O'Neill Seeks Black-Eyed Susan/Preakness Double

Doug O'Neill looks to become just the third trainer ever to win the GII Black-Eyed Susan S. and GI Preakness S. in the same year, and the first since Hall of Famer D. Wayne Lukas completed the double in 1995 with champions Serena's Song and Timber Country. The California-based conditioner saddles morning-line favorite Land Over Sea (Bellamy Road) in the Friday feature at Pimlico, just one day before he is scheduled to send out undefeated GI Kentucky Derby hero Nyquist (Uncle Mo) as the favorite in the Preakness. The Reddam Racing colorbearer has spent the majority of her career chasing unbeaten champion Songbird (Medaglia d'Oro), finishing second to that “TDN Rising Star” in three of their six meetings. Taken to New Orleans to get away from Eclipse winner, Land Over Sea romped by 4 1/2 in the GII Fair Grounds Oaks Mar. 26 and made an impressive late run to finish second behind a dominant performance from “TDN Rising Star” Cathryn Sophia (Street Boss) in the GI Kentucky Oaks May 6.

The chestnut's biggest competition will come from the only other Oaks runner returning in this spot, fourth-place finisher Go Maggie Go (Ghostzapper). A decisive debut winner sprinting at Gulfstream Mar. 13, the Mike Tarp homebred followed suit with an equally impressive victory when stretched to 1 1/16 miles in the GII Gulfstream Park Oaks next out Apr. 2. Squeezed out at the start of the Kentucky Oaks, the Dale Romans pupil was shuffled back and forced to check entering the far turn, but still managed to produce a powerful late rally way out in the center of the track to get up for fourth, just a neck and a head behind Land Over Sea.

Todd Pletcher saddles an interesting runner in Cheyenne Stables' Kinsley Kisses (Congrats), who opened her account with a pair of eye-catching victories sprinting in Florida, first at Gulfstream Jan. 16 and then at Tampa Mar. 13. Third behind the undefeated Lightstream (Harlan's Holiday) and GISW Nickname (Scat Daddy) in the seven-panel GIII Beaumont S. Apr. 17, the chestnut tries two turns for the first time here.

Magdalena Racing's Dothraki Queen (Pure Prize) gets back on dirt for the first time since last November in this event. Opening her account with a seven-length graduation on the turf last summer, the Ken McPeek trainee followed that with a win in the GII Pocahontas S. on the Churchill main track and was second in the GI Alcibiades S. Running on late to finish a respectable third behind Songbird and Rachel's Valentina (Bernardini) in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Oct. 31, the bay finished fourth, but was promoted to third via DQ in the GII Golden Rod S. Nov. 28 and was a non-factor eighth last time behind Canadian Horse of the Year Catch a Glimpse (City Zip) in Keeneland's grassy GIII Appalachian S. Apr. 14.