Go Maggie Go didn't garner much of the hype going into the Black-Eyed Susan Stakes, but Dale Romans knew the 3-year-old filly was worthy.
She proved him correct, starting fast and leading from the final stretch in Friday's marquee race at Pimlico Race Course.
After Go Maggie Go's slow start resulted in a fourth-place finish at Kentucky Oaks on May 6, Romans wanted her to break well from the gate Friday, and that she did. On just two weeks' rest, she won the 1 1/8-mile race by 2 ½ lengths in just her fifth career start.
"This is a different filly," Romans said. "I knew she was special. I knew she could handle it. She's just a big, massive filly that needs some run. She got a late start in life. The more racing, the better. She's one who'll let you do things wrong, and she'll make 'em right."
Go Maggie Go spoiled the hopes of Land Over Sea, a 2-1 favorite going into the race. Land Over Sea fell off the pace and finished sixth, making it a dubious start to the weekend for trainer Doug O'Neill and his team.
"Just a rough trip," O'Neill said. "She didn't break real good. They kind of went slow early, and she was a victim of a rough trip. Thank God she came back good and [jockey Mario Gutierrez] came back good."
O'Neill will next saddle undefeated Nyquist, the favorite in the Preakness on Saturday. O'Neill, Gutierrez and owner Paul Reddam were trying to become the first trio since 1993 to win the Black-Eyed Susan Stakes and the Preakness in the same weekend.
Instead, Romans will have the chance to pull off the double with Cherry Wine, a 20-1 long shot to win the Preakness out of the No. 1 position Saturday.
"Keep it going," Romans said.
Go Maggie Go, who faced 5-2 odds going in, led after the first quarter-mile but trailed Kinsley Kisses during the middle half of the race. Kinsley Kisses — trained by four-time Black-Eyed Susan Stakes winner Todd Pletcher — fell back to third by a head.
The second-place finisher was also one of Romans' horses, 45-1 long shot Ma Can Do It.
"That's pretty good, isn't it?" Romans said. "I wish I'd boxed the exacta."
Luis Saez rode Go Maggie Go, while Brian Hernandez rode Ma Can Do It.
Two strong fillies sat out the race. Cathryn Sophia beat out Land Over Sea in the Kentucky Oaks, but didn't return to the track on just two weeks' rest. Songbird, who is undefeated in seven career starts (three this year), is also resting for races later this summer, perhaps against Go Maggie Go.
"Never looking forward to run against a horse of that caliber," Romans said. "But I'm just looking forward to the rest of the year with my filly."
The day drew a record 47,956 people (up from 42,700 in 2015) and a betting handle of $18.661 million (up from $17.815 million).
Near the end, Romans celebrated his victory in relief. He thought of Go Maggie Go's owner, Mike Tarp, whom he called one of the best people in racing and who was back home in Canada with an illness.
Then, a reporter asked about Romans, who suffered a car accident on the night of May 7, after the Kentucky Derby, and continues to recover.
"I wasn't doing good then, and I wasn't doing good an hour ago," Romans said. "I was having a lot of pain. For some reason, it went away."