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Monomoy Girl’s Return Anchors Sunday Edition Of Cross Country Pick 5

The return of Champion Older Dirt Female Monomoy Girl in the Grade 3 Bayakoa from Oaklawn Park anchors Sunday's Cross Country Pick 5, hosted by the New York Racing Association, Inc. (NYRA), featuring racing action from the Hot Springs, Arkansas-based oval and Aqueduct Racetrack.

Live coverage will be available with America's Day at the Races on FOX Sports. 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.

The sequence begins in Race 7 at Aqueduct (4:25 p.m. Eastern) with a seven-furlong allowance optional claiming race for older horses. Dennis Drazin's multiple graded stakes winning veteran Sunny Ridge, winner of the Grade 3 Withers in 2016, will try to make amends in his second start off a 12 ½-month layoff on February 4 when finishing a distant fourth. Trainer James Ferraro sends out Letmetakethiscall, who puts a three-race win streak on the line when facing colts.

Eight sophomore fillies assemble for the $150,000 Dixie Belle going six furlongs at Oaklawn Park [Race 6, 4:39 p.m.]. Hall of Famer Steve Asmussen will saddle Alex and JoAnn Lieblong's Abrogate, who defeated winners at the same track on January 24 after a career debut victory on November 12 at Churchill Downs. The daughter of Uncle Mo is out of the Burning Roma mare Hot Coffee and is from the same family as 2010 Champion Sprinter Big Drama as well as Grade 1-winner Sheer Drama. Fox Hill Farm's Windmill will attempt to replicate her gate-to-wire four-length maiden victory for trainer Larry Jones.

Action moves back to New York for the middle leg of the sequence, where West Point Thoroughbreds' Black 'n Tan sports blinkers and takes a drop in class for a $20,000 tag in a six-furlong maiden claiming race. The Asmussen-trained son of Elusive Quality last raced for a $40,000 tag and makes his fourth lifetime start. Ask Neal, who previously raced against stakes-placed Overtook and Return the Ring in maiden special weight events, will drop to his lowest level yet for trainer John Toscano, Jr. Carded as the finale of the Big A's eight-race card, the middle leg will have a post of 4:55 p.m.

A field of a dozen Arkansas-bred fillies and mares assemble for the $100,000 Downthedustyroad Breeders' [Race 8, 5:41 p.m.] and is headlined by Alex and JoAnn Lieblong's defending champion Bye Bye J. The daughter of Uncaptured takes blinkers off for Asmussen as she targets her fifth stakes victory. Shortleaf Stable's The Mary Rose attempts two straight wins after winning a six-furlong allowance on January 30 at Oaklawn Park.

Closing out the sequence is the anticipated return of two-time champion Monomoy Girl in the Grade 3, $250,000 Bayakoa going 1 1/16 miles at Oaklawn Park. Trained by Brad Cox and owned by B. Wayne Hughes' Spendthrift Farm, MyRacehorse Stable, and Madaket Stable, Monomoy Girl has put together a career ledger of 15-13-2-0, comprising of seven Grade 1 victories across four different racetracks and over $4.4 million in earnings. The daughter of Tapizar won two non-consecutive editions of the Breeders' Cup Distaff capturing the 2018 running to seal up Champion 3-Year-Old Filly honors. She did the same when taking last year's Distaff at Keeneland and was subsequently named Champion Older Dirt Female. The Bayakoa will go off as Race 9 at Oaklawn Park with a 6:11 p.m. post.

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 – Sunday February 28:
Leg A: Aqueduct – Race 7 (4:25 p.m.)
Leg B: Oaklawn – Race 6, $150,000 Dixie Belle (4:39 p.m.)
Leg C: Aqueduct – Race 8 (4:55 p.m.)
Leg D: Oaklawn – Race 8, $150,000 Downthedustyroad Breeders' (5:41 p.m.)
Leg E: Oaklawn – Race 9, Grade 3, $250,000 Bayakoa (6:11 p.m.)

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Graded Winner Victim Of Love Stars In Friday’s Stronach 5 Wager

Five races at four tracks comprise Friday's Stronach 5, including the return of graded stakes winner Victim of Love.

The Stronach 5 will feature races from Laurel Park, Santa Anita Park, Gulfstream Park and Golden Gate Fields as well as an industry-low 12-percent takeout. The Stronach 5 continues to show a strong return in investment. The multi-track wager returned $511.70 Feb. 12 with only one winner returning more than $5.40. The Stronach 5 was cancelled last week due to inclement weather in Maryland.

