Friday's Stronach 5 will serve up an intriguing, competitive sequence of races from Laurel Park, Santa Anita Park and Gulfstream Park with three races on the turf and an industry-low 12-percent takeout.
The action begins at 3:55 ET with Laurel's eighth race and concludes a little more than an hour later with Gulfstream's 10th race, a mile event on the turf for 3-year-old maidens with a $50,000 price.
Laurel's eighth race, a $42,000 optional allowance claimer for 3-year-old fillies at 1 1 /16 miles, has a 5-2 morning-line favorite in Journeytothemoon, a son of Tourist who won first time out for trainer Mike Trombetta at six furlongs Nov. 21 at Laurel. Betcha by Golly comes into the race off a 2 ½ month layoff for trainer Graham Motion after finishing off-the-board in an allowance race at Keeneland. Leading trainer Claudio Gonzalez saddles Midwest Thoroughbreds Inc.'s Tuff But Fair.
After Laurel's ninth race, a claiming event for 4-year-olds and up at seven furlongs, the Stronach 5 heads to California and Santa Anita Park for the third leg of the sequence and Santa's Anita's third race, a maiden special weight event at a mile on the turf for California breds. Reddam Racing LLC's That Corey, a son of Square Eddie, is the 5-2 choice off a second-place finish at five furlongs on the turf at Del Mar. Trainer Doug O'Neill saddles Hail Freedom, a son of Box Score who finished fourth in his debut at Santa Anita Dec. 27 on the main track.
The last two legs of the sequence will be run at Gulfstream over the turf.
Gulfstream's ninth race, the fourth leg of the sequence, has a field of eight 4-year-old and up claimers going five furlongs. Newton Anner Stud Farm's Star Weaver is the 5-2 choice off a second-place finish under the same conditions Dec. 9. Our Destiny makes his first start at Gulfstream after spending last year competing mostly in state-bred races in New York.
The Stronach 5 concludes with Gulfstream's 10th race, a mile event on the turf for $50,000 maiden claimers. The wide-open affair has a tepid 7-2 choice in first-time starter Six Minus from the barn of leading trainer Todd Pletcher. Supplication, a son of Point of Entry, makes his first start on the turf for trainer Mark Casse while trainer Barclay Tagg sends out Tiz Tact Toe, fifth in a maiden special weight race at a mile at Gulfstream Dec. 5.
Friday's races and sequence
· Leg One – Laurel Park 8th Race: (8 entries, 1 1/16 mile) 3:55 ET, 12:55 PT
· Leg Two –Laurel Park 9th Race: (10 entries, 7 furlongs) 4:25 ET, 1:25 PT
· Leg Three –Santa Anita 3rd Race: (10 entries, 1 mile turf) 4:32 ET, 1:32 PT
· Leg Four –Gulfstream Park 9th Race: (10 entries, 5 furlongs turf) 4:42 ET, 1:42 PT
· Leg Five –Gulfstream West 10th Race: (12 entries, 1 mile turf) 5:13 ET, 2:15 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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