BALTIMORE — Canada-bred Interstatedaydream mounted a bold stretch run to hold off favorite Adare Manor and win the $250,000 Black-Eyed Susan Stakes at Pimlico Race Course on Friday.
Starting from the ninth post, Interstatedaydream won for the third time in five career starts and has never finished out of the money. Jockey Florent Geroux has been aboard the Brad Cox-trained filly in each of her three races this year, finishing with two firsts and a third.
It’s the first Black-Eyed Susan victory for Geroux and Cox.
Interstatedaydream led at the top of the stretch and many in the Pimlico crowd expected Adare Manor and jockey John Velazquez to mount a challenge. But Interstatedaydream refused to yield the lead and won by 1¼ lengths.
“She ran great,” owner Staton Flurry said. “Flo ran a perfect race, and he sat off the pace, kind of what we expected, and she just kicked it home turning for home.”
In her previous start, Interstatedaydream tired late and finished third in a Grade 1 stakes race at Keeneland last month. Geroux said he didn’t ride her much differently but noticed a calm horse throughout the race.
“She was nice and relaxed,” Geroux said. “I could feel a little bit of pressure from the favorite, Adare Manor, but my filly never turned her head.”
Interstatedaydream, who went off at 6-1, paid $14.20, $6.40 and $5.00 in this Grade 2 race for 3-year-old fillies over a fast track on a warm day at Pimlico.
Adare Manor finished second in the 13-filly affair, with Radio Days taking the show spot.
The winning time was 1:48.73 over a 1⅛ miles. The Black-Eyed Susan record of 1:47.83 was set by Silverbulletday in 1999.
Earlier on the card, First Captain, with Luis Saez aboard, overtook even-money favorite Vindictive at the wire to win the $300,000 Grade 3 Pimlico Special by a head. That gave owner Bobby Flay a second victory of Black-Eyed Susan day after Pizza Bianca won the $100,000 Hilltop.