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Santa Anita Races Return To Friday’s Stronach 5 Wager

Santa Anita Park's much-anticipated opening day Friday also means it will be one of five featured races as part of the popular Stronach 5.

The cross-country wager with a low 12-percent takeout will also feature races from Laurel Park, Gulfstream Park and Golden Gate Fields. The sequence includes three turf races and maiden special weight events for 2-year-olds from Santa Anita and Laurel.

The Stronach 5 kicks off at 4:19 p.m. with Laurel's eighth race, an intriguing maiden special weight event for 2-year-olds at 5 ½ furlongs on the turf.

Trainer Graham Motion will send out two colts making their debut. Northern Aurora, a son of Uncle Mo out of the graded winner Unspurned, sold for $210,000 at the Keeneland September Yearling Sale while Zatip, a son of Tapit out of the Grade 1 winner Zaftig, is a Wertheimer and Frere homebred. Full of Mischief, a son of Into Mischief who sold for $140,000 in May, makes his debut for Michael Trombetta. Godolphin LLC's homebred Holiday House, a son of More Than Ready, will also debut for trainer Michael Stidham.

The Stronach 5 heads to Gulfstream next for the eighth race, a 5 ½ furlong event for fillies and mares on the main track for $20,000 claimers. My Sarasota Star goes out first time off the claim for trainer Georgina Baxter. The 5-year-old mare has won four of 11 starts at Gulfstream and has placed first or second in four of five starts at the distance. Dem a Wonder, owned and trained by Rohan Crichton, drops a bit in company and gets Edwin Gonzalez in the saddle. Mastering Bela looks for her second consecutive victory for trainer Carlos Munoz.

The third leg of the Stronach 5, Laurel's ninth race, features $12,500 claimers going 1 1/8 mile on the turf. The wide-open event has Mokheef dropping in class for trainer Suzanne Stettinius. The 7-year-old son of Street Cry has four wins on the turf. Forest Boyce rides. Vincent Van Gogo has won three consecutive races, two of them over hurdles. Sandwiched between hurdle wins at Colonial Downs and Tryon is a victory in July at Colonial at a mile. Neil Morris trains. Donji makes his debut for trainer Zoe Valvo, who claimed him for $10,000 in August at Colonial.

The Stronach 5 heads west for the final two legs. Santa Anita's third race is a competitive event at five furlongs on the turf for 2-year-olds. Trainer Doug O'Neill will send out Del Mo and Beef Winslow. Beef Winslow, a son of Honor Code, gets blinkers and jockey John Velazquez after finishing seventh in his debut after a wide trip. Del Mo, a son of Uncle Mo out of the unraced mare No Lip Service, will make his debut with Ricardo Gonzalez in the saddle. Little Red Feather Racing's Elevado, fourth in his debut Sept. 11, goes out for trainer Mike Puype. The son of Street Boss brought $190,000 at auction in May. Trainer Peter Miller will send out second-time starters Roy C and Fight On Ron. Roy C was sixth on the turf in his debut at Del Mar in August while Fight On Ron was third Sept. 11 at Los Alamitos.

The fourth race at Golden Gate is where the Stronach 5 will conclude. Fillies and mares with a $5,000 claiming tag will go six furlongs. Always in Vegas gets the rail and returns after an 11-month layoff. Trainer Andy Mathis is 43-percent with horses coming in off a 180-day layoff or more. Arouse N Go finished second Aug. 27 first time off the claim by trainer Jonathan Wong. Brite Tan looks for her second consecutive victory.

Friday's races and sequence

Leg One –Laurel Race 8: (10 entries, 5 ½ furlongs turf) 4 :19 ET, 1:19 PT
Leg Two –Gulfstream Race 8: (8 entries, 5 ½ furlongs) 4:30 ET, 1:30 PT
Leg Three –Laurel Race 9: (12 entries,1 1/8-mile turf) 4:49 ET, 1:49 PT
Leg Four –Santa Anita Race 3: (10 entries, 5 furlongs turf) 5 ET, 2 PT
Leg Five –Golden Gate Race 4: (7 entries, 6 furlongs) 5:14 ET, 2:14 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 Santa Anita Races Return To Friday’s Stronach 5 Wager appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Maryland Commission Moves To Remove Testing Thresholds For Corticosteroids

The Maryland Racing Commission, upon the recommendation of its Equine Safety, Health and Welfare Advisory Committee, has approved a motion to modify a regulation on five corticosteroids to eliminate testing threshold levels and employ level of detection for the substances.

The MRC took the action at its Sept. 23 meeting at Laurel Park. The change will be filed with emergency status and there will be public comment period. Given the regulatory process involved in rule-making, it is anticipated the update regulation will be implemented Nov. 1.

The five corticosteroids are dexamethasone, prednisolone, betamethasone, isoflupredone and triamcinolone. The current 14-day stand-down period for intra-articular injections will remain in place under 2019 model rules approved by the Association of Racing Commissioners International and Racing Medication and Testing Consortium.