Friday's sequence begins with Laurel's ninth race, a six-furlong optional allowance claimer with 7-5 favorite Victim of Love, who will be making her first start since finishing third in the Ballerina (G1) Aug. 8 at Saratoga. The 5-year-old mare won the Vagrancy (G3) last year and was third in the Fritchie (G3) at Laurel.

Santa Anita's third race, a maiden special weight event on a mile turf course for California bred or sired 3-year-old fillies, serves as the second leg of the Stronach 5. Big Beauty is the 9-5 favorite off a second-place finish in her debut Jan. 17. Trainer Craig Lewis sends out Warrens Candy Girl, second last out in the Leigh Ann Howard California Cup Oaks.

Gulfstream's eighth race, a mile turf event for $35,000 3-year-old claimers, serves as the third leg of the sequence. Leading jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. has the mount on 3-1 favorite Hard Game who will break from the rail after being claimed last out by Guadalupe Preciado. Onemoretimearound makes his first start after being claimed by trainer by Danny Gargan. Tyler Gaffalione has the mount.

The Stronach 5 swings back to Laurel for Race 10, a $10,000 maiden claimer for 3-year-olds at six furlongs. Get Lit is the 7-5 favorite. The Anthony Lynch-trained son of Algorithms drops from $25,000 maiden competition and gets blinkers.

Golden Gate's third race, a $10,000 claiming event for 3-year-old fillies, concludes the Stronach 5 with a 9-5 favorite in Big Award, who drops out of maiden special weight company for trainer Tim Yakteen. Tama's Arch (5-1), fourth in her debut Jan. 29, gets the rail for trainer Jack Steiner.

Friday's races and sequence

Leg One – Laurel Park 9th Race: (6 entries, 6 furlongs) 4:17 ET, 1:17 PT
Leg Two –Santa Anita Park 3rd Race: (8 entries, 1-mile turf) 4:35 ET, 1:35 PT
Leg Three – Gulfstream Park 8th Race: (9 entries, 1-mile turf) 4:44 ET, 1:44 PT
Leg Four – Laurel Park 10th Race: (9 entries, 6 furlongs) 4:49 ET, 1:49 PT
Leg Five – Golden Gate Fields 3rd Race: (8 entries, 6 furlongs) 4:53 ET, 1:53 PT

Fans can watch and wager on the action at 1/ST.COM/BET as well as stream all the action in English and Spanish at LaurelPark.com, SantaAnita.com, GulfstreamPark.com, and GoldenGateFields.com.

The Stronach 5 In the Money podcast, hosted by Jonathan Kinchen and Peter Thomas Fornatale, will be posted by 2 p.m. Thursday at InTheMoneyPodcast.com and will be available on iTunes and other major podcast distributors

The minimum wager on the multi-race, multi-track Stronach 5 is $1. If there are no tickets with five winners, the entire pool will be carried over to the next Friday.

If a change in racing surface is made after the wagering closes, each selection on any ticket will be considered a winning selection. If a betting interest is scratched, that selection will be substituted with the favorite in the win pool when wagering closes.

The Maryland Jockey Club serves as host of the Stronach 5.

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First Of Four Free Online NHC Qualifiers Set For March 6

The first of what will be four free online qualifiers for the National Horseplayers Championship (NHC) is set for March 6 on HorsePlayers.com, the official online qualifying site of the NHC. The top five finishers will earn automatic berths to the 2022 NHC, which is slated be held at Bally's Events Center from January 28-30.

Each winning prize package includes NHC entry, tour points, a four-night stay at the host hotel, and up to $400 travel reimbursement.

Registration is now open at https://www.horseplayers.com/contest/882157/nhc-tour-free-nhc-tour-free-contest-pick-pray-must-be-2021-nhc-tour-member.html.

The reminder of the free contest schedule for 2021 is as follows:

May 2 – One round, 5 NHC spots
September 12 – One round, 5 NHC spots
November 5-6 – Two rounds 5 NHC spots

Participants in the online qualifier must be a NHC Tour member for the current year in order to be eligible to win qualifying spot to the NHC and must be a registered Tour member prior to participating in this contest. Players failing to register for NHC Tour membership prior to the start of this event will forfeit opportunity to win qualifying package.

Tour membership starts at $50 and includes entry to the year's remaining free online qualifiers, as well as access to dozens of contests each week. To sign up for the NHC Tour, go to www.ntra.com/membership. Individuals also must be registered at HorsePlayers.com.

Every free online contest on HorsePlayers.com is determined by mythical Win and Place wagers on a series of mandatory races across the country with selections submitted in advance of the first designated contest race per the “Pick and Pray” format.

For more information on the NHC and NHC Tour, visit www.ntra.com/nhc.

