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A Dozen On Pimlico’s Turf Kick Off Friday’s Stronach 5

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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Australia: Zaaki To Star On Stradbroke Day

The Stradbroke Handicap and J.J. Atkins Stakes stood like beacons last year, as the only Group 1 races held during a pandemic-shortened Queensland “Winter Racing Carnival.” This Friday night, at Brisbane's Eagle Farm racecourse, their thunder might be stolen by a new race boasting the sport's biggest new name – Zaaki. Tune in to TVG or stream on the new Sky Racing World App (First Post: 9:29 p.m. ET / 6:29 p.m. PT).

Zaaki rendered racing fans breathless when pulverizing the G1 Doomben Cup field in stakes record time three weeks ago. Zaaki's star is ascendant on a similar arc to that of 30-year-old Annabel Neasham, who celebrated her second G1 winner in her first year of training. Neasham's original plan was to rest Zaaki after the Doomben Cup, while targeting Melbourne's prestigious W.S. Cox Plate in October. However, the lure of a $1.2 million purse for the Q22 – under the same weight-for-age conditions and at the same distance (1 3/8 miles) as the Doomben Cup – has proven irresistible. And, in an ominous warning for Zaaki's opposition, Neasham declared, “He pulled up superb and certainly hasn't taken a backward step since. I can't see why he's not going to turn up in the same form.”

It is somewhat surprising – but a big boost for the new Q22 – that 15 horses will take their chances against Zaaki, who was installed a prohibitive 1-2 favorite. Just as his multitude of opponents might be competing for worthwhile minor paychecks, wagering might be heavily slanted towards the exacta pool.

Toffee Tongue (10-1) completed the Doomben Cup exacta and is the “favorite” to again finish closest to Zaaki. Spirit Ridge (16-1) brings a recent G3 victory into the equation. Paths of Glory (30-1) finished a sound third behind Spirit Ridge and has the distinction of being the last horse to defeat Zaaki – by a head in April at Randwick, when carrying 13 pounds less; they meet at level weights in the Q22. Vanna Girl (also 30-1) gives the impression she will appreciate her first assignment beyond 1-1/4 miles.

If the race for second in the Q22 is wide open, there are candidates galore for the Stradbroke Handicap (G1) winner's circle. Vega One was a close, unlucky fourth in last year's race and is 5-1 favorite to make amends this Friday night. Supporters will hope he didn't use up a year's worth of luck when winning the G1 Kingsford Smith Cup two weeks ago. Melbourne's leading rider, Jamie Kah (in the yellow silks in this replay), produced a miraculous “steer” to navigate a passage. Kah is stuck in Melbourne, which has entered another lockdown, and Vega One will be ridden by another of Australia's star female jockeys, Sydney's Rachel King.

Wild Planet (6-1) and The Harrovian (8-1) filled the minor placings in the G1 Doomben 10,000 (whose winner, the outstanding Eduardo, is enjoying a well-deserved layoff). Mr Quickie (9-1), who won the 2019 Queensland Derby at 1 1/2 miles, has become most effective as a late closer in races from seven furlongs to a mile. He has been kept fresh for the Stradbroke's seven furlongs, and will be ridden for the first time by James McDonald – two hours after Sydney's leading jockey pilots Zaaki in the Q22. Regardless of his Stradbroke result, Melbourne-based Mr Quickie will spend some time relaxing in Queensland's perfect mid-year weather. Even if not competing, many southern horses benefit from “wintering' in Australia's northeast. Mr Quickie's trainer, Phillip Stokes, summed up the Sunshine State's broad appeal: “It's the place to be at this time of year.”

Friday night's other G1 race is the J.J. Atkins Stakes for 2-year-olds at a mile. Hugh Bowman rides Port Louis (7-2) and is currently one win away from becoming just the fourth Australia-based jockey to register 100 G1 triumphs. Apart from the significant contribution by Winx (25), Bowman's total includes four G1s in Hong Kong and one in Japan. The 40-year-old reached 99 G1 wins by producing a peach of a ride, from a wide gate, in last week's Queensland Oaks on Duais. Port Louis has been luckless in consecutive races beneath Bowman from wide draws.

“Surely I'm due for a better marble in a big race,” said Bowman early this week … before being dealt gate 13 of 14.

Favoritism for the J.J. Atkins rests with Converge at 5-2.