The Equine Health, Safety and Welfare Advisory Committee discussed the proposal at a Sept. 8 meeting as a result of several dexamethasone positives and reports the corticosteroid was being regularly administered by some veterinarians at 48 hours before a race at a lower dose rather than the RMTC-recommended 72-hour withdrawal time at the regular dose.

The committee also recommended that Maryland regulators, in an effort to educate vets and trainers, provide information on how long corticosteroids can linger in a horse's system; advise against deviation from recommended administration times; and to point out potential risks to the racehorse.

The post Maryland Commission Moves To Remove Testing Thresholds For Corticosteroids appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Friday’s Stronach 5 Features 12-Percent Takeout, Large Fields

The Stronach 5, which continues to offer a strong return on investment with generous payouts and a low 12-percent takeout, offers large, competitive fields Friday from Gulfstream Park, Laurel Park and Golden Gate Fields.

Last week's Stronach 5 had four horses return $8 or less – including two even-money favorites – and the cross-country wager still returned $1,922.20.

This week the Stronach 5 begins at approximately 4 ET at Gulfstream and concludes less than 90 minutes later at Golden Gate Fields.

The Stronach 5 begins with Gulfstream's fifth race, a claiming event for fillies and mares scheduled over the mile turf course. Kay's Project stretches out after a sixth-place finish at five furlongs last time out. Cactus Kitten has placed in six of nine turf races and comes off a third-place finish against similar after a wide trip last out. La Rusia comes into the event off a pair of second place finishes on a sloppy track and a good turf course. The 4-year-old filly, trained by Victor Barboza Jr., tends to be camera shy with 11 runner-up finishes and one victory.

Laurel's eighth race features Maryland-bred or sired fillies and mares going seven furlongs on the main track. Fool Yourself breaks from the rail and will be searching for her fifth consecutive victory since being claimed by Claudio Gonzalez. Gonzalez will also saddle Lady Fox, who has placed in 10 of 14 starts at Laurel with two wins. Moquist tries to follow up her winning debut at Timonium at 5 ½ furlongs Sept. 5. Marvella Nasty, third against similar company last out, goes out for trainer Brittany Russell.

The Stronach 5's third leg, Laurel's ninth race, features a wide-open field of 2-year-old waiver claimers going six furlongs. Twist 'n Twirl and Baltimore Bulleit come out of the same race Aug. 24. Twist 'n Twirl, third in his debut for trainer Graham Motion, and Baltimore Bulleit, fourth for Claudio Gonzalez, both get blinkers. Vinny, sixth in his debut in July, is a first-time gelding for Tim Keefe.

Gulfstream's seventh race, the fourth leg of the sequence, is a maiden special weight event for 2-year-old fillies on a 7 ½ furlong turf course. Kenneth and Sarah Ramsey's homebred Sister Lou Ann, a daughter of Frosted, will make her debut for trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. Trainer Mark Casse will send out Dry Humor, a daughter of Practical Joke for her debut, as well as Brush With the Law, who stretches out to two turns after failing to hit the board twice at five furlongs on the turf. Easy Come Easy Go goes out for David Braddy after finishing seventh at the distance and course last time after breaking from the 12 post.

The Stronach 5 concludes with Golden Gate's second race, a claiming event for fillies and mares at six furlongs. Run Like Kona drops in company after an unsuccessful turf debut at Santa Anita in June. Concise Advice has been second or third in her last four starts. Traffic Stopper drops in company after racing the past eight months at Santa Anita, Del Mar and Los Alamitos.

Friday's races and sequence

Leg One –Gulfstream Race 5: (14 entries, 1 mile turf) 4 ET, 1 PT
Leg Two –Laurel Race 8: (10 entries, 7 furlongs) 4:19 ET, 1:19 PT
Leg Three –Laurel Race 9: (14 entries, 6 furlongs) 4:49 ET, 1:49 PT
Leg Four –Gulfstream Race 7: (10 entries, 7 ½ furlongs turf) 5:04 ET, 2:04 PT
Leg Five –Golden Gate Race 2: (9 entries, 6 furlongs) 5:14 ET, 2:14 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.

The Maryland Jockey Club serves as host of the Stronach 5.

The post Friday’s Stronach 5 Features 12-Percent Takeout, Large Fields appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Hall Of Fame Jockey Mike Smith Makes Rare Appearance At Laurel Park This Saturday

His Hall of Fame career has taken jockey Mike Smith quite literally around the world. His next stop – and first in more than 14 ½ years – brings the affable 56-year-old to Laurel Park.

Based in California since 2000, Smith will be in town Saturday with three mounts on the $200,000 Frank J. De Francis Memorial Dash (G3) program led by Grade 1 winner Roadster in the $100,000 Polynesian for 3-year-olds and up.

Smith is also named on 4-year-old filly So Darn Hot in the $100,000 Twixt for females 3 and up, like the Polynesian contested at one mile, and 2-year-old filly Tiger to Remember, a second-time starter that is third on the also-eligible list in Race 7, a one-mile maiden special weight scheduled for the Bowl Game turf course.

