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Gold Rush Weekend Features $200,000 Guaranteed Late Pick 4 At Golden Gate Fields

Eight stakes races, led by the $250,000 Grade 3 San Francisco Mile, highlight the second annual Gold Rush Weekend this Saturday, April 24, and Sunday, April 25, at Golden Gate Fields. Both race cards have a first post of 12:45 PM PT.

A lengthy list of Southern California trainers sends horses to compete in stakes races throughout the weekend. Those names include Jeff Bonde, Val Brinkerhoff, Simon Callaghan, Neil Drysdale, Paddy Gallagher, Andrew Lerner, Richard Mandella, Michael McCarthy, Doug O'Neill, Peter Miller, Leonard Powell, and John Sadler. Jockeys who travel from Santa Anita to ride: Tyler Baze, Geovanni Franco, Ricky Gonzalez, and Edwin Maldonado.

“We're showcasing the deep and talented group of both horses and riders that play their trade in Northern California year-round, as well as a very strong contingent shipping up from Southern California,” said Vice President of Racing and Racing Secretary Patrick Mackey. “We appreciate and thank the connections for their support at the entry box. Our stakes coordinator Lisa Jones and the entire racing office put together great cards. Gold Rush Weekend will give horseplayers a bevy of wagering opportunities while showcasing our two tremendous racing surfaces.”

The main event of the weekend, the one-mile, $250,000 Grade 3 San Francisco Mile on turf for 3-year-olds and upward, runs as Race 9 this Saturday. Eight horses entered, including Grade 1 winners Ohio and Keeper Ofthe Stars, Grade 2 placed Whisper Not, 2020 All American Stakes winner Restrainedvengence, and Border Town, who ran third behind Grade 1 winner Hit the Road in February. Kiwi's Dream, who finished as the runner up in the San Francisco Mile last year, makes his second start off the year in the 2021 edition, and Brown Storm is one of six entrants on the Saturday program for Southern California conditioner Michael McCarthy. Likely pacesetter Diamond Blitz rounds out the group.

The San Francisco Mile is also the first leg of the Late Pick 4 sequence. The Late Pick 4, a 50-cent minimum wager featuring the last four races on each day's racecard, will have a guaranteed pool of $200,000 on both Saturday and Sunday.

Saturday's stakes action kicks off with Race 7, the Golden Poppy for filly and mare turf routers. 2020 Grade I Del Mar Oaks winner Red Lark searches for her first winners circle appearance since the aforementioned victory last summer. The most appealing local contenders, stake winners Northwest Factor and Sloane Garden, finished behind Keeper ofthe Stars on April 3 and return to stakes company.

Race 8, the $100,000 California Derby, is for 3-year-olds at one mile and a sixteenth on Tapeta. The headliner in the field of eight is Parnelli, exiting the Grade I Santa Anita Derby. On the local front, maiden winners Jimmy Irish and Tesoro have always been well regarded and face stakes competition, while California-bred Stalking Shadow goes against open company after scoring a victory in a local prep for the California Derby.

The $75,000 California Oaks, which goes as Race 10, drew a large field of eleven 3-year-old fillies. Irish import Styledome has won three consecutive races over an all-weather surface overseas and makes her United States debut for trainer Paddy Gallagher. Pizzazz ships north for Hall of Famer Richard Mandella and figures as a legit contender, too, and impressive maiden victors Ida Claire and Miss Peaky Blinder try winners for the first time.

The penultimate race on Saturday, the $75,000 Camilla Urso for filly and mare turf sprinters, was flooded with entries. Local contender Dynasty of Her Own has beaten the best female sprinters in Northern California and will surely get a class test from the Southern California invaders. Among them: Grade 2 placed Bohemian Bourbon and multiple allowance winner Storming Lady.

Saturday's racing action ends with Race 12, the $75,000 Lost in the Fog Stakes for main-track sprinters. Local contender Baja Sur seeks his third career Golden Gate Fields stakes win. Bettor Trip Nick, a multiple stakes winner himself, beat Baja Sur in an April 2 Golden Gate allowance and is also slated to run in the Saturday nightcap.

On Sunday's 11-race card, the co-featured Silky Sullivan and Campanile Stakes shine light on California-bred or sired 3-year-olds. Both races, run at one mile on turf, have a $75,000 purse. The Silky Sullivan is for colts and geldings and the Campanile is for fillies. Entries for the Sunday program will be drawn on Thursday afternoon.

Currently, Golden Gate Fields offers fans the chance to watch races on-site at a limited capacity. Those who wish to attend Gold Rush Weekend, or any live race day, can visit Goldengatefields.com and purchase tickets through the website. General Admission and walk-ups are not permitted at this time.

