Santa Anita Park's much-anticipated opening day Friday also means it will be one of five featured races as part of the popular Stronach 5.
The cross-country wager with a low 12-percent takeout will also feature races from Laurel Park, Gulfstream Park and Golden Gate Fields. The sequence includes three turf races and maiden special weight events for 2-year-olds from Santa Anita and Laurel.
The Stronach 5 kicks off at 4:19 p.m. with Laurel's eighth race, an intriguing maiden special weight event for 2-year-olds at 5 ½ furlongs on the turf.
Trainer Graham Motion will send out two colts making their debut. Northern Aurora, a son of Uncle Mo out of the graded winner Unspurned, sold for $210,000 at the Keeneland September Yearling Sale while Zatip, a son of Tapit out of the Grade 1 winner Zaftig, is a Wertheimer and Frere homebred. Full of Mischief, a son of Into Mischief who sold for $140,000 in May, makes his debut for Michael Trombetta. Godolphin LLC's homebred Holiday House, a son of More Than Ready, will also debut for trainer Michael Stidham.
The Stronach 5 heads to Gulfstream next for the eighth race, a 5 ½ furlong event for fillies and mares on the main track for $20,000 claimers. My Sarasota Star goes out first time off the claim for trainer Georgina Baxter. The 5-year-old mare has won four of 11 starts at Gulfstream and has placed first or second in four of five starts at the distance. Dem a Wonder, owned and trained by Rohan Crichton, drops a bit in company and gets Edwin Gonzalez in the saddle. Mastering Bela looks for her second consecutive victory for trainer Carlos Munoz.
The third leg of the Stronach 5, Laurel's ninth race, features $12,500 claimers going 1 1/8 mile on the turf. The wide-open event has Mokheef dropping in class for trainer Suzanne Stettinius. The 7-year-old son of Street Cry has four wins on the turf. Forest Boyce rides. Vincent Van Gogo has won three consecutive races, two of them over hurdles. Sandwiched between hurdle wins at Colonial Downs and Tryon is a victory in July at Colonial at a mile. Neil Morris trains. Donji makes his debut for trainer Zoe Valvo, who claimed him for $10,000 in August at Colonial.
The Stronach 5 heads west for the final two legs. Santa Anita's third race is a competitive event at five furlongs on the turf for 2-year-olds. Trainer Doug O'Neill will send out Del Mo and Beef Winslow. Beef Winslow, a son of Honor Code, gets blinkers and jockey John Velazquez after finishing seventh in his debut after a wide trip. Del Mo, a son of Uncle Mo out of the unraced mare No Lip Service, will make his debut with Ricardo Gonzalez in the saddle. Little Red Feather Racing's Elevado, fourth in his debut Sept. 11, goes out for trainer Mike Puype. The son of Street Boss brought $190,000 at auction in May. Trainer Peter Miller will send out second-time starters Roy C and Fight On Ron. Roy C was sixth on the turf in his debut at Del Mar in August while Fight On Ron was third Sept. 11 at Los Alamitos.
The fourth race at Golden Gate is where the Stronach 5 will conclude. Fillies and mares with a $5,000 claiming tag will go six furlongs. Always in Vegas gets the rail and returns after an 11-month layoff. Trainer Andy Mathis is 43-percent with horses coming in off a 180-day layoff or more. Arouse N Go finished second Aug. 27 first time off the claim by trainer Jonathan Wong. Brite Tan looks for her second consecutive victory.
Friday's races and sequence
Leg One –Laurel Race 8: (10 entries, 5 ½ furlongs turf) 4 :19 ET, 1:19 PT
Leg Two –Gulfstream Race 8: (8 entries, 5 ½ furlongs) 4:30 ET, 1:30 PT
Leg Three –Laurel Race 9: (12 entries,1 1/8-mile turf) 4:49 ET, 1:49 PT
Leg Four –Santa Anita Race 3: (10 entries, 5 furlongs turf) 5 ET, 2 PT
Leg Five –Golden Gate Race 4: (7 entries, 6 furlongs) 5:14 ET, 2:14 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 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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