The New York Racing Association Inc. (NYRA) will host an all-stakes Cross Country Pick 5 on Saturday, featuring action from Belmont Park and Haskell Preview Day at Monmouth Park.
The Cross Country Pick 5 requires bettors to pick the winner of five select races from tracks across the country. The minimum bet for the multi-track, multi-race wager is 50 cents. Wagering on the Cross Country Pick 5 is available on ADW platforms and at simulcast facilities across the country with each week featuring a mandatory payout of the net pool. The Cross Country Pick 5, boasting a low 15 percent takeout, offers sequences with races from Belmont Park and partner tracks across the country.
Saturday's sequence kicks off in Race 10 at 4:44 p.m. Eastern from Monmouth Park with the $150,000 Pegasus, a 1 1/16-mile test for sophomores led by a pair of top contenders for Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher in Kingsbarns and Classic Catch.
Kingsbarns, by Uncle Mo, captured the Grade 2 Louisiana Derby in March at Fair Grounds to complete a three-race win streak ahead of a 14th-place finish in the Grade 1 Kentucky Derby where he attended the pace before fading.
Classic Catch, by Classic Empire, won a nine-furlong optional-claimer in March at Gulfstream Park ahead of a rallying fifth-place finish in the Grade 2 Wood Memorial presented by Resorts World Casino on April 8 at Aqueduct Racetrack. He enters from a distant fourth-place finish on May 13 at Belmont in the nine-furlong Peter Pan which was won by next-out Grade 1 Belmont Stakes presented by NYRA Bets winner Arcangelo.
Challengers include multiple stakes-winner Howgreatisnate for trainer Elizabeth Dobles and the Jorge Duarte, Jr.-trained Subrogate, who graduated impressively in a 6 1/2-furlong maiden special weight on May 6 at Belmont.
The second leg will see a field of eight fillies and mares travel 1 1/16-miles over the turf in the Grade 3 Eatontown [Race 11, 5:12 p.m.] topped by a strong pair from four-time Eclipse Award-winning trainer Chad Brown in Consumer Spending and Gina Romantica.
Consumer Spending won 2-of-4 starts last year, taking the Memories of Silver at the Big A and the Grade 2 Wonder Again at Belmont ahead of a closing third in the Grade 1 Belmont Oaks Invitational. She made her seasonal debut in the Grade 3 Beaugay on May 7 at Belmont Park, finishing second to stablemate Marketsegmentation, who exited that effort to win the Grade 1 New York on Friday here.
Gina Romantica, who will make her seasonal debut, closed out a four-win campaign last year by taking the Grade 1 Queen Elizabeth II Cup in October at Keeneland. The 4 year-old Into Mischief bay, who made her first four starts over the main track, also captured the restricted Riskaverse in August at the Spa. A talented group includes the oft-prominent Scottish Star for Pletcher; graded-stakes winning closer Surprisingly for Hall of Fame trainer Shug McGaughey; and the multiple graded-stakes placed Vergara for conditioner Graham Motion.
Action switches to Belmont for the middle leg with the Grade 2 Bed o' Roses [Race 9, 5:19 p.m.], a seven-furlong sprint for older fillies and mares highlighted by the reigning Champion Female Sprinter Goodnight Olive.
The Brown-trained Goodnight Olive, a 5-year-old Ghostzapper mare, went 4-for-4 last year topped by Grade 1 wins at seven furlongs in the Ballerina Handicap at Saratoga and the Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Sprint at Keeneland. She won her seasonal debut in the Grade 1 Madison in April at Keeneland but was thwarted last out in the Grade 1 Derby City Distaff on May at Churchill Downs, settling for third when boxed in by returning rival Wicked Halo, who completed the exacta behind Matareya.
A compact field of five includes the aforementioned multiple Grade 2-winner Wicked Halo for Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen and Caramel Swirl, who rallied to victory last out in the Grade 3 Vagrancy for Hall of Fame conditioner Bill Mott.
Action shifts back to Monmouth for the final two legs, starting with a wide-open field of 10 3-year-olds and up in the Grade 3 Salvator Mile [Race 12, 5:40 p.m.] featuring the seasonal debut of the Brown-trained Artorius.
The 4-year-old Arrogate colt was an impressive winner of the restricted nine-furlong Curlin last summer at the Spa before coming up empty when sixth in the Grade 1 Travers. Butch Reid, Jr. will send out graded stakes-winner Ridin With Biden for his first appearance since finishing last-of-12 in the Grade 1 Pegasus World Cup Invitational in January at Gulfstream Park. A diverse field includes the multiple stakes-placed pair of Empty Tomb and Far Mo Power, who will look to make the grade on the Jersey Shore.
The sequence concludes with the Grade 3 Monmouth [Race 13, 6:08 p.m.], a nine-furlong turf test for 3-year-olds and up featuring the Brown-trained multiple Grade 1-winner Tribhuvan.
The 7-year-old Toronado gelding, who will make his seasonal debut, captured the 2021 Grade 1 United Nations at Monmouth and added the Grade 1 Manhattan to his ledger last year. Tribhuvan finished fourth in his United Nations title defense which was won by stablemate Adhamo. A compact field of six includes the streaking Never Explain, who has won his last three starts for McGaughey topped by a last-out half-length score in the nine-furlong Grade 3 Dinner Party at Pimlico. Another threat to Tribhuvan is last year's deep-closing Grade 1 Hollywood Derby-victor Speaking Scout – the Motion trainee will need some pace to develop if he is to arrive on time.
Free Equibase past performances for the Cross Country Pick 5 sequence will be available for download at https://www.nyra.com/belmont/racing/cross-country-wagers.
America's Day at the Races will present daily coverage and analysis of the spring/summer meet at Belmont Park on the networks of FOX Sports. For the complete broadcast schedule, visit https://www.nyra.com/belmont/racing/tv-schedule.
NYRA Bets is the best way to bet every race of the Belmont spring/summer meet. Available to horse players nationwide, the NYRA Bets app is available for download today on iOS and Android at www.NYRABets.com.
Cross Country Pick 5 – Saturday, June 17
Leg A: Monmouth Park, Race 10 – Pegasus (4:44 p.m. Eastern)
Leg B: Monmouth Park, Race 11 – G3 Eatontown (5:12 p.m.)
Leg C: Belmont Park, Race 9 – G2 Bed o' Roses (5:19 p.m.)
Leg D: Monmouth Park, Race 12 – G3 Salvator Mile (5:40 p.m.)
Leg E: Monmouth Park, Race 13 – G3 Monmouth (6:08 p.m.)
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