Saturday’s Cross Country Pick 5 features racing action from Aqueduct, Oaklawn Park and Keeneland

by Ryan Martin

The New York Racing Association, Inc. (NYRA) will host a Cross Country Pick 5 on Saturday, April 17 in partnership with Keeneland Race Course and Oaklawn Park. 

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.

Commencing the sequence is Race 7 at Keeneland [4:24 p.m.] where a field of ten fillies and mares go 5 ½ furlongs over the turf. Trainer Wesley Ward sends out Hat Creek Racing’s Chili Petin, who makes her first start since June 21 when fifth in the Lady Shipman at Belmont Park. Lothenbach Stables’ Ready for Change will see turf for the first time after two triumphs in off-the-turf events at Fair Grounds for trainer Neil Pessin.

Action shifts to Oaklawn Park in Hot Springs, Arkansas for the second leg of the sequence, where ten 3-year-olds and upward travel six furlongs for an allowance optional claiming tilt. Brereton Jones’ Kadri has placed in his last three starts over the Arkansas oval and seeks his first triumph since last September at Churchill Downs, where he defeated eventual Grade 1-winner Idol. The race has a scheduled post time of 4:29 p.m. and will run as Oaklawn’s seventh race.

The middle leg will see graded stakes action for the Grade 3, $200,000 Elkhorn going twelve furlongs over the turf. Always strongly represented with talented turf stock, trainer Mike Maker sends out three contenders, two of which are for Three Diamonds Farm. Breaking from the rail, Cross Border seeks his first triumph since the Grade 2 Bowling Green in July at Saratoga, while fellow Three Diamonds Farm color-bearer Tide of the Sea vies for his second graded stakes victory after capturing the Grade 2 W.L. McKnight on January 23 at Gulfstream Park. Maker also will saddle six-time winner Monarchs Glen. Hall of Famer Shug McGaughey will saddle North Dakota, a graded stakes-winning half-brother to prolific stallion War Front. The 5-year-old son of Medaglia d’Oro notched graded stakes glory two starts back in the Grade 3 Red Smith at the Big A. Carded as Race 9, the Elkhorn will go off at 5:30 p.m.

In the fourth leg,  the Grade 2, $1 million Oaklawn Handicap, red-hot Silver State seeks five consecutive wins for Hall of Famer Steve Asmussen. Owned by Winchell Thoroughbreds and Willis Horton Racing, Silver State was a two-time allowance winner going seven furlongs in the fall before capturing the Fifth Season and Essex at Oaklawn Park in his most recent pair of starts. Trainer John Shirreffs will ship C R K Racing’s Express Train from Southern California after finishing second in the Grade 1 Santa Anita Handicap on March 6. The bay son of Union Rags was second in the Grade 1 Malibu to Charlatan before scoring at graded stakes level in the Grade 2 San Pasqual on January 30 where he registered a career-best 103 Beyer Speed Figure. Carded as Race 9, the Oaklawn Handicap is scheduled to go off at 5:49 p.m.

Aqueduct hosts the final leg of the sequence [Race 9, 5:58 p.m.], where a dozen New York-bred fillies and mares, plus four also-eligible entrants, assemble seeking a first career win for a $40,000 tag over the outer turf course. Three Diamonds Farm’s Esotica, bred by Southern Equine Stables, receives a drop in class after finishing fourth to stakes-placed Summer Brew on March 20 over the Big A main track.

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 - Saturday, April 15:

Leg A: Keeneland-Race 7 (4:24 pm)

Leg B: Oaklawn Park-Race 7 (4:29 pm)

Leg C: Keeneland- Race 9 (5:30 pm)

Leg D: Oaklawn Park-Race 9 (5:49 pm)

Leg E: Aqueduct-Race 9 (5:58 pm)