My Miss Mo holds on to win the Black-Eyed Susan by 1 3/4 lengths over Jumping the Gun

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LAUREL, Md. (AP) — After she was scratched from the Kentucky Oaks, My Miss Mo had to wait a couple more weeks to shine.

It was worth it for trainer Saffie Joseph Jr.

“It was the right decision,” he said. “This was a better spot for her.”

My Miss Mo won the Black-Eyed Susan on Friday at Laurel Park, holding off a spirited effort from Jumping the Gun to win the 1 1/8-mile race for 3-year-old fillies that takes place a day before the Preakness.

Laurel is hosting both races this year while Pimlico is being rebuilt.

A 5-2 favorite, My Miss Mo was around the front the whole way. Savor It showed some early speed as a 62-1 long shot, but in the end Jumping the Gun was the main threat and My Miss Mo was able to hold her off and win by 1 3/4 lengths.

“I thought we were going to run on by, but the winner still had horse,” said Luis Saez, Jumping the Gun's jockey. “We were second best today.”

A. P.'s Girl was third.

The win capped an impressive double for Joseph after another of his horses, Navajo Warrior, won the Pimlico Special the race before. My Miss Mo won for the first time this year. She finished second in the Gulfstream Park Oaks in late March and second in the Davona Dale the previous month.

“It's just a combination of things,” jockey Tyler Gaffalione said. “Experience, maturity and more confidence in herself.”

Her lone victory before Friday was a 12-length rout at 7 furlongs at Gulfstream in November.

“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,” Joseph said. “We didn’t see the goodness until we stretched her out. She is a different filly going longer.”

Jumping the Gun was the morning-line favorite at 3-1 but ultimately went off at 6-1. Andrew Simoff, her trainer, said he's eyeing the Delaware Oaks next month as her next challenge.

“I thought I had it, but she just hung that last sixteenth a little bit. But she'll do that,” Simoff said. “I was talking to Luis and he said maybe wait a little longer, don't make the lead at the quarter pole, just see what happens.”

Majestic Lucia was fourth, followed by Miss Fulton Gal. Holly's Holiday and Braken Poppa, two horses among the favorites, ended up sixth and seventh, the latter after stumbling out of the gate.

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AP horse racing: https://apnews.com/hub/horse-racing