Despite a long wait for the race to occur, the $300,000 George E. Mitchell Black-Eyed Susan Stakes (G2) gave a sense of instant gratification to WinStar Farm as Margie's Intention stormed home a winner May 16 in the first race she wore the white silks with the green and black star.
The Black-Eyed Susan was the first start in open company for the daughter of Honor A. P. bred in Louisiana by Coteau Grove Farms after making her first five starts at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots against state-breds. In her last two efforts, she had placed second in stakes company to Blue Fire, who exited to finish second in the Eight Belles Stakes (G2) at Churchill Downs May 2.
Her performances had caught the eye of Thoro-Graph's Jerry Brown, who gave WinStar a call. As it turned out, they had their eyes set on the filly since she was sold to Baron Stables for $185,000 at the 2024 Ocala Breeders' Sales Spring Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training.
"We liked her a lot. Liked her physical attributes, her size and scope," said WinStar's president, CEO, and racing manager Elliott Walden. "We knew the filly and felt like (partnering with Baron Stables) was the right thing to do."
Tom Mueller, a managing partner of Baron Stables, said there was some hesitation at first whether they wanted to sell any piece of the filly, but ultimately the chance to partner with an organization of WinStar's reputation won out.
"If you can partner with them, you can learn from them," Mueller said. "For the most part, it's hobbies for us (Baron Stables), but WinStar is a professional, first-class operation. That definitely helped with the decision."
Once the pair partnered, another decision was made to transfer the filly from Brendan Walsh to trainer Brad Cox. Cox liked what he saw from the filly in the mornings and felt the added distance of 1 1/8 miles would suit her. He was proven correct.
However, they needed to wait longer than expected to see whether the choice to stretch in distance was correct. A severe thunderstorm closed in on Baltimore as the prior race crossed the finish line. The nine 3-year-old fillies remained back at the barn while patrons of Pimlico Race Course were instructed to shelter inside the building.
None of the connections seemed too concerned with the delay, crediting the young filly's mind.
"They all have to go through it, so I feel like its an even playing field," Cox said. "She's a laid-back filly, does everything you ask of her."
The race went off an hour and 14 minutes after scheduled post time, and a rainbow greeted the fillies to the track once permitted to walk from the barns to the paddock.
Once the starting gate was finally filled, Margie's Intention broke inward and brushed with Princess Aliyah. Flavien Prat quickly adjusted and got himself a path to the rail and saved ground into the first turn.
Paris Lily, trained by Margie's Intentions former trainer Walsh, set a pace quicker than Cox expected while pressed by Liam in the Dust. After fractions of :22.73, :46.38, and 1:11.57, Prat steadily inched closer down the backstretch and began to call on his filly as they entered the far turn.
"Brad told me that she kept coming all the time and that she was a grinder," Prat said. "I kept riding her and she was resilient."
It looked like Joel Rosario and Paris Lily might be home free as they turned for home, but Margie's Intention kept grinding away before finally pulling ahead by three-quarters of a length as they approached the wire. She completed the 1 1/8 miles on a sloppy track in 1:52.05.
Paris Lily held second and Kinzie Queen ran on for third.
Despite facing open company for the first time, Margie's Intention was bet down to 5-2 favoritism and paid $7.00 to win.
"Making that jump from all Louisiana competition to the open competition is a big, big deal," Mueller said. "(WinStar) liked what they saw and we liked her all along, everything came together."
Cox picked up his second victory in the Black-Eyed Susan and earned himself yet another victory in this crop of fillies. Two weeks prior, he won the Kentucky Oaks (G1) with the undefeated Good Cheer and has undefeated 2024 champion 2-year-old filly Immersive on the comeback trail for the summer.
"It's good to have multiples in any division because it's a tough game as it is," Cox said. "We've got a good group."
The rest of the connections all celebrated their first Black-Eyed Susan win. Mueller, who is no stranger to success as a partner in Starlight Racing since 2012, called the victory the "biggest win ever" for the Baron Stables banner.
The victory carried Margie's Intention to career earnings of $294,880 with a 3-2-0 record from six starts. It also was monumental for her sire, Honor A. P., who earned his first graded stakes win at stud. The weekend could get even better as the Lane's End stallion is the sire of Heart of Honor, who is entered in the May 17 Preakness Stakes (G1).
Margie's Intention is out of the unraced Into Mischief mare Playful Dancer, who was bred by WinStar.
