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Friday’s Stronach 5 Features Four Tracks, Two Turf Races, 12-Percent Takeout

Over the course of approximately one hour, Friday's Stronach 5 will feature races from Laurel Park, Santa Anita Park, Gulfstream Park and Golden Gate Fields, a low 12-percent takeout, full fields, and two turf races.

The action begins at 4:28 ET.

Laurel's ninth race, a $10,000 claimer at seven furlongs, starts the Stronach 5. The wide-open field of 14 fillies and mares includes Bellswillberinging from the barn of Gary Contessa. The daughter of Mosler drops in class. Icy Harbor, part of a Dove Houghton-trained entry, shortens in distance after finishing ninth on a muddy track. His previous race over a fast track produced a third-place finish. El Bochinche enters off a second-place finish for trainer John Robb.

The Stronach 5 heads west for the second leg, Santa Anita's third race. The 1 1/8-mile turf event for 4-year-olds and up for $25,0000 claimers has an 8-5 favorite in Keystone Field. The Richard Mandella-trained gelding drops in class after finishing fourth, beaten two lengths, in allowance conditions at Del Mar. The second-place finisher in that race came back to win under allowance conditions. Stage Ready goes out second off a $40,000 claim for trainer Jeff Mullins. John Velazquez is named to ride. Graded stakes winner Cleopatra's Strike, who has five seconds at the distance in seven starts, seeks his first win since the 2019 John Henry Turf (G2).

Gulfstream's ninth race, a $62,500 allowance optional claimer at 6 ½ furlongs for 4-year-olds and up, drew a field of nine including Shadwell Stable's Mutasaabeq, who will make his first start for trainer Todd Pletcher in a year. The Into Mischief colt won the Bourbon (G2) on the turf as a juvenile before going to the sidelines after winning the Mucho Macho Man in his only start as a 3-year-old. Luis Saez has the call. Bank On Shea will make his first start at Gulfstream after winning restricted races for New York breds at two and four. Irad Ortiz Jr. rides for Carlos David.

Golden Gate's third race will serve as the fourth leg of the Stronach 5. The six-furlong claiming event for 4-year-olds and up drew a field of seven with a 2-1 favorite in Mohawk King, an Irish-bred who drops in class and gets blinkers for trainer Simon Callaghan. Mohawk King finished fifth in his last start behind Freeport Joe, who has won two consecutive races including the Berkeley Handicap (G3). Mohawk King will likely be joined on the lead or as part of the pace by Knockout Bert, who has finished in the money in seven of nine starts at Golden Gate. Foster Boi goes for his fifth win at Golden Gate in eight starts.

Gulfstream's 10th race concludes the Stronach 5. The one-mile turf event, a maiden optional claimer for 4-year-olds and up, has a 5-2 favorite in Eagle Chief, who breaks from the rail after being claimed by Paradise Farms Corp and trainer Mike Maker for $50,000 at Del Mar in November. Eagle Chief, a son of Into Mischief, is winless in 11 starts. Tyler Gaffalione rides. Golden Indy, fifth in his debut Dec. 16 for trainer Jonathan Thomas, returns with Paco Lopez in the saddle.

Friday's races and sequence

Leg One –Laurel Race 9: (14 entries, 7 furlongs) 4:28 ET, 1:28 PT
Leg Two –Santa Anita Race 3: (9 entries, 1 1/8-mile turf) 4:35 ET, 1:35 PT
Leg Three – Gulfstream Race 9: (9 entries, 6 ½ furlongs) 4:42 ET, 1:42 PT
Leg Four – Golden Gate Race 3: (10 entries, 6 furlongs) 4:50 ET, 1:50 PT
Leg Five –Gulfstream Race 10: (9 entries, 1 mile turf) 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 Friday’s Stronach 5 Features Four Tracks, Two Turf Races, 12-Percent Takeout appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Under The Stars Chasing Oaks Points In Saturday’s Santa Ynez Stakes

An impressive maiden winner in her most recent start, Bob Baffert's Under the Stars heads a field of six sophomore fillies going seven furlongs in Saturday's Grade one, $200,000 Santa Ynez Stakes at Santa Anita.

