NYRA partners with Far Hills for Saturday’s Cross Country Pick 5

by Keith McCalmont

The New York Racing Association Inc. (NYRA) will host a Cross Country Pick 5 on Saturday featuring racing from Belmont at the Big A and the Grade 1, $250,000 Grand National from Far Hills.

The Far Hills Race Meeting will be featured on Saturday's edition of America's Day at the Races, the acclaimed national television show produced by NYRA, with live coverage on the networks of FOX Sports from 12:30 - 5:30 p.m. Eastern. For the broadcast schedule and channel finder, visit https://www.nyra.com/aqueduct/racing/tv-schedule.

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 sequence kicks off in Race 5 at 3:44 p.m. at Far Hills with the $50,000 Appleton as the Leslie Young-trained Redicean looks to retain his title in the 2 5/8-mile jumps event.  

The 9-year-old Medicean bay, a 10-time winner, enters from a trio of off-the-board efforts in Grade 1 events. Hall of Fame trainer Jack Fisher will send out four contenders, including the 158-pound field high-weight Gordon’s Jet as well as Zabeel Champion, the 5-2 morning line favorite Presence of Mind and Proven Innocent – last year’s William Entenmann Novice winner at Belmont at the Big A.

Action then switches to Belmont at the Big A for a pair of one-turn mile races, beginning in Race 7 [3:54 p.m.] with a starter allowance for 3-year-olds and up that offers a wide-open field of 10 led by Thunderian.

Trained by owner David Jacobson, the three-time winner enters from a three-length score in a seven-furlong claiming tilt here under returning rider Isaac Castillo. Others of interest include the Linda Rice-trained Brooklyn Diamonds, who has won his last two starts; and Clubhouse, who endured a troubled trip last out when third here at this level.

A field of nine will line up in Race 8 [4:24 p.m.] – an allowance for 3-year-olds and up – where the well-bred Cascais returns from an 11-month layoff for trainer Chad Brown.

The 3-year-old Into Mischief colt, a full-brother to stakes-winner Mundaye Call, is out of the Warrior’s Reward mare Reve d’Amour, who is a half-sister to graded stakes-winner Can the Man and multiple stakes-winner Martha’s Moon. Others of interest include the $1.7 million purchase Signator for Hall of Fame trainer Shug McGaughey and the consistent Cape Trafalgar, who finished a close second to next-out stakes winner Everso Mischievous two starts back at Saratoga. The Rice-trained Paddington bears watching after back-to-back open-lengths scores this summer.

Action returns to Far Hills for the final two legs, starting with the Grand National hurdle [Race 6, 4:32 p.m.] which will see a field of eight carry 156 pounds across the 2 5/8-mile distance led by Merry Maker, who captured the Grade 1 Lonesome Glory Handicap on September 14 at Belmont at the Big A. 

With Parker Hendriks up for trainer Archibald Kingsley, Jr., the 6-year-old Malinas gelding rallied from last-of-7 to best L’Imperator by a half-length. Merry Maker will be challenged by the Fisher-trained multiple Grade 1-winner Snap Decision, a 9-year-old Hard Spun gelding, who has finished second and sixth, respectively, in the last two runnings of the Grand National.

Other contenders include last year’s Grade 1 Lonesome Glory winner Noah And The Ark, who exited that effort to finish a distant second in the Grand National for trainer Todd McKenna; and the Keri Brion-trained Jimmy P, who finished a close second to Awakened in the Grade 1 Jonathan Sheppard Handicap in August at Saratoga. Salvador Ziggy, who ships from his native Ireland, is the 2-1 morning line favorite for trainer Gordon Elliott.

The sequence concludes on the flat with the $100,000 John Forbes Memorial [Race 7, 5:17 p.m.] as the Brion-trained Agitare returns to defend his title in the two-mile stamina test. The 6-year-old Teofilo chestnut upset this event at 18-1 last year, but has failed to hit the board in four starts since and will carry a field-high 148 pounds.

McLovin will make his first appearance at Far Hills, stretching out from a closing third in the 12-furlong Colonial Cup on September 9 at Colonial Downs. The Neil Morris-trained Riptide Rock also arrives from Colonial where the 5-year-old Point of Entry gelding captured a two-mile turf allowance by 3 3/4-lengths. Other contenders include Cibolian, who finished fourth and fifth, respectively, in the last two editions of the two-mile Grade 2 Belmont Gold Cup; and Who’s Counting, a recent winner over jumps travelling 2 1/4-miles at Foxfield.

The Cross Country Pick 5, boasting a low 15 percent takeout, offers sequences with races from Belmont at the Big A and partner tracks across the country. Free Equibase past performances for the Cross Country Pick 5 sequence will be available for download at https://www.nyra.com/aqueduct/racing/cross-country-wagers.

Cross Country Pick 5 – Saturday, October 21

Leg A: Far Hills - Race 5, $50K Appleton (3:44 p.m. Eastern)

Leg B: Belmont at the Big A - Race 7, Starter Allowance (3:54 p.m.)

Leg C: Belmont at the Big A – Race 8, Allowance (4:24 p.m.)

Leg D: Far Hills - Race 6, G1 Grand National (4:32 p.m.)

Leg E: Far Hills – Race 7, $100K John Forbes Memorial (5:17 p.m.)

NYRA Bets is the official wagering platform of Belmont at the Big A, and the best way to bet every race of the fall meet. Available to horse players nationwide, the NYRA Bets app is available for download today on iOS and Android at www.NYRABets.com.