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Trio Of Turf Races Feature In Friday’s Stronach 5

The Stronach 5 returns Friday with races from Gulfstream Park, Santa Anita Park and Golden Gate Fields along with an industry-low 12-percent takeout.

Friday's sequence includes three turf races – two maiden turf races from Gulfstream and Golden Gate and a competitive 10-horse $32,000 claiming event from Santa Anita.

The Stronach 5 begins at 4:50 p.m. with Gulfstream's eighth race, a claiming event for 3-year-olds and up going six furlongs. Five of Hearts breaks from the rail as the 2-1 favorite for trainer Kathleen O'Connell and jockey Edwin Gonzalez. Victor Barboza Jr. saddles the 5-2 second choice I Kickn. The 4-year-old has two wins and four thirds from eight lifetime starts. Edgard Zayas has the mount.

Santa Anita's third race serves as the second leg of the sequence. The six-furlong claiming event for 4-year-olds and up appears to be wide-open with five of the seven starters 4-1 or less. Gulfstream's ninth race is up next. The mile turf event for $50,000 maiden claimers is another wide-open affair with a 3-1 favorite in Gary Barber's Blue Lou Boyle, coming off a second-place finish Feb. 10 for trainer Mark Casse off a 13-month layoff. Trainers Brendan Walsh and Barclay Tagg send out first-time starters while trainer Eoin Harty ships Astroturf in from Tampa off a third-place finish March 14.

A return to Santa Anita for its fourth race and the fourth leg of Friday's sequence. A claiming event for 4-year-olds and up at six furlongs on the turf has a 5-2 favorite in Where We At's Castle, who enters off a second-place finish Feb. 21 off a near year layoff. The 2019 winner of California Flag Handicap has Abel Cedillo named to ride. Psycho Dar (4-1) goes out for the Kristin Mulhall barn, which clicks at 25-percent in turf sprints. Gary Barber's Blackout (4-1), conditioned by Peter Miller, gets blinkers on.

The Stronach 5 wraps up at Golden Gate with Race 4, a maiden $20,000 for 3-year-olds at a mile on the turf. Stormin Galileo (5-2) breaks from the rail after a fifth-place finish against state-bred maiden special weight company. Space Odessey drops from an $80,000 claiming event Feb. 27 at Santa Anita for trainer Simon Callaghan. The gelded, Maryland-bred son of Malibu Moon fetched $225,000 as a yearling at the 2019 Keeneland September Yearling Sale.

Friday's races and sequence

Leg One –Gulfstream Park 8th Race: (8 entries, 6 furlongs) 4:50 ET, 1:50 PT
Leg Two – Santa Anita Park 3rd Race: (7 entries, 6 furlongs) 5:13 ET, 2:13 PT
Leg Three –Gulfstream Park 9th Race: (8 entries, 1 mile turf) 5:22 ET, 2:22 PT
Leg Four –Santa Anita Park 4th Race: (10 entries, 6 furlongs (turf) 5:44 ET, 2:44 PT
Leg Five –Golden Gate Fields 4th Race: (9entries, 1-mile turf) 5:59 ET, 2:59 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: Melody Belle’s Farewell Tour Of Australia

There are many American graded stakes races with their own rich history which now serve as preps for the Breeders' Cup. Similarly, Friday night's features at Rosehill have become stepping stones to The Championships at Randwick (April 9 & 16). The Group 1 Tancred Stakes includes the Queen of New Zealand turf, Melody Belle, and other key contenders at The Championships. Be sure to catch all the action live on the new Sky Racing World App or watch on TVG (First Post: 9:45 p.m. ET / 6:45 p.m. PT).

The Tancred Stakes will be the first Australian stop on the farewell tour by mighty New Zealand mare Melody Belle, whose career is of elite status. Striking at a 50% win rate across 38 starts, she recently set a New Zealand record for most G1 wins (14) and will likely set another record when offered at public auction upon her retirement.