Eagle Farm's card boasts an average field size of 12, with several favorites above 4-1. Last week on TVG, I recommended a six-horse exacta box on an Eagle Farm race. A 5-2 winner over a 15-1 runner-up yielded $56.25 for a $30 investment. I will be on the lookout for similar opportunities this week.

The Eagle Farm card will be broadcast live on TVG this Friday night (first post: 9:29 p.m. ET / 6:29 p.m. PT) alongside cards from Randwick, Newcastle and Gold Coast. All races will be live-streamed in HD on the new Sky Racing World App, skyracingworld.com and major ADW platforms such as TVG, TwinSpires, Xpressbet, NYRABets, WatchandWager, HPIbet, and AmWager. Wagering is also available via these ADW platforms. Fans can get free access to live-streaming, past performances and expert picks on all races at skyracingworld.com.

A native of Brisbane, Australia, Michael Wrona has called races in six countries. Wrona's vast U.S. experience includes; race calling at Los Alamitos, Hollywood Park, Arlington and Santa Anita, calling the 2000 Preakness on a national radio network and the 2016 Breeders' Cup on the International simulcast network. Wrona also performed a race call voiceover for a Seinfeld episode called The Subway.

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Larry Collmus, Nick Luck Join TVG Broadcast Team This Summer

TVG will introduce two faces familiar to horse racing fans both here and abroad to its broadcast team this summer, the network announced today. Larry Collmus, best known as the voice of the Triple Crown on NBC, will join the TVG broadcast team for select days at Monmouth Park, and NBC Sports broadcast personality and international racing expert Nick Luck, a staple of horse racing coverage in both the UK and US, will be part of the TVG's special coverage of the iconic Royal Ascot meet from June 15 through June 18.

“We are very excited to have both Larry and Nick join our talent roster this summer,” said Kevin Grigsby, executive producer and senior vice president of television for FanDuel Group and TVG. “Both bring considerable experience, knowledge and local insight that will resonate with our audience.”

Collmus, a resident of the New Jersey shore and the Monmouth Park track announcer from 1994 to 2013, will co-host with Joaquin Jaime and Dave Weaver live from the TVG set trackside at Monmouth Park to provide perspective, analysis and insights on select days throughout the meet beginning with this weekend's coverage highlighted by the TVG.com Pegasus Stakes on Sunday. The race, the major prep for the Haskell Invitational, is expected to draw Mandaloun, runner-up finisher in the Kentucky Derby for trainer Brad Cox.

In addition to his time at Monmouth Park, Collmus has been the track announcer at major tracks across the country including the NYRA circuit, Gulfstream Park and Del Mar, and has worked as the race caller for NBC Sports' coverage of the Triple Crown since 2011 and the Breeders' Cup since 2012.

TVG's special coverage of every race from the Royal Ascot meeting will begin on Tuesday, June 15 at 9:00 a.m. ET/6:00 a.m. PT. TVG's Scott Hazelton will anchor the week-long Royal Ascot coverage from the Los Angeles studio, and Luck will be joining international racing expert Jess Stafford with live, on-site coverage featuring exclusive interviews, analysis and selections.

The Royal Ascot meeting will feature four Breeders' Cup “Win and You're In” Challenge races which will earn the winner an automatic berth into the Breeders' Cup which will be held at Del Mar on November 5-6. The races are the Queen Anne Stakes (Fan Duel Mile), Prince of Wales's Stakes (Longines Turf), Norfolk Stakes (Juvenile Turf) and the Diamond Jubilee Stakes (Turf Sprint).

Luck is an eight-time horse racing broadcaster of the year in the UK who has covered every major racing event in his native England, including the Epsom Derby, the Cheltenham Festival and the Grand National. He first joined ESPN in 2006 as part of the broadcast team for the Breeders' Cup and has been part of the Breeders' Cup coverage on NBC since 2012.

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Equibase Analysis: Ny Traffic Top Choice In Salvator Mile, But Croatian Intriguing Underneath

This Saturday's Grade 3, $150,000 Salvatore Mile Stakes at Monmouth Park drew a strong field of 10, including four horses which won their most recent start. In addition, 2020 Salvatore Mile winner Pirate's Punch returns to defend his title but does so following seven months off and an 11th place finish in the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile.

