laurel | Horse Racing Free Tips

Laurel Park To Open 2022 With 17 Stakes Worth $1.9 Million

Highlighted by the annual mid-February renewals of the historic General George (G3) and Barbara Fritchie (G3), Laurel Park will launch the new calendar year with 17 stakes worth a total of $1.9 million in purses through the first three months of 2022.

Stakes action begins Saturday, Jan. 22 with six stakes worth $550,000 in purses topped by the $100,000 Spectacular Bid sprinting seven furlongs, kicking off the Maryland Jockey Club's series for 3-year-olds. Sophomore fillies will travel six furlongs in the $100,000 Xtra Heat.

Also on the Jan. 22 schedule are the $100,000 Fire Plug for 4-year-olds and up and $100,000 What a Summer for fillies and mares 4 and older, both going six furlongs, and a pair of one-mile stakes for Maryland-bred/sired horses, the $75,000 Jennings for 4-year-olds and up and $75,000 Geisha for females 4 and older.

Laurel will host its Winter Carnival Saturday, Feb. 19 with six stakes worth $900,000 in purses led by the 46th running of the $250,000 General George for 4-year-olds and up and 70th edition of the $250,000 Barbara Fritchie for fillies and mares 4 and older, both sprinting seven furlongs.

Winter Carnival will also see Maryland's series for 3-year-olds continue with the $100,000 Miracle Wood going one mile. Three other $100,000 stakes are scheduled – the seven-furlong Wide Country for 3-year-old fillies, and the John B. Campbell for 4-year-olds and up and Nellie Morse for females 4 and older, both at 1 1/16 miles.

Sophomores will stretch out to 1 1/16 miles for the $100,000 Private Terms to highlight a Saturday, March 19 program of five stakes worth $450,000 in purses. It will be joined by the $100,000 Beyond the Wire for 3-year-old fillies and $100,000 Harrison E. Johnson for 4-year-olds and up, both going one mile, and two $75,000 sprints for Maryland-bred/sired horses – the six-furlong Not For Love for 4-year-olds and up and seven-furlong Conniver for older females.

Laurel Park is currently in the midst of its fall meet, which began Sept. 9 and runs through Dec. 31. The MJC has added a special program Monday, Dec. 27 to the live racing calendar.

The post Laurel Park To Open 2022 With 17 Stakes Worth $1.9 Million appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

MJC, MTHA Plan To Recognize ‘Unsung Heroes’ With Daily Best Turned Out Awards

The Maryland Jockey Club is partnering with the Maryland Thoroughbred Horsemen's Association to implement a Best Turned Out Award to honor the unsung heroes of racing, starting with the traditional Thanksgiving Day program Thursday, Nov. 25 at Laurel Park.

For each race on every live racing day, the groom of the best turned out horse will be awarded a $25 gift card and recognized on television and simulcast broadcasts and by track announcer Dave Rodman. On Thanksgiving Day, winners will be awarded a $100 gift card provided by sponsor Fidelity First.

Judges will examine the presentation and appearance of both horse and groom to determine a winner.

“Grooms have an immeasurable role in the care of these wonderful equine athletes and it's important to acknowledge this dedication. It's a fitting partnership with the Maryland Jockey Club, 1/ST Racing and the MTHA to recognize these individuals,” said Aidan Butler, 1/ST Racing COO.

“The MTHA is extremely thrilled to partner with the Maryland Jockey Club to recognize and reward the care and devotion regularly given by our horsemen to our equine athletes on a daily basis,” MTHA Executive Director David Richardson said. “We are proud to have the finest horsemen in the nation.”

Laurel's Thanksgiving Day program begins with a special first post of 11:25 a.m. and features the return of the popular family-sized pie giveaway after missing 2020 amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Fans will be able to choose a pumpkin or apple pie with purchase of a racing program, with a maximum of two pies per person, while supplies last. Pies will be distributed until 4:30 p.m. at the grandstand entrance.

Free donuts, coffee, cider and hot chocolate will be available at the grandstand and clubhouse entrances from 10 to 11:30 a.m.

Laurel will also host a Thanksgiving buffet from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the Terrace Dining Room. To make a buffet reservation, call 301-725-0770.

The post MJC, MTHA Plan To Recognize ‘Unsung Heroes’ With Daily Best Turned Out Awards appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

Stronach 5: Four Sprints Featured In Friday Wager

The Stronach 5 will feature four competitive sprint races Friday from Laurel Park, Gulfstream Park and Golden Gate Fields before concluding with a two-turn event on the Tapeta at Gulfstream.

The popular wager begins at 3:34 ET with Laurel's seventh race and a low 12-percent takeout.

The first leg of the sequence is a six-furlong claiming event for 3-year-olds and up with a wide-open 11-horse field and a tepid 7-2 favorite in Gale Winds, who drops from $16,000 to $10,000 for trainer John Robb. While Gale Winds breaks from the rail, Petion Night will make his first start since May of 2019 while breaking from the 11 post for trainer Gary Contessa. Mutakaamil goes out first time for trainer Kieron Magee after being claimed from a maiden victory at Delaware.