Now in the second half of her 6-year-old season, Melody Belle will appear in the catalog for the National Broodmare Sale at the Gold Coast on May 25, where she could attract global interest. Prior to the curtain coming down on her fabulous racetrack career, Melody Belle (5-1) will strive for a 15th G1 triumph in the Tancred, where she will be tested at 1 1/2 miles for the first time. Trainer Jamie Richards is adamant that his superstar mare, who has won from five and a half to ten furlongs, will appreciate the added distance in the twilight of her career. Between the Tancred Stakes and Broodmare Sale, plans call for Melody Belle to contest an undecided race during The Championships at Randwick, before a pair of races in Queensland – her swan song would be a mere three days prior to being auctioned.

Melody Belle will be ridden for the first time by James McDonald, fresh off winning last week's Ranvet Stakes on Verry Elleegant. In the space of a week, “J-Mac” is poised for G1 success on Australia's and New Zealand's best mares – and the 29-year-old would become the fastest rider in Australian history to reach 50 G1 wins. Chief opposition to Melody Belle in the Tancred is expected from Sir Dragonet (9-2) and Angel of Truth (7-1), who were left in the wake of Verry Elleegant and Addeybb in last week's spine-tingling Ranvet. (That pair will renew their intense rivalry on April 16 in the Queen Elizabeth Stakes, showpiece race of The Championships and possible target for Melody Belle).

Trainer Peter Moody and jockey Luke Nolen, who enjoyed global fame thanks to the undefeated sprint phenomenon Black Caviar, combine again for the Australian debut of Irish stayer Nickajack Cave (18-1). In stark contrast to the dazzling speed of Black Caviar, each of Nickajack Cave's ten career races have been at 1 1/4 miles and beyond. Moody believes the horse can be competitive in the weight-for-age Tancred, but admits to still learning about him.

“This will give us a guide, as everything we are doing is to try and qualify him for the Melbourne Cup later this year,” he said.

Dreams of the world's biggest two-mile handicap are not misplaced, because Nickajack Cave defeated 2020 Melbourne Cup winner Twilight Payment at level weights last June in Ireland. The 5-year-old gray had previously finished two lengths behind Sir Dragonet, who won the Cox Plate in his Australian debut last October and is favorite for Friday's Tancred. Nickajack Cave (Irish-bred and now Australia-based, yet named for a cave in Tennessee!) has not raced since winning a G3 in his native land last August.

Moody and Nolen also have an intriguing presence in Friday's other G1 event, the Vinery Stud Stakes (Race 6). Princess Rhaenys (15-1) impressively broke her maiden at her second start, but at a relatively nondescript “provincial” track. Unusually in Australia, she competed at a mile off a layoff (19 weeks after debuting). Moody now thrusts her into a Group One at 1-1/4 miles, so obviously feels the filly is an untapped staying talent. Wagering is logically headed by Harmony Rose (9-5), returning to her own sex after a third place finish in the Randwick Guineas (runner-up Mo'unga subsequently won last week's Rosehill Guineas).

The Vinery Stud Stakes is the key prep race for the Australian Oaks at 1 1/2 miles during The Championships at Randwick. The Vinery's equivalent for colts and geldings is Friday's third race, the Tulloch Stakes, a final lead-up to the Australian Derby.

The Rosehill card will be broadcast live on TVG this Friday night (First Post: 9:45 p.m. ET / 6:45 p.m. PT) alongside cards from Kembla Grange, Gold Coast and Eagle Farm. 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 livestreaming, 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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All Graded Stakes Edition Of Cross Country Pick 5 Features Action From Aqueduct, Keeneland, Oaklawn

The New York Racing Association, Inc. (NYRA) will host an all-graded stakes edition of the Cross Country Pick 5 on Saturday featuring racing action from Aqueduct Racetrack, Keeneland Race Course and Oaklawn Park.

Live coverage will be available with America's Day at the Races on FOX Sports. Free Equibase past performances for the Cross Country Pick 5 sequence are now available for download at https://www.nyra.com/aqueduct/racing/cross-country-wagers.

