Saturday's Cross-Country Pick 5 encompassing an all-graded stakes sequence from Belmont Park, Keeneland Race Course and Monmouth Park returned $397.75 for selecting all five winners for the 50-cent wager with a total pool of $126,982.
Almanaar started things off by becoming the first of two favorites to win in the Cross Country Pick 5, initiating the wager with a one-length victory in the Grade 3, $150,000 Monmouth Stakes for 3-year-olds and up going 1 1/8 miles on the New Jersey-based track's turf in Race 8. Trained by Chad Brown, the English-bred Almanaar came from well off the pace, tracking in eighth position in the nine-horse field before finishing strong under jockey Joe Bravo to hold off Serve the King by a head in a final time of 1:49.22. Almanaar returned $5 on a $2 win bet.
Civil Union won the first Grade 1 of the sequence in Belmont's Race 8, handling a stretch-drive showdown by besting the Brown-trained My Sister Nat and Nay Lady Nay to win the $250,000 Flower Bowl for fillies and mares 3-years-old and up going 1 1/4 miles on the inner turf. A “Win and You're In” qualifier to the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Turf next month at Keeneland, the Flower Bowl saw Civil Union hit the wire in 2:01.28 under jockey Joel Rosario, paying $8.10. Hall of Fame trainer Shug McGaughey won the Flower Bowl for the second time in the last four runnings, joining War Flag in 2017.
Keeneland got in the action when Mr Freeze topped Aurelius Maximus by a neck in the Grade 2, $200,000 Fayette for 3-year-olds and up going 1 1/8 miles on the main track in Race 8. The Dale Romans trainee, off as the favorite, paid $5.20. Ridden by Hall of Famer Javier Castellano, Mr Freeze posted a final time of 1:50.71.
Brown trained his second winner of the sequence, saddling the French-bred Tamahere to a two-length victory in the Grade 2, $150,000 Sands Point for sophomore fillies in Belmont's Race 10. Making her United States debut, Tamahere overcome some initial reluctance approaching the gate before the race. Once the race started, she showed top form, surging home under jockey Irad Ortiz, Jr. to win the one-mile turf test in a final time of 1:35.21. She paid $7 to win.
Closing out the Cross Country Pick 5 was the second Grade 1 of the contest, with Harvey's Lil Goil registering a three-quarter length win in the Grade 1, $500,000 Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup in Keeneland's Race 9. Harvey's Lil Goil sat in second position as Sweet Melania led the seven-horse field of 3-year-old fillies before gaining command by the stretch and completing the 1 1/8 mile turf course in 1:48.72. Trained by Hall of Famer Bill Mott and ridden by Martin Garcia, Harvey's Lil Goil, who ran third in the Grade 1 Alabama in August at Saratoga Race Course, paid $9.20.
The minimum bet for the multi-track, multi-race wager is 50 cents. Wagering on the Cross Country Pick 5 is also available on track, on ADW platforms, and at simulcast facilities across the country. Every week will feature a mandatory payout of the net pool.
The Cross Country Pick 5 will continue each Saturday throughout the year. For more information, visit NYRABets.com.
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