Friday's Stronach 5 will include competitive fields at four tracks and will begin with a dozen 3-year-olds and up at five furlongs on the turf at Pimlico Race Course.
The Stronach 5, which features an industry-low 12-percent takeout, begins at 4:14 ET and wraps up a little more than an hour later at Gulfstream Park.
The first leg of the sequence is a wide-open affair for $16,000 claimers at five furlongs on the turf with a tepid 7-2 morning-line favorite in Mopo Racing's Pay the Kid, who has finished second on the dirt and third last out on the turf since being claimed by trainer Dale Capuano. Mosby's Ranger (4-1) drew the outside post and enters off a second-place finish last out, three-quarters of a length in front of Pay the Kid. Officer Country takes a drop in company off a troubled third around two turns on the turf last time out for trainer Mary Eppler.
Gulfstream's sixth race, a $20,000 claimer at a mile for 3-year-olds and up, is next with Tonalism as the 2-1 favorite off a pair of fourth place finishes for trainer Enrique Amado. Greyzer, claimed by trainer Barry Croft in April, goes out second time for the barn after a fifth-place finish last out.
The Stronach 5 heads west for legs three and four. Golden Gate's third race, for $8,000 maiden claimers at a mile, is also the third leg of the sequence and another wide-open race with Sleep Over a 3-1 morning-line choice off a 2 ½ month layoff. The gelding finished second at the distance for $12,500 in February but was eased and walked off last time out in March for a $28,000 tag. Governor's Gamble draws the rail for trainer Faith Taylor off a second-place finish last time out in this company.
Santa Anita's third race, a $25,000 claiming event for fillies and mares at six furlongs on the turf, is next and Navy Queen is the 2-1 favorite for trainer John Sadler. The 4-year-old filly had a troubled trip against restricted allowance company last time out after finishing second in March against similar company. Majestic Gigi takes a drop after running against open allowance company May 28 while Vella enters after also running against restricted allowance company.
The Stronach 5 concludes back at Gulfstream with Race 8, a seven-furlong, $12,500 claiming event for 3-year-olds and up. Karen's Cove (9-2) enters off a 5-length victory last time out against non-winners of a race since November. Causalistic (6-1), a winner last out against $6,250 claimers, steps up off a claim by trainer Diane Morici. Dropping in class is High Heater (3-1) for trainer Peter Walder.
Friday's races and sequence
Leg One – Pimlico Race 8: (12 entries –5 furlongs turf) 4:14 ET, 1:14 PT
Leg Two – Gulfstream Race 6: (9 entries – 1 mile) 4:34 ET, 1:34 PT
Leg Three –Golden Gate Race 3: (10 entries – 1 mile) 4:52 ET, 1:52 PT
Leg Four –Santa Anita Race 3: (7 entries –6 furlongs turf) 5:09 ET, 2:09 PT
Leg Five – Gulfstream Race 8: (8 entries – 7 furlongs): 5:36 ET, 2:36 PT
Fans can watch and wager on the action at 1/ST.COM/BET as well as stream all the action in English and Spanish at LaurelPark.com, SantaAnita.com, GulfstreamPark.com, and GoldenGateFields.com.
The Stronach 5 In the Money podcast, hosted by Jonathan Kinchen and Peter Thomas Fornatale, will be posted by 2 p.m. Thursday at InTheMoneyPodcast.com and will be available on iTunes and other major podcast distributors
The minimum wager on the multi-race, multi-track Stronach 5 is $1. If there are no tickets with five winners, the entire pool will be carried over to the next Friday.
If a change in racing surface is made after the wagering closes, each selection on any ticket will be considered a winning selection. If a betting interest is scratched, that selection will be substituted with the favorite in the win pool when wagering closes.
The Maryland Jockey Club serves as host of the Stronach 5.
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