The New York Racing Association Inc. (NYRA) will host an all-stakes Cross Country Pick 5 on Saturday featuring racing from Aqueduct Racetrack, Oaklawn Park and Tampa Bay Downs.
Free Equibase past performances for the Cross Country Pick 5 sequence are now available for download at https://www.nyra.com/aqueduct/racing/cross-country-wagers.
Saturday's sequence begins in Race 9 [4:21 p.m. Eastern] at Tampa Bay Downs with the Grade 3 Florida Oaks for sophomore fillies going 1 1/16 miles on the turf. Grade 3 winner Mrs. Barbara makes her return for Hall of Fame trainer Mark Casse in her first start since narrowly taking the Grade 3 Mazarine at Woodbine Racetrack in November.
Four-time Eclipse Award-winning trainer Chad Brown will be represented by two last-out maiden winners in the French-bred Dolce Zel and Kentucky-bred Spicer. Dolce Zel makes her stateside debut after a winning maiden effort at Longchamp in October while Spicer enters from a maiden special weight score over the Aqueduct turf on November 19 where she defeated returning rival Ambitieuse.
The action continues at Tampa Bay Downs in Race 10 [4:53 p.m.] with nine sophomores travelling one mile over the turf in the $75,000 Columbia. Stakes-placed Heaven Street will look to regroup from a disappointing 12th in the Grade 2 Castle and Key Bourbon at Keeneland for trainer Christophe Clement. The son of Street Sense earned his lone stakes placing with a third in the Soaring Free at Woodbine in August. Godolphin's Boitano is entered for the main track only.
The middle leg of the sequence features the $100,000 Correction in Race 8 [4:57 p.m.] at Aqueduct Racetrack with six older fillies and mares sprinting six furlongs. Leading the field is New York-bred stakes winner Kept Waiting, who arrives to her open-company stakes debut off a 5 1/2-length victory in the restricted Broadway. Multiple graded stakes-placed Club Car is searching for a win after two consecutive runner-up stakes efforts, including a close second to the accomplished Bell's the One in the Grade 2 Thoroughbred Club of America at Keeneland in October.
The action moves back to Tampa Bay for the penultimate leg in Race 11 [5:25 p.m.], the Grade 2 Lambholm South Tampa Bay Derby with 50-20-10-5 qualifying points towards the Kentucky Derby on the line. The full field of 12 Kentucky Derby hopefuls is led by Grade 3 Sam F. Davis winner Classic Causeway, who currently sits in 11th on the Road to the Kentucky Derby leaderboard with 11 points for trainer Brian Lynch.
Classic Causeway will face a rematch with New York-bred Shipsational, who finished 3 3/4 lengths behind him in the Sam F. Davis. A son of Midshipman, Shipsational earned stakes victories in the Bertram F. Bongard and Sleepy Hollow at Belmont Park last year for trainer Edward Barker. Other rivals include Grade 3 Iroquois winner Major General for Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher and Breeders' Cup Juvenile third-place finisher Giant Game for conditioner Dale Romans.
The sequence wraps up with Race 9 from Oaklawn Park [6:10 p.m.], the 1 1/16-mile, Grade 2 Azeri for fillies and mares 4-years-old and up. The Brad Cox-trained Shedaresthedevil will make her 5-year-old debut after finishing sixth in the Breeders' Cup Distaff to wrap up a 2021 campaign that included Grade 1 victories in the Clement L. Hirsch and La Troienne.
Among her eight rivals is Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Sprint winner Ce Ce, who was last seen finishing second to Merenith in the Grade 2 Santa Monica at Santa Anita on February 5. The field also includes Grade 3 winners Pauline's Pearl and Lady Mystify.
The minimum bet for the multi-track, multi-race wager is 50 cents. Wagering on the Cross Country Pick 5 is also available 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, which features a low 15 percent takeout, will continue each Saturday throughout the year.
America's Day at the Races will present daily coverage and analysis of the winter meet at Aqueduct Racetrack on the networks of FOX Sports. For the complete broadcast schedule, visit https://www.nyra.com/aqueduct/racing/tv-schedule.
NYRA Bets is the official wagering platform of Aqueduct Racetrack, and the best way to bet every race of the winter meet. Available to horseplayers nationwide, the NYRA Bets app is available for download today on iOS and Android at www.NYRABets.com.
Cross Country Pick 5 – Saturday, March 12:
Leg A: Tampa – Race 9, Grade 3 Florida Oaks (4:21 p.m.)
Leg B: Tampa – Race 10, $75K Columbia (4:53 p.m.)
Leg C: Aqueduct – Race 8, $100K Correction (4:57 p.m.)
Leg D: Tampa – Race 11, Grade 2 Tampa Bay Derby (5:25 p.m.)
Leg E: Oaklawn – Race 9, Grade 2 Azeri (6:10 p.m.)
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