Gulfstream's eighth race, an allowance optional claimer at six furlongs for fillies and mares, is up next with 12-time winner Liza Star breaking from the rail for trainer Jose Garoffalo. Leading trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. will send out Naughty Shirley, second last time out to multiple stakes winner Choose Joy.

Laurel's eighth race, the third leg of the sequence, is a starter allowance at six furlongs for 3-year-olds and up. His Name Is Sue is the 5-2 favorite off a second-place finish last out against $16,000 claimers. Powerful Ally ships in from Parx for trainer Carlos Caban. Mystic Times enters off a ninth in the Maryland Million Starter Handicap.

The action heads to Golden Gate Fields for the fourth leg of the sequence. Golden Gate's second race features $16,000 claimers, 3-year-olds and up and has a 7-5 favorite in Battle of Memphis, a winner last out Sept. 19 on the turf. Harbor Kitty enters the race off a third-place finish last out, missing by a head against starter allowance company.

The Stronach 5 ends with Gulfstream's ninth race, a $20,000 claiming event at a mile and 70-yard event for fillies and mares. Divine Exchange will seek her third consecutive victory and first at Gulfstream after winning two at Belterra over the summer. Chantal Sutherland gets the ride. Lady Jae goes out first time off the claim for Victor Barboza after winning on the distance and surface last time out. Edwin Gonzalez has been named to ride. Alba's Star drops in class for Steve Klesaris and jockey Edgard Zayas.

Friday's races and sequence

Leg One –Laurel Race 7: (11 entries, 6 furlongs) 3:34 ET, 12:34 PT
Leg Two –Gulfstream Race 8: (7 entries, 6 furlongs) 3:53 ET, 12:53 PT
Leg Three –Laurel Race 8: (8 entries, 6 furlongs) 4:02 ET, 1:02 PT
Leg Four – Golden Gate Race 2: (8 entries, 6 furlongs) 4:18 ET, 1:18 PT
Leg Five –Gulfstream Race 9: (9 entries, mile and 70 yards) 4:23 ET, 1:23 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.

The post Stronach 5: Four Sprints Featured In Friday Wager appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

‘He’ll Always Be Special To Us’: Russell Mulling Next Start For First Graded Winner Wondrwherecraigis

Coming off the first graded-stakes win for himself and his trainer, Michael Dubb, The Elkstone Group, Madaket Stables and Michael Caruso's Wondrwherecraigis is enjoying some down time while the connections mull his next race.

The 4-year-old Munnings gelding was a front-running winner of the seven-furlong Bold Ruler (G3) Oct. 31 at Belmont Park, his second career stakes victory and first in graded company from 10 starts.

Based at Laurel Park with trainer Brittany Russell, Wondrwherecraigis' triumph came seven weeks following his disqualification to second after finishing first in the Frank J. De Francis Memorial Dash (G3) over his home track. It was also one day before Russell gave birth to a son, Rye, her second child with husband and jockey Sheldon Russell. They are also parents to 2-year-old daughter, Edy.

“I was disappointed not to be there, but, hey, we had another big thing going on,” Brittany Russell joked. “It was huge. It was so disappointing for him and the ownership group and everyone to see him disqualified that day. But, he came back and he showed that he is a graded-stakes winner.

“'Craig' is doing awesome. He hasn't missed a beat,” she added. “He thinks he's King Kong.”

Russell said they have yet to settle on a target race for Wondrwherecraigis. Among the options are $100,000 Dave's Friend, part of the Mid-Atlantic Thoroughbred Championship (MATCH) Series, Dec. 26 at Laurel and the Toboggan (G3) Jan. 29 at Aqueduct. Both races are contested at seven furlongs.

“We're just sort of trying to give him some time now. I wouldn't say we're set on anything. There's a race in New York in January. There's the MATCH Series race at the end of December. Nothing's really set in stone,” Russell said.

“He'll get this next month. I just sort of backed off of him since he ran and we'll kind of start gearing him back up and let him tell us,” she added. “You have some ideas and goals in the back of your mind, but he doesn't owe us anything. If we keep him home, great. If we decide to take him somewhere else, that's cool, too.”

Russell credited her New York-based assistant, Amanda Olds, with playing a large part in Wondrwherecraigis' success. In addition to the Bold Ruler, his other stakes win came in mid-August in the Tale of the Cat at Saratoga.

“It's nice for us to be able to send him up and not worry about anything. There's no worry shipping him when you have someone like that to travel with,” Russell said. “When he was up at Saratoga, after he won he stayed with her for a while up there and, obviously, it was the right move. She did a great job with him. It's all the moving parts. We're lucky to have the team we have.”

Wondrwherecraigis owns six wins, one second and one third with $347,640 in purse earnings from 10 starts, making a successful debut last March at Laurel just before racing was paused amid the coronavirus pandemic. He has finished first in all five of his races in Maryland, four of them wins prior to the De Francis.

“He's cool. He's one of the original bunch from when we first started along with Hello Beautiful,” Russell said. “'Craig' was, at the end of that year, he was one of the horses that kind of came in and saved me. He just kind of keeps saving me. He got me that graded win, and he's just special. He'll always be special to us.”

The post ‘He’ll Always Be Special To Us’: Russell Mulling Next Start For First Graded Winner Wondrwherecraigis appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post