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Friday’s Stronach 5 Kicks Off With Pair Of Races From Historic Pimlico Race Course

Two races from legendary Pimlico Race Course will kick off Friday's Stronach 5, featuring four tracks, two races on the turf, and an industry-low 12-percent takeout.

The Stronach 5 will also include races from Gulfstream Park, Santa Anita Park and Golden Gate Fields.

The popular Stronach 5 begins with Pimlico's eighth race, a $40,000 maiden event for 3-year-old fillies at six furlongs. Edie Meeny Miny Mo, a first-time starter from the barn of Miguel Vera, is a tepid 3-1 choice. Leading trainer Claudio Gonzalez sends out Despeight All Odds coming off a pair of third-place finishes against similar company.

Pimlico's ninth race serves as the second leg of the sequence. The $40,000 claiming event at a 1 1/16 mile for 3-year-olds is another wide-open event with two horses from the barns of Gonzalez and Dale Bennett, and entries from Hamilton Smith, Katherine Voss, Jamie Ness and Anthony Farrioor.

The action shifts to Gulfstream's eight race and the first of back-to-back turf races. Once again, a wide-open event with six of the 11 starters 6-1 or under in the mile turf event. Santa Anita's third race, a 6 ½ furlong turf event, follows with 10 California sired or bred 3-year-old fillies Michalski is a tepid 7-2 favorite. The Stronach 5 concludes with Golden Gate's third race, a $12,500 claiming event for 3-year-olds. Zoffa is a 9-5 favorite.

Friday's races and sequence

Leg One – Pimlico Race 8: (12 entries – 6 furlongs) 4:13 ET, 1:13 PT
Leg Two – Pimlico Race 9: (11 entries – 1 1/16-mile) 4:47 ET, 1:47 PT
Leg Three –Gulfstream Park Race 8: (11 entries – 1-mile turf) 4:51 ET, 1:51 PT
Leg Four –Santa Anita Park Race 3: (10 entries – 6 1/2 furlongs turf) 5:09 ET, 2:09 PT
Leg Five –Golden Gate Fields Race 3: (10 entries – 1 mile): 6 ET, 3 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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Cross Country Pick 5 Features Opening Weekend At Belmont Park, Action From Oaklawn

The New York Racing Association Inc. [NYRA] will host a Cross Country Pick 5 on Saturday featuring racing from the first weekend of the Belmont Park spring/summer meet, along with action from Oaklawn Park in Hot Springs, Arkansas.

Free Equibase past performances for the Cross Country Pick 5 sequence are now available for download at https://www.nyra.com/belmont/racing/cross-country-wagers.

A full field of 12 maidens 3-years-old and up competing at 1 1/16 miles on the Widener turf course will start the sequence in Belmont's Race 6 at 3:34 p.m. Eastern. Mandatory has finished in the money in four of his five career starts, posting a 0-2-2 record, including earning a field-best 85 Beyer Speed Figure for a runner-up last out on March 14 at Aqueduct Racetrack for Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott. The Todd Pletcher-trained Shaftesbury, a $675,000 purchase at the 2019 Keeneland September Sale, has finished second in three consecutive starts, all at Gulfstream Park, and is 7-2 on the morning line.

Oaklawn will get in on the fun with a six-furlong starter allowance race for 3-year-olds and up going six furlongs in Race 5 at 3:54 p.m. Sevier, 3-1 for trainer Coty Rosin, won his last two races at Oaklawn and will look for a third consecutive win. Greeley and Ben, trained by Karl Broberg, and I Belong to Becky both are listed at 7-2.

The sequence alternates back to Belmont with a seven-furlong allowance optional claimer contest for 4-year-olds and up in Race 7 at 4:08 p.m. The Chad Brown trained Looking At Bikinis will be making his first start of 2021, returning off a five-month break. Looking At Bikinis, who ran 11th in the 2019 Grade 1 Travers and fourth in that year's Grade 1 Cigar Mile, will be racing for just the third time since 2020 but is 2-1 on the morning line. The New York-bred T Loves a Fight will be making his 50th career start, listed at 15-1 for trainer Orlando Noda.

A full field of a dozen 3-year-olds and up will contest Oaklawn's sixth race, a six-furlong claiming contest, at 4:29 p.m. Balandeen, at 3-1 on the morning line, has finished in third in his last three races for trainer Juan Cano. Unscathed, listed at 9-2 for conditioner Genaro Garcia, also ran third last out in a claiming contest, finishing in the money in April at Oaklawn going the same distance as Saturday's race.

Belmont will wrap up the Cross County Pick 5 with the sequence's only stakes, as eight 4-year-olds and up will square off in the $100,000 Elusive Quality going seven furlongs on the Widener turf course. Eight-time stakes winner Therapist will look to win his seasonal debut for the third consecutive year and is listed at 7-2 for trainer Christophe Clement. Brown will send out three contenders in the eight-horse field, including 2-1 favorite Front Run the Fed, along with 4-1 Value Proposition and 12-1 selection Seismic Wave.

