Races from Santa Anita, Gulfstream & Laurel Featured for New Year’s Day Wager
$108 All-Star Ticket
BALTIMORE, MD – Breeze Easy, LLC’s Imprimis and DARRS Inc.’s Extravagant Kid, both coming out of the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint (G1), go to post in the $75,000 The Janus, one of two stakes that make up Friday’s popular Stronach 5.
The Stronach 5, featuring races from Gulfstream Park, Santa Anita Park and Laurel Park as well as an industry-low 12-percent takeout, will begin at approximately 3:55 ET.
The sequence begins with Laurel’s eighth race, a starter optional claimer at 5 ½ furlongs for 4-year-olds and up that drew a field of 10 including a tepid favorite in Kieron Magee’s Belle Tapisserie, claimed Nov. 27 for $25,000.
The action heads to Gulfstream for the second leg of the Stronach 5, The Janus at five furlongs on the turf. Imprimis, trained by Joe Orseno, will be making his first start since being steadied hard as the third betting choice in the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint (G1) Nov. 7 at Keeneland. The 7-year-old gelding has earned $759.948 with victories in the Shakertown (G2) and Runhappy Turf Sprint (G3).
Extravagant Kid also comes out of the Breeders’ Cup Turf, having finished fourth beaten just a length. Trained by Brendan Walsh, Extravagant Kid has earned nearly $1 million and is multiple graded-stakes placed. Prior to the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint Extravagant Kid finished second in the Woodford (G2) at Keeneland.
The action swings back to Laurel for the third leg, Laurel’s Race 9, a maiden claimer for fillies and mares at 1 1/16 mile. Rye Street, claimed last time out by Anthony Farrier, is the 5-2 choice. Leading trainer Claudio Gonzalez will saddle the 3-1 second choice in Lady Fox.
Santa Anita’s third race, a competitive maiden special weight event at six furlongs on the turf, will serve as the fourth leg in the sequence. Translate, a 4-year-old daughter of Tonalist who’s the 9-5 favorite, has finished second in all three of her previous starts, all at Belmont Park. Shezaghost, a 4-year-old daughter by Ghostzapper, makes her debut for trainer Mike Puype.
The Stronach 5 wraps up at Gulfstream with the $75,000 Cash Run for 3-year-old fillies at a mile. Shea D Summer is undefeated in two starts, including the Juvenile Fillies Sprint at Gulfstream West in November. Lucifers Lair, a daughter of Quality Road, goes to post for leading trainer Todd Pletcher. The filly broke her maiden in her debut at Saratoga before finishing a well-beaten fifth in the Adirondack (G2). Arindel’s Quinoa Tifah won the Our Dear Peggy over a sloppy Gulfstream track in September before finishing fourth in the Juveniles Fillies Turf.
Friday’s races and sequence
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Leg One – Laurel Park 8th Race: (10 entries, 5 ½ furlongs) 3:55 ET, 12:55 PT
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Leg Two –Gulfstream Park 9th Race: (9 entries, 5 furlongs turf) 4:11 ET, 1:11 PT
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Leg Three –Laurel Park 9th Race: (9 entries, 6 furlongs turf) 4:25 ET 1:25 PT
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Leg Four – Santa Anita Park 3rd Race: (9 entries, 6 furlongs turf) 4:32 ET, 1:32 PT
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Leg Five –Gulfstream Park 10th Race: (9 entries, 1 mile) 4:42 ET, 1:42 PT
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.