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Saturday’s Cross Country Pick 5 Features Races From Aqueduct, Oaklawn

The New York Racing Association, Inc. (NYRA) will host a Cross Country Pick 5 on Saturday featuring racing action from Aqueduct Racetrack and Oaklawn Park in Hot Springs, Ark.

Kicking off the sequence, a field of eight New York-bred sophomores seek their first trip to the winner's circle in Race 7 at Aqueduct, which has a 4:10 p.m. Eastern scheduled post time. Trainer Chad Brown will debut Michael Dubb and Bethlehem Stables' Dr Ardito, a gray or roan son of third-crop stallion Liam's Map out of the Indian Charlie mare Delightfully So. Viking Zim makes his career debut for trainer Jeremiah Englehart and Bill Parcells' August Dawn Farm. The son of second crop sire Mshawish was bred by Taylor Brothers Properties and was purchased for $120,000 from the 2020 OBS April Sale.

Action shifts south to Oaklawn Park for the next two contests, encompassing stakes races. In the second leg, a compact field of seven older horses, including five graded stakes winners, will assemble for the Grade 3, $600,000 Razorback at 1 1/16 miles. Breaking from the outside, Godolphin's Mystic Guide makes his first start since a close second in the Grade 1 Jockey Club Gold Cup on October 3 at Belmont Park for trainer Michael Stidham. The son of Ghostzapper won the Grade 2 Jim Dandy on September 5 at Saratoga and has never finished worse than third in six lifetime starts. Rupp Racing's millionaire Owendale seeks his fourth graded stakes triumph for Eclipse Award-winning trainer Brad Cox. Carded as Race 7, the Razorback has a scheduled 4:20 p.m. post.

Fillies and mares 4-years-old and upward go into line for the $200,000 Spring Fever [Race 8, 4:52 p.m.]. Trainer Wesley Ward sends Ten Broeck Farm's accomplished stakes winner Kimari to the Hot Springs oval for her first start of 2021. A stakes winner on both dirt and turf, the daughter of Munnings was twice second overseas at Royal Ascot, most recently in the Group 1 Commonwealth Cup on June 19. Novogratz Racing Stables' Amy's Challenge will seek a sixth stakes triumph while also attempting to keep a consistent Oaklawn record intact for trainer McLean Robertson. The swift daughter of Artie Schiller was second in last year's edition of the Spring Fever and scored in the 2019 running.

Aqueduct will host the penultimate leg [Race 9, 5:13 p.m.], where a dozen 3-year-old New York-bred fillies seek a maiden special weight triumph going six furlongs. Trainer Christophe Clement will debut Sport Model for Reeves Thoroughbred Racing, a bay Freud filly that has been training in South Florida at Payson Park. Trainer Todd Pletcher sends out Robert Valeri's Laura's Bellamy, a homebred daughter of Bellamy Road out of the Disco Rico mare Laura Can Disco.

Closing out the sequence, Godolphin's 2020 Champion Two-Year-Old Essential Quality takes on six other sophomores in the Grade 3, $750,000 Southwest going 1 1/16 miles at Oaklawn Park. Carded as Race 9 with a 5:58 p.m. post time, the Southwest is a 10-4-2-1 qualifier for the Kentucky Derby offering points to the top-four finishers. Trained by Brad Cox, Essential Quality, a gray son of Tapit, is currently second on the leaderboard with 50 points and will put an unscathed 3-for-3 record on the line in his first start since winning the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Juvenile at Keeneland.

Hall of Famer Steve Asmussen will saddle J. Kirk and Judy Robison's Jackie's Warrior, fourth in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile, who won last year's Runhappy Hopeful and Champagne, both Grade 1 races on the NYRA circuit and is No. 9 on the leaderboard with 12 points. Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert sends million-dollar purchase Spielberg who will attempt to make amends after a distant fourth in the Grade 2 Robert B. Lewis at Santa Anita. The chestnut son of Union Rags won the Grade 2 Los Alamitos Futurity on December 19 and is currently No. 8 on the leaderboard with 13 points.

Cross Country Pick 5 – Saturday, Feb. 27:
Leg A: Aqueduct – Race 7 (4:10 p.m.)
Leg B: Oaklawn Park – Race 7, Grade 3, $600,000 Razorback (4:20 p.m.)
Leg C: Oaklawn Park – Race 8, $200,000 Spring Fever (4:52 p.m.)
Leg D: Aqueduct – Race 9 (5:13 p.m.)
Leg E: Oaklawn Park – Race 9, Grade 3, $750,000 Southwest (5:58 p.m.)

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