$2.2 million bonus tied to Black-Eyed Susan

The 3-year-old filly that wins the Grade 2 Black-Eyed Susan Stakes at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore on May 20, 2011, could be eligible for a bonus of $2.2 million under a program announced by Pimlico’s parent company, MI Developments, on Tuesday.

To qualify for the full bonus, a filly will have to win the Black-Eyed Susan and a string of other races at tracks owned by MI Developments, including Santa Anita Park, Gulfstream Park, Golden Gate Fields, and Portland Meadows. The program is structured similarly to a $5.5 million bonus for the winner of next year’s Preakness Stakes, the second leg of the Triple Crown, which MI Developments announced late in August. The Preakness is scheduled for May 21.

The winner of the Black-Eyed Susan can qualify for the full bonus under a number of scenarios:

◗ By winning the Jan. 29 Forward Gal Stakes, Feb. 26 Davona Dale Stakes, and April 2 Gulfstream Oaks, all at Gulfstream Park.

◗ By winning the Feb. 5 Las Virgenes and the March 5 Santa Anita Oaks at Santa Anita Park, plus the Gulfstream Oaks.

◗ By winning the Jan. 1 California Oaks at Golden Gate, the Santa Anita Oaks, and the Gulfstream Oaks.

◗ By winning the Jan. 29 Portland Meadows Oaks at Portland Meadows in Oregon, the Santa Anita Oaks, and the Gulfstream Oaks.

Officials for MI Developments have said the implementation of the bonus programs will allow the company to market its races more effectively to bettors, horsemen, and sponsors. MI Developments took over Pimlico and other tracks formerly owned by the company’s subsidiary, Magna Entertainment Corp., after Magna Entertainment was dissolved earlier this year in a bankruptcy reorganization.

The Black-Eyed Susan winner will also be eligible for a $220,000 “consolation bonus” if she has placed in both the Santa Anita Oaks and the Gulfstream Oaks and had run in other eligible races. Under the program, the purse for the Black-Eyed Susan will be increased from $150,000 to $250,000.