Her biggest competition could be from Todd Pletcher's Moana, who has only competed in two races but was a maiden winner at Keeneland, Kentucky, in April.

Pletcher believes Moana, daughter of multiple graded stakes winner Uncle Mo, could do well at Pimlico: "The main attraction here is the 1 ⅛-mile distance. We feel like that's what she's looking for. It's kind of an ambitious move from a maiden race, but we've always thought a lot of her."

Moana has been training well, per the Daily Racing Form's Barbara Livingston:

What could have an impact on the race are the conditions, with BloodHorse's Jeremy Balan noting it could go either way on Friday:

If it rains, it could come down to which horse is better equipped to deal with a wet track.

Summer Luck's greater experience could work in her favour should that happen, but it could be a close contest at Pimlico.