Live Action Returns to Laurel with Nine-Race Program Friday
Live Action Returns to Laurel with Nine-Race Program Friday
Rainbow 6, Super Hi-5 Carryovers, Stronach 5 Wager on Menu
Post Time Moves to 12:40 P.M. Starting Sunday, March 13
LAUREL, MD – Two allowance races, a maiden special weight, a pair of carryovers and the return of the weekly national Stronach 5 wager will greet bettors when live action resumes at Laurel Park with a nine-race program Friday.
First race post time is 12:25 p.m.
The 20-cent Rainbow 6 went unsolved during the last live program Sunday, producing a carryover of $2,699 for Friday, spanning races 4-9.
Included in the Rainbow 6 sequence is an open allowance for older horses sprinting six furlongs in Race 5 that attracted a field of eight led by 2-1 program favorite Bear Force Won from Maryland’s five-time leading trainer Claudio Gonzalez. New York-based trainer Linda Rice, who won Laurel’s 2017 winter meet title, ships in with Risk Profile.
Eight 3-year-old maidens will line up to go one mile in Race 7, where Stacks of Silver, by multiple Grade 1-winning millionaire Liam’s Map, is favored at 9-5 on the morning line from the rail after getting beaten a neck in a 1 1/16-mile maiden special weight Feb. 20 at Laurel. New gelding Brindisi, from Kentucky Derby (G1) and Preakness (G1)-winning trainer John Servis, and Codigo enter off back-to-back runner-up efforts.
Friday’s feature comes in Race 8, a 5 ½-furlong optional claiming allowance for 3-year-olds where Maryland-bred Al Loves Josie – a front-running 8 ½-length claiming winner sprinting 6 ½ furlongs Jan. 30 at Laurel – seeks his third career victory. The Holy Boss gelding is one of two horses in the field with stakes experience along with Kenner, fifth two back in the New York Stallion Series Great White Way at Aqueduct in his 2-year-old finale.
Laurel’s Race 9, a starter allowance for 4-year-olds and up going 1 1/8 miles, kicks off the $1 Stronach 5 that continues with Race 3 from Santa Anita Park, Race 8 from Gulfstream Park and Race 3 from Golden Gate Fields before concluding with Gulfstream’s Race 9 finale.
With nine racing days remaining in the winter meet, Jevian Toledo leads the jockey standings with 32 wins, nine more than Victor Carrasco, who is tops with $1.15 million in purse earnings. Jerry Robb has a two-win edge over Jamie Ness in the trainer standings, 20-18, with Gonzalez third at 17.
Starting Sunday, March 13, first race post time moves to 12:40 p.m.