The sequence kicks off at Keeneland with the Grade 2, $200,000 Shakertown [Race 8, 4:57 p.m. ET], a 5 1/2-furlong turf sprint for 3-year-olds and upward led by 3-1 morning-line favorite Bound for Nowhere, who won the 2018 renewal for trainer Wesley Ward. A field of 13 turf sprinters includes Imprimis, who captured the 2019 Shakertown for trainer Joe Orseno; and the speedy Pennsylvania-bred The Critical Way, who will look to go gate-to-wire in search of a first graded stakes win.

Action switches to the Big A for the Grade 3, $250,000 Gazelle [Race 9, 5:20 p.m.], a nine-furlong test featuring eight sophomore fillies offering 100-40-20-10 Grade 1 Kentucky Oaks qualifying points to the top-four finishers. Four-time Eclipse Award winning trainer Chad Brown will saddle stakes winners Search Results and The Grass Is Blue, while the Graham Motion-trained Mia Martina tries dirt for the first time after closing from deep to finish fourth last out in the Grade 3 Florida Oaks.

A field of nine sophomores assemble for the third leg of the wager in the Grade 2, $750,000 Wood Memorial presented by Resorts World Casino [Race 10, 5:58 p.m.], a nine-furlong test with 100-40-20-10 Grade 1 Kentucky Derby qualifying points on the line. The Brown-trained Risk Taking and Crowded Trade offer a strong one-two punch for Klaravich Stables.

Risk Taking, the last-out Grade 3 Withers-winner, will have the services of champion rider Irad Ortiz, Jr. from post 4 as the 5-2 morning-line favorite. Crowded Trade, runner-up by a nose in the Grade 3 Gotham, will be piloted by Big A winter meet leading rider Eric Cancel. Steep opposition will be provided by Prevalence, the undefeated Godolphin homebred son of Medaglia d'Oro for trainer Brendan Walsh; New York-bred Brooklyn Strong, the Grade 2 Remsen-winner trained by Danny Velazquez; and Canadian-bred Weyburn, who earned a dramatic nose win in the Gotham for trainer Jimmy Jerkens.

The penultimate leg, the Grade 1, $300,000 Madison [Race 10, 6:02 p.m.], will offer a field of seven older fillies and mares sprinting seven furlongs on the Keeneland main track led by the Ward-trained Kimari. Owned by Ten Broeck Farm, the 4-year-old Munnings filly has won 5-of-9 starts including a last-out score in the Spring Fever in the slop at Oaklawn Park. The Group 1-placed filly romped to a 15-length victory on debut in her lone start at Keeneland. Bell's the One is the 2-1 morning-line favorite, boasting a record of 15-7-2-2 and purse earnings of $880,040 for trainer Neil Pessin. The 5-year-old Majesticperfection mare finished third in this event last year ahead of a nose score in the Grade 1 Derby City Distaff at Churchill Downs. Grade 1-winner Fair Maiden and Grade 2-winner Sconsin add class to a talented field.

Closing out the sequence is the Grade 3, $600,000 Fantasy [Race 11, 6:54 p.m.], a 1 1/16-mile test for sophomore fillies at Oaklawn Park offering 100-40-20-10 Kentucky Oaks qualifying points. The two-turn test will see a rematch between the second and third-place finishers from the Grade 3 Honeybee in Pauline's Pearl and Sun Path.

Trained by Hall of Famer Steve Asmussen for Stonestreet Stables, Pauline's Pearl was dismissed at odds of 18-1 on the tote board in the 1 1/16-mile Honeybee on March 6, but closed between rivals to complete the exacta behind the victorious Will's Secret. Juddmonte Farms' Sun Path, trained by Brad Cox, earned a career-best 83 Beyer Speed Figure in an allowance win three starts back at Fair Grounds and has since finished fourth in the Silverbulletday at Fair Grounds and a flat third last out in the Honeybee. Ava's Grace, third in the Grade 2 Adirondack last summer at Saratoga, could offer a lone speed threat stretching out for the first time for trainer Robertino Diodoro.

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 www.NYRABets.com.

