Low 12-Percent Takeout
Races from Laurel, Santa Anita, Gulfstream, and Golden Gate

BALTIMORE – The weekend will begin with a bang Friday with a rare carryover in the Stronach 5 of $76,823.80.

The popular wager will feature a low 12-percent takeout and races from Laurel Park, Santa Anita Park, Gulfstream Park and Golden Gate Fields.

The Stronach 5 begins with Laurel Park’s very competitive eighth race, a maiden special weight event for 2-year-olds at seven furlongs.

Figlio Del Re, a son of Galileo trained by Graham Motion, draws the rail, and makes his second career start after finishing a well-beaten eighth at Belmont Park Sept. 18 on the turf. The winner of the Sept. 18 race, Slipstream, came back to win the Futurity (G3) Oct. 10 at Belmont while the second-place Futurity finisher, Run Curtis Run, had won the Rick Violette Stakes earlier in the summer at Saratoga.

Trainer Michael Trombetta will saddle two in the Laurel eighth. Caminero, a son of Lord Nelson, will be making his debut while Souper Royal Moon comes off a seventh-place finish in his debut. Trainer Jose Corrales will saddle Backnthewoods coming off a fourth-place finish against similar company Sept. 17 at Belmont.

Santa Anita’s third race, a $50,000 maiden claiming event for California-bred or sired horses 3-year-olds and up going six furlongs, is wide-open. What an Idea, a son of Shackleford, makes his debut for trainer Peter Miller and jockey Flavien Prat. Devil Be Me returns after a seventh-place finish in his debut Sept. 24 at Los Alamitos and Straus’s Place makes his second start after finishing fifth, beaten only 2 ¾ lengths, Sept. 12 at Las Alamitos.

The Stronach 5 heads to Gulfstream for its ninth race, a claiming event at 1 1/16 miles on the Tapeta. It’s been two years and 23 starts since Gran Malbec has visited the winner’s circle, but the tough 6-year-old enters this race after finishing second by a neck last time out on this surface. Til the End rallied last out on the Tapeta to finish fifth, beaten only 1 ½ lengths for the win. Golden Decision will also be running late for trainer Gustavo Delgado and jockey Cristian Torres.

Laurel’s ninth race, an allowance optional claiming event at 5 ½ furlong on the turf, brings together another competitive group. Hugh McMahon saddles Rohrbacher, who has finished first, second or third in 10 of his last 12 starts and 10 of 11 starts at the distance and surface. Charmed, trained by Philip Antonacci, comes into the race off a victory against allowance company at Monmouth Sept. 26 at the distance and on turf.

The Stronach 5 concludes at Golden Gate Fields with its third race, a starter allowance at 1 1/16 mile. Anitanewmercedes goes for his third consecutive victory while Baby Frankie goes for his second consecutive win. Iz Invincible has been a model of consistency, finishing first, second or third in 10 of his last 13 starts for trainer and co-owner William Delia. The gelding reeled off four consecutive victories at Golden Gate earlier in the year.

Friday’s races and sequence

• Leg One –Laurel Race 8: (9 entries, 7 furlongs) 4 :40 ET, 1:40 PT
• Leg Two –Santa Anita Race 3: (10 entries, 6 furlongs) 5:02 ET, 2:02 PT
• Leg Three –Gulfstream Race 9: (9 entries, 1 1/16 mile) 5:06 ET, 2:06 PT
• Leg Four – Laurel Race 9: (12 entries, 5 ½ furlongs turf) 5:12 ET, 2:12 PT
• Leg Five –Golden Gate Race 3: (7 entries, 1 1/16 mile) 5:20 ET, 2:20 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.