dexter dunn | Horse Racing Free Tips

An all-stakes cross-breed Cross Country Pick 5 on Saturday paid $699.25 for selecting all five winners for the 50-cent wager. The total pool was $60,003. The wager, which featured thoroughbred racing from historic Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, N.Y., and Monmouth Park in Oceanport, N.J., also encompassed two prestigious harness races from the Meadowlands in East Rutherford, N.J.

Thoroughbreds started the action when State of Rest won the $1 million Grade 1 Saratoga Derby Invitational to capture the second leg of NYRA's Turf Triple series for 3-year-olds in Race 9 at the Spa. The Irish-bred State of Rest, trained by Joseph O'Brien and ridden by Hall of Famer John Velazquez, topped Solider Rising by one length in the 1 3/16-mile contest on the Mellon turf course in a final time of 1:53.35. Off at 21-1, State of Rest returned $44.20 on a $2 win wager.

Monmouth Park, located in Oceanport, New Jersey, hosted the $100,000 Tyro for juveniles going five furlongs on the turf in Race 12. Her World, an Irish bred trained by Wesley Ward, romped by six lengths as the even-money favorite, paying $3.80. Under jockey Paco Lopez, Her World completed the course in :56.62 seconds.

A unique wrinkle to the Cross County Pick 5 came in the third leg when standardbreds took center stage with the $500,000 Hambletonian Oaks in Race 14 at the Meadowlands. The prestigious race for 3-year-old fillies saw heavy favorite Bella Bellini win in rein to driver Dexter Dunn. The R. Nifty Norman trainee paid $3 to win in capturing the race for trotters.

Saratoga's feature, the 94th running of the $1 million Grade 1 Whitney in Race 10, saw Knicks Go surge to the front and go wire-to-wire to best the five-horse field under jockey Joel Rosario, who notched his second career Whitney victory. Trained by Brad Cox, Knicks Go won by 4 1/2 lengths as the favorite, paying $4.10, and hit the wire in the 1 1/8-mile contest in 1:47.70.

Standardbreds closed out the sequence when another favorite – Captain Corey – won the 96th running of the $1 million Hambletonian for 3-year-olds in Race 15 at the Meadowlands. Trainer and driver Ake Svanstedt led Captain Corey [$4.60] to victory in the one-mile stakes for trotters.

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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For Chris Ryder, the next few weeks are going to be bittersweet.

Bettor's Wish, a moderately priced pacing colt Ryder picked up as a yearling for $20,000, will end his racing career. After more than 20 wins and $2.4 million in earnings, Bettor's Wish will head off to stud at Diamond Creek Farm in Pennsylvania in 2021.

Sunday's Potomac Pace Invitational at Rosecroft will be one of the 4-year-old's last starts.

“Oh, it's going to be tough,” said trainer and co-owner Ryder. “He's part of the family. He's a beautiful horse to have around the barn. He's never any trouble, always does everything right. He's been a real gift.

“What do you say? He shows up every week. He's a horse of a lifetime.”

“He's like an old mate,” said driver Dexter Dunn.

Along with victories this year in the Sam McKee Memorial, Dayton Pacing Derby and the Allerage Open Pace, where he set a track record, Bettor's Wish finished second Oct. 31 in the $500,000 Breeders Crown Open.

Recipient of the 2019 Dan Patch Award for best 3-year-old male pacer, Bettor's Wish has rewarded Ryder and his connections with some special memories. Last year Bettor's Wish won the Art Rooney Pace, the Matron Stakes, and a division of the Tattersalls Pace. His second-place finishes came in the North American Cup, Meadowlands Pace, Messenger Stakes and TVG Series Open Pace.

Not bad for a $20,000 yearling. “I guess he slipped through the cracks,” Ryder said.

“He's such a gutsy horse,” said Dunn before the Breeders Crown in October. “His attitude is amazing and makes my job easy because he's so versatile. It's not an easy move [from ages 3 to 4], but you know he's going to go out there and give you 100 percent.

“I'll miss him, that's for sure.”

Considered the top older pacer this year, Bettor's Wish enters the Potomac Pace after finishing behind Century Farroh in the Breeders Crown as the betting favorite. Bettor's Wish, who drew post 9 in the Breeders Crown, will leave from Post 5 Sunday evening while Century Farroh leaves from Post 4. Backstretch Shadow (third in the Breeders Crown) and This Is The Plan (fourth in the Breeders Crown), both trained by Ron Burke, will also leave inside Bettor's Wish.

Despite the loss in the Breeders Crown, Ryder is optimistic heading into the Potomac Pace.

“He's doing fine and came out of the Breeders Crown fine,” Ryder said. “The post killed us [in the Breeders Crown]. The horse who beat us is a good horse and had a good trip. We're looking forward to the race at Rosecroft. Hopefully, we'll get a good trip.”

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