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Saturday’s Cross Country Pick 5 Includes Races From Belmont, Thistle, Churchill

The New York Racing Association Inc. [NYRA] will host a Cross Country Pick 5 on Saturday featuring stakes action from Belmont Park, Thistledown and Churchill Downs.

Free Equibase past performances for the Cross Country Pick 5 sequence are now available for download at https://www.nyra.com/belmont/racing/cross-country-wagers.

The sequence kicks off in Race 9 at Churchill Downs at 4:55 p.m. with a field of 11 juveniles sprinting six furlongs on the main track. Double Thunder, trained by Hall of Famer Todd Pletcher, boasts the field's highest Beyer Speed Figure garnering a 60 when sprinting to a debut win on June 5 at Monmouth Park. Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen will saddle a pair of contenders led by maiden winner Red Run and maiden Vodka N Water.

Action switches to Thistledown for the second leg as 11 sophomores do battle in the nine-furlong Grade 3, $500,000 Ohio Derby [Race 9, 5:04 p.m.] The Pletcher-trained Promise Keeper, last out winner of the Grade 3 Peter Pan at Belmont, is listed as the 7-2 morning-line favorite. The experienced Keepmeinmind, trained by Robertino Diodoro, competed in two legs of the Triple Crown, closing to finish seventh in the Grade 1 Kentucky Derby and fourth in the Grade 2 Preakness.

The middle leg will offer the $100,000 Wild Applause [Race 9, 5:12 p.m.], a one-mile Widener turf test for sophomore fillies from Belmont. Four-time Eclipse Award-winning trainer Chad Brown will saddle a formidable pair in Group 3-winner Minaun and the improving Nevisian Sunrise. Offering steep opposition are the Grade 1-place Alda for trainer Graham Motion and the regally-bred Lovestruck, a half-sister to Scat Daddy, for Hall of Famer Bill Mott.

The final two legs of the sequence will come from the Closing Day card at Churchill Downs beginning with the Grade 2, $300,000 Wise Dan [Race 10, 5:26 p.m.], a 1 1/16-mile turf test for older horses led by the multiple graded stakes winning New York-bred Somelikeithotbrown for trainer Mike Maker. Hall of Famer Mark Casse will send out eight-time winner Ride a Comet in search of a fourth graded-stakes score.

Closing out the sequence is the nine-furlong Grade 2, $600,000 Stephen Foster [Race 11, 5:59 p.m.] for older horses at Churchill Downs. A talented field of nine is led by Godolphin homebred Maxfield, a multiple graded stakes winner who boasts six wins from seven starts.

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 will continue each Saturday throughout the year. For more information, visit NYRABets.com.

Cross Country Pick 5 for Saturday, June 26
Leg A: Churchill Downs-Race 9, G3 $150K Bashford Manor (4:55 p.m.)
Leg B: Thistledown-Race 9, G3 $500K Ohio Derby (5:04 p.m.)
Leg C: Belmont Park- Race 9, $100K Wild Applause (5:12 p.m.)
Leg D: Churchill Downs -Race 10, G2 $300K Wise Dan (5:26 p.m.)
Leg E: Churchill Downs-Race 11, G2 $600K Stephen Foster (5:59 p.m.)

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SNY To Telecast America’s Day at the Races & Saratoga Live

The New York Racing Association, Inc. announced SNY will serve as a new regional television home for racing from Belmont and Saratoga. SNY will present 15 weekends of live racing of America's Day at the Races and Saratoga Live throughout the summer and into the fall, beginning with June 26-25. This weekend's shows will begin at 5 p.m. on both days.

“This summer should be an exciting season from New York's historic racetracks as fans return to the stands just in time for the heart of the racing season at Belmont Park and Saratoga Race Course,” said Steve Raab, President of SNY.

Following a special July 4 broadcast of America's Day at the Races from Belmont on SNY, the racing action will turn to Saratoga, which kicks off Thursday, July.

Tony Allevato, NYRA Chief Revenue Officer, added, “We thank SNY for its interest and commitment to horse racing and look forward to expanding the reach and impact of our high-quality broadcasts in the months ahead.”

SNY present eight consecutive weekends of racing from Saratoga, with coverage of Saratoga Live show to kick off July 17 and continue through Aug. 29.

SNY will wrap up its 2021 coverage of NYRA racing with broadcasts over three consecutive weekends of America's Day at the Races beginning Sept. 18.

For the complete SNY broadcast schedule, please visit www.sny.tv.

