Four of the five winners in last week's Stronach 5 wager went off at 4-1 odds or less. No matter, with a 9-1 winner to round out the sequence, the popular wager returned $24,266 on a $1 bet. Don't miss your chance for a poetntial lucrative score in this week's cross-country wager that offers a low 12-percent takeout. Keep an eye on the weather, though Leg A and Leg B remained on the turf at scratch time this morning.

LEG A // LAUREL // RACE 8 (4:18PM ET) // CLAIMING // 5 1/2 FURLONGS (TURF)

SLIPPIN JIMMY, first or second at four turf venues in a lightly-raced career, spotted the field several lengths when he lunged at the start when last seen at Belmont in May. He could be a solo play, but use JUSTWAVEANDSMILE, out of $200k-winning dam Anofficerandalady, as a backup. He pressed the class-dropping favorite and held third in a solid grass debut at this level.

LEG B // GULFSTREAM // RACE 6 (4:30PM ET) // OPTIONAL CLAIMING // 5 FURLONGS (TURF)

LEG B (Gulfstream Park, 6th race, 4:30 EST): The late scratch of favorite AWSUM ROAR turns this into a wide open race, especially considering PALOMITA, the 7-2 second choice on the morning line, has never raced on turf. ROMANTIC TALE showed marked improvement when switched to turf. She ran second on soft footing two back, ahead of the troubled favorite, then dug in to prevail in MSW company next out for the barn's first win at the meet. Punch the 'ALL' button in Leg B.

LEG C // LAUREL // RACE 9 (4:50PM ET) // ALLOWANCE // 7 FURLONGS (DIRT)

GOING TO THE LEAD is versatile, first or second in 10 of 14 starts and doesn't shy from the photo-finish camera. HEIR PORT has a win, two seconds and a third in his last four main-track sprints excluding a stakes try.

LEG D // GULFSTREAM // RACE 7 (5:04PM ET) // CLAIMING // 1 MILE (DIRT)

HARD TEN has a win and two near misses in his last three starts, all at one mile at Gulfstream. He was in tight late between runners and just missed against the drifting odds-on winner.

LEG E // GOLDEN GATE // RACE 2 (5:14PM ET) // MAIDEN CLAIMING // 1 MILE (ALL WEATHER)

LADY MOHICAN has the best numbers and should sit a good stalking trip for a 24-percent barn, but she hasn't shown a passing gear while facing better. PREDETERMINATION back-pedaled readily the last time she ran one mile, but the lightly-raced 5-year-old could take some catching from the rail for a hot barn. EVENING AMBITION took some money but was outrun against Predetermination, but her dam won races at seven tracks and earned more than $250k, so use her as a price play on the ticket. 

STRONACH 5 TICKET

LEG A: 8, 9
LEG B: ALL
LEG C: 3, 6
LEG D: 1
LEG E: 1, 4, 6

COST ($1 TICKET): $72