Reddam Racing's Awake At Midnyte, a close second in a one mile turf stakes on Nov. 27, rates a big look as does California-bred stakes winner Big Switch and recent turf maiden winner Miss Mattie B.

A respectable third, beaten three quarters of a length by the well regarded Tonito's in the 6 ½ furlong Desi Arnaz Stakes two starts back on Nov. 13, Under the Stars came back earn a Beyer Speed Figure of 80 when registering an impressive three length maiden win at Los Alamitos going six furlongs on Dec. 11.

Bet down to the 2-5 favorite in a field of 12, the Kentucky-bred daughter of Pioneerof the Nile, out of the Storm Cat mare Untouched Talent drew away from her competition like a filly of considerable promise for owners Mrs. John Magnier, Michael Tabor and Derrick Smith, in what was her third career start.

A $320,000 March 2-year-old in training sale purchase, Awake At Midnyte pressed the pace and came away a game neck first-out maiden winner going six furlongs on Oct. 31 here at Santa Anita and then stretched out to a mile on turf in the Grade 3 Jimmy Durante Stakes at Del Mar Nov. 27. A close second early, she wrested control a sixteenth of a mile out but lost a desperate photo by a nose in a huge effort. By Nyquist out of the Union Rags mare Midnight Union, Awake at Midnyte should be forwardly placed under regular rider Mario Gutierrez.

A California-bred by hot sire Mr. Big, John Sadler's Big Switch, a first-out maiden winner going six furlongs at Del Mar Aug. 20, followed that up with a 2 ¾ length win going seven furlongs in the Golden State Juvenile Fillies Nov. 5, earning an 80 Beyer Speed Figure. In what will be her first try in open company, she'll get the services of John Velazquez. Owned by her breeder, George Krikorian, Big Switch is out of the Malibu Moon mare Two Faced Moon.

Trained by Bob Hess, Jr., Miss Mattie B rallied from far back to break her maiden going one mile on turf Nov. 27 and will hope to have a similar late kick as she switched back to dirt and shortens up a furlong. Owned by Westlake Racing, Stable, Miss Mattie B, who will be ridden back by Mike Smith, is a Kentucky-bred daughter of Tonalist out of the Medaglia d'Oro mare Traffic Blimp.

Trainer Jonathan Wong's speedy Mimajoon also rates a look, as she comes off a gate to wire score on synthetic Tapeta in the Golden Gate Debutante Stakes Nov. 26. A front-running maiden winner going five furlongs on turf Nov. 13, Mimajoon, a Florida-bred by Fed Biz, out of the Indian Charlie mare Sister Charlie, is owned by her breeder, Scott Herbertson and will be ridden for the first time by Kyle Frey.

THE GRADE 2 SANTA YNEZ STAKES WITH JOCKEYS & WEIGHTS IN POST POSITION ORDER

Race 8 of 9 Approximate post time 4 p.m. PT

Under the Stars—Flavien Prat—120
Big Shamrock—Abel Cedillo—120
Big Switch—John Velazquez–122
Mimajoon—Kyle Frey—122
Awake At Midnyte—Mario Gutierrez–120
Miss Mattie B—Mike Smith—120

First post time for a nine-race card on Saturday is at 12:30 p.m. Admission gates open at 10:30 a.m.

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Jockey Of The Week: Flavien Prat Kicks Off The New Year With Six-Win Day At Santa Anita

Nothing short of outstanding would describe Flavien Prat's day at Santa Anita on Jan. 1. His record for the 10-race card was six wins and four seconds which resulted in being voted Jockey of the Week for Dec. 27 through Jan. 2. The honor, which is voted on by a panel of racing experts, is for jockeys who are members of the Jockeys' Guild, the organization which represents more than 1050 active, retired and permanently disabled jockeys in the United States.

For the third time in his career at Santa Anita, Prat won six races on a single card but on Saturday, he also finished second on his other four mounts. His six wins came for six different trainers.

After finishing second in the first race, he won the second race, a Maiden Special Weight for trainer Peter Eurton aboard Queen of Thorns. For trainer Ruben Alvarado in the third race, Prat was aboard Smuggler's Run for the win in a Maiden Special Weight. He finished second in the 4th race for trainer Doug O'Neill. Prat was back to his winning ways in the 5th, a Maiden Claiming event for trainer Steve Miyadi with Mad Steven.

