BALTIMORE – Even with three favorites winning in Friday’s Stronach 5, the popular cross-country wager still returned $1,756.20.

There were 56 winning tickets in the Stronach 5 that featured a low 12-percent takeout and races from Laurel Park, Gulfstream Park, Santa Anita Park and Golden Gate Fields.

Favored Heliacal ($3.40) kicked off the Stronach 5 by winning Laurel’s eighth race. Jose Ortiz piloted Amusing Antics ($12) to victory in Gulfstream’s eighth race before the sequence headed west. Frose ($10.80), with Mario Gutierrez aboard, won Santa Anita’s third race and Smokinhotredhead ($4) overcame a bad break to impressively rally to victory in Golden Gate’s third race.

The Stronach 5 concluded with Gulfstream’s 10th race and Q F Seventy Five ($6.40) drawing off down the stretch to give Irad Ortiz Jr. his fourth win on the program.

Friday’s races and sequence

• Leg 1 –Laurel Race 8: Heliacal Rising $3.40
• Leg 2 –Gulfstream Race 8: Amusing Antics $12
• Leg 3 – Santa Anita Race 3: Frose $10.80
• Leg 4 – Golden Gate Race 3: Smokinhotredhead $4
• Leg 5 –Gulfstream Race 10: Q F Seventy Five $6.40

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.