Gulfstream races key to inaugural Stronach 5

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Friday’s card at Gulfstream Park will feature two of the five events making up the inaugural Stronach 5 wager, which also includes races from Santa Anita, Laurel Park, and Golden Gate Fields. Friday’s featured eighth race will be the third leg of the sequence, while the afternoon’s finale closes out the unique wager offering an industry-low 12 percent takeout.

The main event will be decided under optional-claiming conditions going six furlongs and lured 11 starters, topped by likely favorite Scam, a beaten favorite in his two previous starts at the same level. An 8-year-old veteran with eight career wins, Scam might appreciate the turnback in distance after flattening out late while going seven and 6 1/2 panels in his last two starts.

Stronach 5 players may opt to spread in the race, with several other win candidates along with plenty of speed signed on. Silver Defense, Field Trip, and Successful Roman, adding blinkers for the first time, are likely to assure a rapid pace, with the stakes-placed Empire Power and the improving Over Promised, off a near miss behind the odds-on Harryhee in his last start, expected to be coming on strong at the end.

New York invader Take Notice also will be hard to leave off the ticket while making his local debut after easily defeating mid-level conditioned claimers at Saratoga when haltered by trainer Marcus Vitali on Aug. 12.

A field of 11 also was entered in the nightcap, carded for bottom-level conditioned claimers at a mile on turf, weather permitting. This one might be easier to narrow down, with likely favorite Soldiers Pride, expected pacesetter Stormy Arabella, and the rail-drawn S S Illuminati the main contenders.