Scenes from Black-Eyed Susan Day at Pimlico Race Course

Preakness festivities began Friday with the 100th running of the Black-Eyed Susan Stakes. The $300,000 Grade 2 race is 1 1/8 miles on the dirt for 3-year-old fillies, and the undercard is filled with races for fillies and mares.

Gun Song, trained by Mark Hennig and ridden by John Velazquez, triumphed by 3 1/4 lengths over Corposo.

Scenes during Black-Eyed Susan Day at Pimlico on Friday. (Kaitlin Newman/The Baltimore Banner)

In the 13th race at Pimlico, Gun Song, ridden by jockey John Velazquez, won the 100th Black-Eyed Susan Stakes. (Kaitlin Newman/The Baltimore Banner)

In 2021, the Maryland Jockey Club honored the late George E. Mitchell and his work in the Park Heights community by adding his name to the Black-Eyed Susan Stakes.

Mitchell, who died in 2020 at age 65, was best known for his involvement in the Langston Hughes Community, Business and Resource Center. The winner of the George E. Mitchell Black-Eyed Susan Stakes receives 60% of the $300,000 purse, with 20% going to second place, 10% to third, 6% to fourth, 3% to fifth and 1% to sixth.

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The Black-Eyed Susan is one of Pimlico’s oldest stakes races, first run in 1919 as the Pimlico Oaks and won by a horse named Milkmaid.

Milkmaid’s owner, J. K. L. Ross, also won the first Triple Crown with the colt Sir Barton in 1919.

Despite the overcast skies, spectators came ready in flamboyant hats, bright dresses and candy-colored suits.