Favorite Margie's Intention handles the slop at Pimlico, wins the Black-Eyed Susan

Sport

Favorite Margie's Intention handles the slop at Pimlico, wins the Black-Eyed Susan

2025-05-17 08:18 Last Updated At：08:21

BALTIMORE (AP) — Margie's Intention splashed her way to victory in the Black-Eyed Susan.

Shortly after a substantial storm soaked the track at Pimlico, she overtook Paris Lily on the outside toward the end of the 1 1/8-mile race for 3-year-old fillies, winning by three-quarters of a length Friday. It was Margie Intenton's fifth straight race finishing in the top two, a streak that began when she won by nearly a dozen lengths in January at the Fair Grounds.

That race, like this one, was in sloppy conditions.

“We haven't had her that long, but she performed well on an off track this winter,” trainer Brad Cox said. “I thought she moved forward today. It was a demanding race. She was under a ride turning for home and she finished the race off.”

The storm darkened the sky above the track and delayed the Black-Eyed Susan for over an hour. The one remaining race after it was canceled.

With jockey Flavien Prat on board, Margie's Intention was the 5-2 favorite at race time. Runnin N Gunnin, the morning line favorite, had fallen all the way to 10-1 by the time she left the gate. Sure enough, she was no factor, finishing last in the nine-horse field.

Paris Lily, who had won on a sloppy track in her previous start, began impressively and was in front in the second turn. She was eventually overtaken by Margie’s Intention on the outside.

“She ran great on a nice, easy lead,” said Joel Rosario, Paris Lily's jockey. “The trainer told me to go forward with her so I did and got her in front. ... She kicked for home but the outside horse was too much at the end.”

Kinzie Queen was third.

This was the first stakes victory for Margie's Intention after she finished second in the Flashy Prize and the Crescent City Oaks in March. She was trained then by Brendan P. Walsh, and she was sold after the Crescent City Oaks — her most recent race before this one.

“We'd seen her at the 2-year-old sale. We'd looked at her then,” said Elliott Walden, president and CEO of co-owner WinStar Farm. “It made sense to us. We bought her privately, then turned her over to Brad. Brendan had done a great job with her. We have plenty of horses with Brad, and that was the only reason for the change.”

Margie's Intention paid $7, $4 and $3.20 on Friday, finishing in 1 minute, 52.05 seconds. The $1 exacta paid $21.30, and a $1 trifecta paid $115.40.

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

Thousands of nurses go on strike at several major New York City hospitals

NEW YORK (AP) — Thousands of nurses in three hospital systems in New York City went on strike Monday after negotiations through the weekend failed to yield breakthroughs in their contract disputes.

The strike was taking place at The Mount Sinai Hospital and two of its satellite campuses, with picket lines forming. The other affected hospitals are NewYork-Presbyterian and Montefiore Medical Center in the Bronx.

About 15,000 nurses are involved in the strike, according to New York State Nurses Association.

“After months of bargaining, management refused to make meaningful progress on core issues that nurses have been fighting for: safe staffing for patients, healthcare benefits for nurses, and workplace violence protections,” the union said in a statement issued Monday. “Management at the richest hospitals in New York City are threatening to discontinue or radically cut nurses’ health benefits.”

The strike, which comes during a severe flu season, could potentially force the hospitals to transfer patients, cancel procedures or divert ambulances. It could also put a strain on city hospitals not involved in the contract dispute, as patients avoid the medical centers hit by the strike.

The hospitals involved have been hiring temporary nurses to try and fill the labor gap during the walkout, and said in a statement during negotiations that they would “do whatever is necessary to minimize disruptions.” Montefiore posted a message assuring patients that appointments would be kept.

“NYSNA’s leaders continue to double down on their $3.6 billion in reckless demands, including nearly 40% wage increases, and their troubling proposals like demanding that a nurse not be terminated if found to be compromised by drugs or alcohol while on the job," Montefiore spokesperson Joe Solmonese said Monday after the strike had started. "We remain resolute in our commitment to providing safe and seamless care, regardless of how long the strike may last.”

New York-Presbyterian accused the union of staging a strike to “create disruption,” but said in a statement that it has taken steps to ensure patients receive the care they need.

"We’re ready to keep negotiating a fair and reasonable contract that reflects our respect for our nurses and the critical role they play, and also recognizes the challenging realities of today’s healthcare environment,” the statement said.

The work stoppage is occurring at multiple hospitals simultaneously, but each medical center is negotiating with the union independently. Several other hospitals across the city and in its suburbs reached deals in recent days to avert a possible strike.

The nurses’ demands vary by hospital, but the major issues include staffing levels and workplace safety. The union says hospitals have given nurses unmanageable workloads.

Nurses also want better security measures in the workplace, citing incidents like a an incident last week, when a man with a sharp object barricaded himself in a Brooklyn hospital room and was then killed by police.

The union also wants limitations on hospitals’ use of artificial intelligence.

The nonprofit hospitals involved in the negotiations say they’ve been working to improve staffing levels, but say the union’s demands overall are too costly.

Nurses voted to authorize the strike last month.

Both New York Gov. Kathy Hochul and Mayor Zohran Mamdani had expressed concern about the possibility of the strike. As the strike deadline neared, Mamdani urged both sides to keep negotiating and reach a deal that “both honors our nurses and keeps our hospitals open.”

“Our nurses kept this city alive through its hardest moments. Their value is not negotiable,” Mamdani said.

State Attorney General Letitia James voiced similar support, saying "nurses put their lives on the line every day to keep New Yorkers healthy. They should never be forced to choose between their own safety, their patients’ well-being, and a fair contract.”

The last major nursing strike in the city was only three years ago, in 2023. That work stoppage, at Mount Sinai and Montefiore, was short, lasting three days. It resulted in a deal raising pay 19% over three years at those hospitals.

It also led to promised staffing improvements, though the union and hospitals now disagree about how much progress has been made, or whether the hospitals are retreating from staffing guarantees.