12-Percent Industry-Low Takeout

BALTIMORE – The Stronach 5 returns Friday with two competitive maiden races and two turf races with full fields from Pimlico and Santa Anita.

The popular wager, cancelled last week when rainstorms forced racing at Pimlico to be called off after the second race, begins Friday at 3:45 ET with Pimlico’s seventh race, a 1 1/16 mile claiming race on the turf from for 3-year-olds and up.

Making his first start since February of 2020 will be Rohrbacher (7-2). The 5-year-old gelding finished third at Charles Town in his only start after being claimed by trainer High McMahon in December of 2019. Gunslinger (4-1), who finished third May 28 in his first start since February of 2020, will go out for Mary Eppler. Lucky Ramsey (10-1) drops in class for trainer Kieron Magee.

The second leg of the Stronach 5, Gulfstream’s fifth race, features Florida-bred 2-year-olds going five furlongs. Forever Souper (5-2) goes out for trainer Mark Casse, who has won five juvenile races out of seven this meet. Risk Vs Reward (10-1), a son of Practical Joke, goes out for Carlos David while Arindel sends out their homebred Clapton (5-1).

Pimlico’s eighth race, a 5 ½ furlong maiden event for 3-to-5-year-old maidens, has a 4-5 favorite in Golden G, coming off a second-place finish for leading trainer Claudio Gonzalez. Little Sir John makes his second start after a sixth-place finish at Charles Town May 15 for trainer John Robb.

Santa Anita will play host to the final two legs of the Stronach 5. Santa Anita’s second race, a $20,000 claimer for fillies and mares at 1 1/16 mile, has an 8-5 favorite in Summer Rose, beaten just a length last out against similar company. Trainer Phil D’Amato saddles. Circle of Honor (3-1) finished third last out but 10 lengths behind Summer Rose after hopping at the start.

The Stronach 5 concludes with Santa Anita’s third race, a maiden special weight event at 1 1/16 mile on the turf for California bred or sired 3-year-olds. Really Big News (7-2), second while sprinting on the turf in his debut May 23, is a slight favorite over a couple others including Wilder Than Most, making his second career start and first since finishing second sprinting on the main track at Del Mar back in August of 2019. Auspicious Style, fifth in his debut in April at Santa Anita, goes out as a first-time gelding and with first-time blinkers for Dan Blacker.

Friday’s races and sequence

• Leg One –Pimlico 7th Race: (10 entries, 1 1/16-mile turf) 3:45 ET, 12:45 PT
• Leg Two –Gulfstream 5th Race: (10 entries, 5 furlongs) 4:03 ET, 1:03 PT
• Leg Three –Pimlico 8th Race: (9 entries, 5 ½ furlongs) 4:17 ET, 1:17 PT
• Leg Four – Santa Anita Race 2nd Race: (8 entries, 1 1/16 mile) 4:30 ET, 1:30 PT
• Leg Five –Santa Anita 3rd Race (12 entries, 6 furlongs turf) 5 ET, 2 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 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.