Averill Racing, Mathis Stable, and Tristan de Meric’s My Miss Mo (Uncle Mo – In a Dream, by Quality Road), runner-up in back-to-back graded-stakes, broke through with a determined effort to win the $300,000 George E. Mitchell Black-Eyed Susan (G2) at Laurel Park May 15, leading the slate of stakes-winning OBS graduates.
(Maryland Jockey Club photo)
My Miss Mo was making her sixth career start and first outside of her native Florida. She was previously second in the one-mile Davona Dale (G2) Feb. 28 and a 2 ¾-length runner-up in the 1 1/16-mile Gulfstream Park Oaks (G2).
“She was very game at the end, and I am proud of her. She was challenged and she dug in, and it worked out great,” trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. told Laurel Park publicity. “Congrats to the owners. She was very gutsy. This filly, we liked her from the beginning. We thought she showed so much speed that she was going to be a sprinter. We were wrong. We didn’t see the goodness until we stretched her out. She is a different filly going longer.”
My Miss Mo was purchased by Averill Racing and Mathis Stable for $320,000 from the de Meric Sales consignment at the 2025 OBS March Sale after breezing in :10 1/5.
The undercard of the Saturday’s Preakness Stakes (G1) at Laurel Park saw Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners’ Warming (Global Campaign-Haute Style, by Unusual Heat), back on turf for the first time since last fall, come with a spirited late run to score by a length in the $150,000 Gallorette (G3).
Warming’s last win came in her most recent start on the grass, the one-mile Autumn Miss (G2) last October at Santa Anita. Trained by Graham Motion, she was purchased by her owners at the 2024 OBS March Sale for $100,000 from the consignment of Blue Sapphire Stables after breezing in :10 1/5.
Saturday’s card also saw Delta Squad Racing, Michael Dubb and Madaket Stables’ Margie’s Intention (Honor A. P. – Playful Dancer, by Into Mischief) come away with the victory in the $125,000 Allaire du Pont Distaff at Laurel Park.
Trained by Brad Cox, Margie’s Intention captured the Black-Eyed Susan (G2) last year at Pimlico Race Course. She was purchased by Corbin Blumberg, agent for $185,000 out of the 2024 OBS April Sale from the consignment of Sequel Bloodstock after breezing in :10 flat.
The Preakness undercard also saw Leland Ackerley Racing, James Sherwood, Jode Shupe and John Cilia’s Obliteration (Violence- I’mclassyandsassy, by Master Command), in his first start since finishing second in the Saudi Derby (G3) Feb. 14, score a 3 ½-length victory in the $150,000 Chick Lang.
Trained by Hall of Famer Steve Asmussen, the son of Violence captured the Grade 3 Sanford Stakes last July. Obliteration was a $200,000 purchase by Leland Ackerley at the 2025 OBS March Sale from the consignment of breeder Ocala Stud after breezing in :21 3/5.
At Santa Anita Park May 16, multiple graded stakes winner Queen Maxima (Bucchero – Corfu Lady, by Corfu) held off a late challenge from Spirited Boss to earn her sixth stakes victory in the $100,000 Mizdirection Stakes on the hillside turf course.
Sent off the 6-5 favorite, Queen Maxima prevailed by three-quarters of a length. Owned by Dutch Girl Holdings LLC and Irving Ventures LLC and trained by Jeff Mullins, she was purchased by Michael Pender, agent for $40,000 from the 2023 OBS June Sale from the Blue River Bloodstock consignment after breezing in :20 3/5.
At Gulfstream Park May 16, Carrie Brogden and Circle N Thoroughbreds’ Turino (Kantharos-Intensify, by Unbridled’s Song) made her stakes debut a winning one when she scored a neck victory in the $100,000 Monroe Stakes.
Trained by Saffie Joseph Jr., Turino is a dual OBS graduate, having first been purchased by Machmer Hall for $80,000 at the 2022 OBS October Yearling Sale from the Kaizen Sales consignment and then sold to Nicoma Bloodstock for $250,000 at the 2023 OBS April Sale from the de Meric Sales consignment after breezing in :10 1/5.
At Santa Anita Park May 17, Tim Pegram and Jacob “Gator” Pegram’s Bust Out (Complexity-Swap Shop, by Creative Cause) did just that when earning his first stakes win in the $100,000 Cinema Stakes.
Trained by Michael McCarthy, Bust Out was purchased by McCarthy as agent for Tim and Jacob Pegram for $115,000 at the 2025 OBS March Sale from the Azpurua Stables consignment after breezing in :10 flat.