According to Equibase statistics, it will be Smith's first time at Laurel since winning the Barbara Fritchie Breeders' Cup Handicap (G2) Feb. 17, 2007. A career winner of 5,623 races and more than $336 million in purse earnings, Smith owns a 32-6-6-4 lifetime record at Laurel with $823,190 in purses earned.

“The first time I ever rode at Laurel I won the [1990] Barbara Fritchie on a filly named Amy Be Good for [trainer] Timmy Kelly. That was probably the first time I ever went to Laurel,” Smith said. “It was a long time ago. I'm looking forward to seeing it. I haven't been there in so many years, it's crazy. I'm glad to be heading back.”

Smith is no stranger to Maryland, having ridden in the Preakness Stakes (G1) at historic Pimlico Race Course 19 times since 1984 with two wins – Prairie Bayou (1993) and Triple Crown champion Justify (2008). He has also run second twice and third four times, and in May finished ninth aboard Concert Tour.

“It's always great to get to Maryland,” Smith said. “I wish I had more time. I'm actually going to land, go right to the track, ride and [head] right back out again. I always love to stay and hang out and have some dinner there if I can and get some crabcakes. I always have a good time.”

In addition to Laurel, Smith is looking forward to his reunion with Speedway Stables' Roadster. The 5-year-old son of Quality Road has had Smith up for six of his 13 starts with three wins, two seconds and a third, highlighted by a half-length triumph in the 2019 Santa Anita Derby (G1) that earned him a trip to the Kentucky Derby (G1), where he ran 11th.

An impressive debut winner under Smith in July 2018, Roadster ran third in the Del Mar Futurity (G1) in his only other start at 2. Smith and Roadster were also second in the 2019 Affirmed (G3) and third in the San Carlos (G3) last March at Santa Anita in their most recent start together.

“I've had a lot of back success with Roadster. He's on his comeback trail, so I'm really excited about riding him,” Smith said. “We expected more out of him than what he's shown, because the ability's there. He's shown it in some of his races and he's shown it in the morning, we just haven't been able to get him to do it on a consistent basis.

“He's had his little setbacks and that's kind of been his problem, these minor little setbacks that put him back just a little bit,” he added. “With time off now and making his comeback we're going to see if we can get out of him what we know is in there.”

Bred by Stone Farm and purchased as a yearling for $525,000 by Peter Fluor and K.C. Weiner of Speedway, Roadster will be making just his fifth start in the last three years and first since a fourth in the April 30 Alysheba (G2).

Trained for most of his career by Hall of Famer Bob Baffert, he came back after more than a year between races to run fourth in the March 20 New Orleans Handicap (G2) for Mike Stidham, based at the Fair Hill Training Center in Elkton, Md. He ran the Alysheba for Baffert before returning to Stidham's care.

“First time I rode this colt, man, I thought a whole lot of him. I certainly thought he was a Derby horse, and he made it to the Derby,” Smith said. “He won the Santa Anita Derby but after that he kind of went backwards on us. Since then he's shown some spark but I know what's in there. I know what I felt before in the past.

“I'm just happy to get back on him and see if we can get him back to where I know he's supposed to be, and that's one of the top older horses in the country. He's that kind of horse,” he added. “He's shown us that already, so it's not like we're looking for something we haven't seen. It's just a matter of if we can get him back on track.”

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Known as 'Big Money Mike' for his success in big races as part of a quality over quantity approach to riding the past several years, Smith has 18 wins from 132 mounts in 2021. Ten of those wins have come in graded-stakes including the Just a Game (G1) with Althiqa and Del Mar Futurity (G1) with Pinehurst. He also won the San Felipe (G2) and Sham (G3) with Life Is Good, Summertime Oaks (G2) and Delaware Oaks (G3) with Crazy Beautiful and Santa Maria (G2) and Santa Margarita (G2) with As Time Goes By.

“I'm doing well, man. I feel great. I keep myself in amazing shape. I started out the year extremely well and then they all kind of went by the wayside. They either were retired or got hurt or something happened,” Smith said. “So, were trying to rebuild. I've got a couple really good young 2-year-olds so I'm excited about those. And now, with Roadster coming back. Hopefully I stay on Life Is Good, as well. If I can get all those back, we're back strong again.”

The 30th running of the six-furlong De Francis for 3-year-olds and up highlights Saturday's 11-race program, featuring defending champion Laki and recent Saratoga stakes winner Wondrwherecraigis, both based at Laurel, as well as Grade 1-placed Jalen Journey trying to give Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen his fourth sprint stakes victory in Maryland this year.

Also on the card is the $100,000 Weather Vane for fillies and mares 3 and up sprinting six furlongs led by multiple stakes winner Hello Beautiful. All four stakes are part of the Mid-Atlantic Thoroughbred Championship (MATCH) Series.

First race post time is 12:40 p.m.

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