The minimum bet for the multi-track, multi-race wager is 50 cents. Wagering on the Cross Country Pick 5 is also available on ADW platforms and at simulcast facilities across the country. Every week will feature a mandatory payout of the net pool. The Cross Country Pick 5 will continue each Saturday throughout the year. For more information, visit NYRABets.com.

Cross Country Pick 5 – Saturday, April 22:
Leg A: Belmont– Race 6 (3:34 p.m.)
Leg B: Oaklawn – Race 5 (3:54 p.m.)
Leg C: Belmont – Race 7 (4:08 p.m.)
Leg D: Oaklawn – Race 6 (4:29 p.m.)
Leg E: Belmont – Race 8 Elusive Quality (4:40 p.m.)

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Australia: A Champagne End To The Sydney Autumn Carnival

The Championships at Randwick may have come and gone, but Sydney's final two Group One races of the Autumn Carnival, the Champagne Stakes and All Aged Stakes, headline a 9-race card at Randwick this Friday night. Live-stream the card on the new Sky Racing World App or watch the broadcast live on TVG (First Post: 9:55pm ET / 6:55pm PT).

Just as The Championships bear similarities to the Breeders' Cup, there are parallels between Australia's and America's Champagne Stakes: both races were inaugurated in the 1860s and are staged late in the season for 2-year-olds at a mile, and both have produced future Classic winners and Horses of the Year. Belmont's Champagne Stakes has been won by future Triple Crown champions Count Fleet and Seattle Slew, and its winners now earn qualifying points to the following season's Kentucky Derby. Randwick's Champagne Stakes serves a dual purpose, both as a glimpse of Classic potential and as the culmination of a juvenile Triple Crown series. Six horses have swept Sydney's 2-year-old Triple Crown, but the possibility of a seventh was extinguished when last month's Golden Slipper winner Stay Inside was immediately sent for a layoff.

Despite Sires Produce winner Anamoe also being rested until next season, the second leg of the juvenile Triple Crown provides the top pair in Champagne wagering. Hilal (5-2) and Captivant (3-1) finished 2nd and 3rd in the 7-furlong Sires Produce. The other main formline is from last week's Fernhill Handicap, whose participants are the only runners to have experience going a mile. Converge (6-1) carried high weight to win the Fernhill, and is therefore advantaged under the Champagne's set weights versus those he vanquished. Converge was the first of two winners last Friday night sired by Frankel (the other, Hungry Heart, gave Frankel his first Classic victory Down Under by capturing the Australian Oaks). American racing fans looking to spice up an exotic wager might be drawn to Patton (70-1), a son of American Pharoah who will carry the famous Spendthrift silks into battle.

The Champagne will be served at 9.55 p.m. Pacific as Race 6, and followed 40 minutes later by the All Aged Stakes. Sydney's final Group One race of the season was so named because horses of all ages are eligible. However, despite a huge weight advantage under the race's weight-for-age conditions, it is a rarity to see a late-season 2-year-old take on elders. Still, this year's field does justice to the name by running the gamut from a trio of 3-year-olds to an 8-year-old! Wagering is headed by lone 4-year-old Masked Crusader (2-1), on the strength of his outstanding runner-up performance behind Nature Strip in the TJ Smith Stakes on Day One of The Championships. The Godolphin pair of Savatiano (6-1) and Cascadian (8-1) are both last-start G1 winners. Savatiano, a daughter of Street Cry, has been freshened since defeating Masked Crusader seven weeks ago; the conspicuously white-faced Cascadian cuts back a furlong from the Doncaster Mile two weeks ago. Cascadian will again be ridden by Jamie Kah, one of many female riders in high demand throughout Australia. Kah currently tops the Melbourne jockey standings.

As Sydney's Autumn Racing Carnival winds down, focus will soon shift north to my hometown of Brisbane. The aforementioned Nature Strip will be one of the star attractions during the TAB Stradbroke Carnival, which runs from mid-May through late-June. A pair of G1-winning mares are also slated to appear in Brisbane before retiring: star New Zealander Melody Belle will look to equal Black Caviar's total of 15 Group One wins prior to being offered at the National Broodmare Sale, while pizza-loving Nettoyer will try to earn another celebratory beverage after enjoying some pink champagne in the wake of last week's triumph in the Queen of the Turf Stakes.

The Randwick card will be broadcast live on TVG this Friday night (First Post: 9:55pm ET / 6:55pm PT) alongside cards from Gold Coast, Doomben and Kembla Grange. 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. Michael'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. Michael also performed a race call voiceover for a Seinfeld episode called The Subway.

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