The post SNY To Telecast America’s Day at the Races & Saratoga Live appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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Raging Bull Gets Class Relief In Saturday’s Poker

After twelve consecutive starts against Grade 1 company, Peter Brant's Raging Bull will gain slight class relief in leading a strong hand for trainer Chad Brown, who vies for his 100th graded stakes win at Belmont Park in Saturday's 35th running of the Grade 3, $250,000 Poker for 4-year-olds and upward.

The one-mile Widener turf test honors the Ogden Phipps-owned champion broodmare sire whose daughters produced Kentucky Derby winners Seattle Slew and Silver Charm among many other notable thoroughbreds. During his racing career, Poker won the 1967 Bowling Green Handicap over champions Assagai and Buckpasser.

Raging Bull, who brags an 18-7-3-3 record, is the field's lone millionaire posting $1,496,750 in lifetime earnings and has registered triple-digit Beyer Speed Figures on five occasions.

The French-bred son of Dark Angel recorded a dozen straight Grade 1 appearances dating back to his victory in the Grade 1 Hollywood Derby in November 2018 at Del Mar. His most recent non-Grade 1 endeavor was a fifth-place finish in the Grade 2 Hill Prince in October 2018 at Belmont.

Raging Bull arrives off a sharp 2021 debut in the Grade 1 Maker's Mark Mile on April 9 at Keeneland, where he made a sweeping move around the far turn and took advantage past the quarter-pole, powering home a two-length winner. The victory garnered a career-best 106 Beyer Speed Figure. Raging Bull also commenced his 2020 campaign with a Grade 1 victory by capturing the Shoemaker Mile last May at Santa Anita.

Brown said he had intentioned to send Raging Bull back to Santa Anita for a repeat engagement in the Shoemaker Mile.

“We had planned on going out to California, but there were some travelling complications that got in the way,” Brown said. “But we're glad that we're able to run him out of his own stall. It should be a good steppingstone moving forward to the Fourstardave.”

The one-mile Grade 1, $500,000 Fourstardave Handicap, a Breeders' Cup “Win And You're In” event, is slated for August 14 at Saratoga Race Course. Raging Bull has finished a respective second and fifth in the last two editions of the Fourstardave.

Jockey Irad Ortiz, Jr., who returned to action Thursday after being sidelined for two weeks with an injury, retains the mount from post 1.

Fellow Peter Brant color-bearer Veronesi, a French-bred son of Kendargent, makes his first start in North America and cuts back considerably in distance for Brown. The 5-year-old bay has not raced since September 2019 when fourth in the Group 2 Prix Niel behind eventual 2020 Group 1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe winner Sottsass.

“I think this is a good starting point for him,” Brown said. “He showed some promise overseas and unfortunately was injured. He's come back good and strong and we're ready to get going with him.”

Jockey Eric Cancel rides form post 3.

Klaravich Stables' Front Run the Fed will see an increase in ground off a second-place finish in the seven-furlong Elusive Quality on April 24 at Belmont Park. The son of Fed Biz briefly held command in the stretch run of his last effort but was gunned down in the final strides by Casa Creed, who went on to win the Grade 1 Jackpocket Jaipur on Belmont Stakes Day.

Front Run the Fed, who sports a consistent 12-4-4-1 record, has one stakes win on his resume when capturing his stakes debut in the Better Talk Now in August 2019 at Saratoga.

“Hopefully he'll be closer and get into good rhythm and position early on,” Brown said. “He's a nice and versatile horse from six furlongs to a mile.”

Jockey Jose Lezcano, a four-time winner of the Poker, has the mount from post 6.

Mary Abeel Sullivan Revocable Trust's Get Smokin arrives at the Poker in top form with three of his last five outings being stakes wins. Following a second out maiden victory in September 2019 at Belmont Park, the speedy 4-year-old son of Get Stormy acquired black type in four stakes races before notching a graded stakes victory when going gate-to-wire in the Grade 2 Hill Prince on October 18 over a yielding Widener turf course.

After a close fourth in the Grade 1 Hollywood Derby in November at Del Mar, Get Smokin began his 2021 campaign by utilizing stalking tactics to capture the Grade 3 Tampa Bay on February 5. Last out, he won the Seek Again in frontrunning fashion while recording a career-best 99 Beyer.

“He's just matured on his own. He's a very nice horse,” Bush said. “He's got a big, long stride and he has a little fight in him, too. He's got plenty of good qualities.”

Get Smokin, who is 3-for-5 at Belmont Park, has shown an affinity for the one-mile distance as well as the local turf course. He boasts a record of 9-3-2-1 when travelling one mile.

“A mile seems to suit him pretty well,” Bush said. “We had a pretty soft pace last time. I'm not sure how it will shake out this time, but that worked out very well for him in that they didn't go too fast up front.”