Cross Country Pick 5 – Saturday April 3:
Leg A: Keeneland-Race 8 (4:57 pm) Shakertown (G2)
Leg B: Aqueduct-Race 9 (5:09 pm) Gazelle (G3)
Leg C: Aqueduct- Race 10 (5:58 pm) Wood Memorial (G2)
Leg D: Keeneland-Race 10 (6:02 pm) Madison (G1)
Leg E: Oaklawn Park-Race 11 (6:54 pm) Fantasy (G3)

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America’s Day At The Races To Showcase Stacked Wood Memorial Card

America's Day at the Races, the acclaimed national telecast produced by the New York Racing Association, Inc. (NYRA) in partnership with FOX Sports, will air six hours coverage on Saturday, with action at Aqueduct Racetrack and Oaklawn Park.

Presented by America's Best Racing and Claiborne Farm, America's Day at the Races will broadcast Saturday from 1-7 p.m. Eastern on FS2.

Saturday is one of Aqueduct's signature days, with five stakes on the offering, highlighted by the Grade 2, $750,000 Wood Memorial presented by Resorts World Casino. The Grade 2 Kentucky Derby prep will see nine 3-year-olds compete in the nine-furlong contest with 100-40-20-10 qualifying points available to the top-four finishers.

The 96th running of the Wood Memorial will air on NBSCN as part of a live national broadcast beginning at 5:30 p.m. ET and scheduled to include the Grade 2, $800,000 Toyota Blue Grass from Keeneland and the Grade 1, $750,000 Runhappy Santa Anita Derby from Santa Anita Park.

Prior to the NBCSN broadcast, national television coverage of the Wood Memorial Day card on FS2 will showcase exciting stakes action, including the first Grade 1 of 2021 on the New York circuit with the $300,000 Carter Handicap for 4-year-olds and up going seven furlongs in Race 6 at 3:25 p.m.

The five-horse Carter will see 4-year-old Mischevious Alex try to go 3-for-3 for trainer Saffie Joseph, Jr. Other contenders include Mind Control, Souper Stonehenge, Shoplifted and Chateau.

The Grade 3, $250,000 Gazelle for sophomore fillies going nine furlongs in Race 9 at 5:09 p.m. will see an eight-horse field compete in a 100-40-20-10-point qualifier to the Grade 1 Kentucky Oaks on April 30.

Brown will saddle stakes winners Search Results and The Grass Is Blue, while the Graham Motion-trained Mia Martina tries dirt for the first time after closing from deep to finish fourth last out in the Grade 3 Florida Oaks.

A stacked undercard will also include the Grade 3, $200,000 Bay Shore for 3-year-olds going seven furlongs in Race 3 at 1:51 p.m., while 4-year-olds and up will contest at nine furlongs in the $150,000 Excelsior in Race 8 at 4:31 p.m.

Saturday will also see America's Day at the Races showcase action from Oaklawn in Hot Springs, Arkansas, which includes the $200,000 Purple Martin for 3-year-old fillies in Race 6 at 4:09 p.m.

Oaklawn's 12-race card will be highlighted by the Grade 3, $600,000 Fantasy for 3-year-old fillies going 1 1/16 miles in Race 11 at 6:54 p.m. Like the Gazelle, the Fantasy is also a 100-40-20-10-point qualifier to the Kentucky Oaks, and the road to Churchill Downs will see the respective second, third and fifth-place finishers in last month's Grade 3 Honeybee matchup again in Pauline's Pearl, Sun Path and Coach. Pauline's Pearl, trained by Hall of Famer Steve

America's Day at the Races is also broadcast on NYRA's YouTube channel which boasts more than 65,000 subscribers. Fans can subscribe to NYRA's channel and set a reminder to watch the show on YouTube Live. NYRA's YouTube channel also hosts a plethora of race replays, special features, America's Day at the Races replays and more.

Free Equibase-provided past performances are available for races that are part of the America's Day at the Races broadcast and can be accessed at https://www.nyra.com/aqueduct/racing/tv-schedule.

NYRA Bets is the official wagering platform of Aqueduct Racetrack, and the best way to bet every race of the winter meet. Available to horseplayers nationwide, the NYRA Bets app is available for download today on iOS and Android at www.NYRABets.com.

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