Two second place finishes in stakes races followed: the Grade 2 Joe Hernandez riding for trainer Mark Glatt on Beer Can Man and in the G3 Sham on Rockefeller for Bob Baffert. The rest of the card belonged to Prat.

Trainer Richard Baltas gave a leg up to Prat on Luck in the G3 Robert J. Frankel. Off as the favorite in the field of seven, Luck rallied to the front in the final furlong to win by 3 1/4 lengths in 1:48.26 for the nine-furlong turf event.

His easiest win came next in the G3 La Canada for Bob Baffert aboard As Time Goes By. Sitting just off the pacesetting Park Avenue, As Time Goes By took command a quarter-mile from the finish and powered home by 13-1/2 lengths in 1:44.31 for the 1 1/16-mile race.

To put an exclamation point on the day, Prat won the 10th and final Allowance Optional Claiming race on Riding with Dino for trainer Bob Hess, Jr.

“I was picked on top in almost every race, so I guess I messed up a few,” Prat said, laughing to the Daily Racing Form. “I was picked so much, I had a lot of pressure.”

To end the weekend, Prat won two races on Sunday including the Blue Norther Stakes on Bellabel (IRE) for trainer Phil D'Amato.

Prat's weekly statistics were 27-10-9-3 with total purse earnings of $651,956 to top all riders.

Prat's competition for Jockey of the Week included Kendrick Carmouche who won three stakes races during the week, Tyler Gaffalione who also won three stakes races, Luis Saez with 12 wins for the week and John Velazquez who won the G3 Sham.

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Cabo Spirit, Victor Espinoza Team For Eddie Logan Victory

Handled patiently by Victor Espinoza, Kretz Racing's Cabo Spirit demonstrated a nifty turn of foot through the lane to take Sunday's $100,000 Eddie Logan by 1 ¼ lengths at Santa Anita. Trained by George Papaprodromou, who swept Sunday's Late Double at the Arcadia, Calif., track, Cabo Spirit got one mile on turf in 1:36.38.

“First of all, I can't thank enough Mr. Kretz for supporting me these past 10 years and thanks to all my help who do a great job keeping the horses happy and going like this,” said Papaprodromou. “I think the last time (when a close third going a mile on turf in the Grade 3 Cecil B. DeMille Nov. 28, he moved a little too soon, but what can you say, he ran a huge race that day, too.

“Today, what I did was put the cheaters (blinkers with a very minimal cup) on him a little bit. Last time I had to put on the semis and he couldn't see the from the outside. He kind of got a little confused I think, but today he just ran great. He settled nicely on the backside and he did run huge at the end.”

Beaten just a half length in the DeMille, Cabo Spirit, a 3-year-old colt by Pioneerof the Nile, was off at 5-2 in a field of nine sophomores and paid $7.60, $4.00 and $3.20.

“The turf is a little soft, so I figured if I go to the front, my chances wouldn't be that great, so I decided to take him back a little bit and just let him run in the end,” said Espinoza, who has ridden Cabo Spirit in his last four starts, winning two. “It seemed like he really liked that style and when I had a little room to let him run down the stretch, he opened up two lengths in no time.”

With his first stakes win, Cabo Spirit, who is out of the Shamardal mare Fancy Day, picked up $60,000 for his efforts, running his earnings to $136,220 while improving his overall mark to 7-2-1-2.

Irish-bred Maglev, who was making his U.S. debut, saved ground to the top of the lane but raced erratically late, finishing well as the 2-1 favorite under Umberto Rispoli and paid $4.40 and $3.20 while finishing a neck in front of Handy Dandy.

Handy Dandy, fresh off of an impressive one mile maiden turf win Nov. 28, was attentive to the pace but lacked the necessary kick late. Ridden by Kent Desormeaux, he was off at 5-1 and paid $3.80 to show.

Fractions on the race were 23.07, 47.26, 1:12.34 and 1:24.68.

Live racing resumes at Santa Anita on Friday, with first post time for a nine-race card at 12:30 p.m.

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