Jockey Junior Alvarado, who was aboard for both stakes victories this year, returns to the irons from post 4.

Team Valor International's Oleksandra will try to make amends after three losses this year while seeking another triumph against males for Hall of Fame trainer Neil Drysdale. The Australian-bred daughter of Animal Kingdom last won when displaying a powerful turn of foot to win last year's Grade 1 Jaipur against colts.

Jockey Joel Rosario will ride Oleksandra for the twelfth time from post 2.

Completing the field are Sanctuary City [post 5, Manny Franco], Raased [post 7, Jose Ferrer], Tell Your Daddy [post 8, Luis Saez], and Penalty [post 9, Jose Ortiz].

The Poker is carded as Race 9 on Sunday's 10-race program. First post is 1 p.m.

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Belmont, Churchill Downs Comprise Saturday’s Cross Country Pick 5

The New York Racing Association Inc. [NYRA] will host a Cross Country Pick 5 on Saturday featuring racing action from Belmont Park and Churchill Downs.

Free Equibase past performances for the Cross Country Pick 5 sequence are now available for download at https://www.nyra.com/belmont/racing/cross-country-wagers.

Churchill, located in Louisville, Kentucky, will commence the sequence with a starter allowance contest for 3-year-olds and up going one mile on the turf in Race 6 at 3:18 p.m. Eastern. Chantry Flats, who has compiled two wins and a runner-up finish in five starts this year for trainer Paul McGee, will be looking for his second victory in three starts at Churchill. Handy, who won at Churchill on May 15 for conditioner Robertino Diodoro, will also comprise a full field of 12.

Belmont will kick off the stakes portion of the wager with a field of 11 New York-sired 3-year-old sophomore fillies will contest in the $150,000 New York Stallion Stakes Series Cupecoy's Joy at seven furlongs on the Widener turf course in Race 6 at 3:34 p.m.

Ava's Grace, also trained by Diodoro, arrives at her first grass engagement off a runner-up finish in the 1 1/16-mile Grade 3 Fantasy on April 3 at Oaklawn Park. The Laoban filly secured a front-running position and battled gamely down the stretch to the inside of Pauline's Pearl before hitting the wire one length back. Trainer Christophe Clement will move two fillies up from the claiming ranks when saddling Sport Model and Proper Grammar.

A 10-horse field for 3-year-olds and up going a one-turn mile on Belmont's Big Sandy will comprise the third leg in Belmont's Race 8 at 4:40 p.m. The starter allowance contest will see 2-1 morning-line favorite Risk Profile look to win his second in a row at Belmont for trainer George Weaver after capturing a maiden special weight on May 7.

Action alternates back to Churchill for a 1 1/8-mile turf allowance optional claiming tilt for fillies and mares 3-years-old and up in Race 9 at 4:55 p.m. Graded stakes-veteran Guitty, who ran second in the Grade 2 San Clemente last July and has competed in a pair of Grade 1s, will be making her second start for trainer Mike Maker. The veteran conditioner will also saddle Three Diamonds Farm's Enjoyitwhilewecan, who enters from a narrow neck defeat last out when third in a nine-furlong optional-claiming tilt on the Churchill turf on May 21. Also in the field is the Ian Wilkes-trained Witez, who ran third in the Grade 3 Lake George in August at Saratoga Race Course and is looking for her first win since besting an allowance field in July at the Spa.

Closing out the Cross Country Pick 5 will be the $150,000 NYSSS Spectacular Bid in Belmont's Race 9 at 5:12 p.m. A full field of 13 sophomores going seven furlongs on the Widener course.

Dreamer's Disease, who will be saddled by Diodoro will return to the turf after five consecutive main track appearances, including a sixth-place finish in the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Juvenile in November at Keeneland. Step Dancer, the 3-1 morning-line favorite, won his debut in September at Saratoga and followed with a third-place finish in his first race at Belmont in the Grade 2 Pilgrim in October. The Barclay Tagg trainee capped his juvenile year with a three-quarter length victory in the 1 1/16-mile Awad in October at Belmont.

Cross Country Pick 5 – Saturday, June 19:
Leg A: Churchill – Race 6 (3:18 p.m.)
Leg B: Belmont – Race 6, NYSSS Cupecoy's Joy (3:34 p.m.)
Leg C: Belmont – Race 8 (4:40 p.m.)
Leg D: Churchill – Race 9 (4:55 p.m.)
Leg E: Belmont – Race 9, NYSSS Spectacular Bid (5:12 p.m.)

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