Bal Harbour and NY Traffic lead the field in career earnings at more than $600,000, but Bal Harbour returns from a seven month layoff as well and has not earned a win in his last 14 races going back to November, 2018. On the other hand, NY Traffic makes his second start off a seven month rest and ran the best race of his career at Monmouth last summer when second and a nose behind Authentic.

Basin won the Sir Shackleton Stakes when sprinting in March and can likely handle the stretch out to two turns as he finished second in the Grade 1 Arkansas Derby last May. Another horse stakes placed as a 3-year-old in 2020 is Green Light Go, who was second in the Roar Stakes last May as well as second in the Grade 1 Champagne Stakes as a 2-year-old.

Galerio finished second in the Harrison E. Johnson Memorial and John B. Campbell Stakes in succession earlier this year and must be considered, particularly as he has finished first or second in 20 of 24 career races. War Stopper finished third in the Grade 3 Challenger Stakes in his stakes debut in March before a fourth-place effort in the similar Grade 3 Ghostzapper Stakes at the end of the same month.

Croatian, Informative and West Will Power round out the field but are not without chances either. Croatian has won two of four races at Monmouth and makes his second start off a layoff, Informative finished second in his most recent race last month, and West Will Power won his most recent race decisively by nine lengths.

NY Traffic gets top billing in this year's Salvatore Mile Stakes by virtue of a strong seven-length win in his 4-year-old debut last month. That win came at the distance of seven furlongs and earned a 99 ™ Equibase® Speed Figure, which is highly likely to be improved upon significantly in his second start off the layoff and on the stretch out to two turns. Last spring and summer, NY Traffic proved competitive with top 3-year-olds Maxfield and then Authentic when second in three straight graded stakes – the Risen Star, Louisiana Derby and Matt Winn.

Next came the Haskell Stakes at Monmouth last July in which NY Traffic ran the best race of his career, earning a 107 figure and coming up just a nose shy of beating subsequent Kentucky Derby winner Authentic. Following an eighth-place finish in the Derby and a ninth-place effort in the Preakness, NY Traffic was given time off to mature and he certainly did so as evidenced by his comeback last month. With Paco Lopez returning to the saddle to ride him as he did in the Haskell, NY Traffic may be the one to beat in this race.

Croatian is the veteran in this field, having run 31 times. This will be only his second career start in a stakes race and the other, back in March of last year, was a poor effort in which he finished sixth. However, Croatian was claimed shortly thereafter by Jerry Hollendorfer and reeled off four straight top efforts including two wins and a defeat by a neck, all at Monmouth. The best of those, last September, earned Croatian a 107 ™ figure on par with the figure NY Traffic earned in the Haskell.

Also similar to NY Traffic, Croatian stretches out off a sprint prep following a layoff (October to April). In that sprint, Croatian finished fourth, beaten just two lengths by the winner, with a 97 figure very similar to NY Traffic. As such, it is very likely Croatian will take a big step forward and if he does and can duplicate any of his four efforts over the track last summer, he could post the upset or at the least run much better than his high odds suggest he will.

Pirate's Punch has one big question mark regarding his chances which NY Traffic and Croatian do not and that is he is making his first start of 2021, returning off a seven moth layoff. Pirate's Punch won the 2020 Salvatore Mile with a strong 110 ™ figure and fairly easily by two lengths in a field of eight, as the two to one betting favorite. He had won the Philip H. Iselin Stakes one month prior to that but was disqualified and placed second. Following a last of 12 finish in the Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile, Pirate's Punch was given time to rest and his recent workouts indicated he is in excellent physical form. Additionally, Pirate's Punch won his 2020 debut with a 112 figure but that was following two months off and seven months can be quite different. Nevertheless as he's proven at the level and over the track, Pirate's Punch rounds out a trio I feel stand out against the others in this year's Salvatore Mile Stakes.

The rest of the field, with their best ™ Equibase Speed Figures, is Bal Harbour (108), Basin (104), Galerio (107), Green Light Go (99), Informative (103), West Will Power (102) and War Stopper (103).

Win Contenders:
NY Traffic
Croatian
Pirate's Punch

Salvatore Mile Stakes – Grade 3
Race 10 at Monmouth
Saturday, June 12 – Post Time 4:28 PM E.T.
One Mile
Three Year Olds and Upward
Purse: $150,000

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