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Saturday’s Cross Country Pick 5 to feature all-stakes sequence from Aqueduct Racetrack, Keeneland, and Oaklawn Park

by Mary Eddy

The New York Racing Association, Inc. (NYRA) will host an all-stakes Cross Country Pick 5 on Saturday featuring racing from Aqueduct Racetrack, Keeneland and Oaklawn Park.

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 Cross Country Pick 5, boasting a low 15 percent takeout, offers sequences with races from Aqueduct Racetrack and partner tracks across the country.

The sequence kicks off at 4:44 p.m. Eastern in Race 8 at Keeneland, the Grade 2, $350,000 Elkhorn for older horses traveling 1 1/2 miles over the turf. The evergreen multiple Grade 1-winner Channel Maker, who makes the second start of his 9-year-old campaign, will vie for a successful title defense for Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott off a troubled seventh-place finish in the Grade 3 William L. McKnight on January 28 at Gulfstream Park.

Fellow 9-year-old gelding Red Knight will attempt to double up on graded scores after defeating Channel Maker in the last-out Grade 3 McKnight for trainer Mike Maker, who also sends out the in-form 7-year-old Value Engineering. Younger challengers in pursuit of their first graded score include the Brendan Walsh-trained Rising Empire and the lightly-raced Howe Street, who enters along with Shawdyshawdyshawdy for conditioner Jorge Abreu.

The second leg features a field of eight in the $200,000 NYSSS Times Square [Race 8, 5:06 p.m.], a 6 1/2-furlong turf test for eligible New York-sired sophomores, at Aqueduct. Hall of Fame trainer Mark Casse sends out Lifetime of Chance for his first start since being transferred from the barn of Linda Rice. The son of The Lieutenant, who finished third in the NYSSS Great White Way in December, broke his maiden last out with an impressive 16-length score on March 18. His challengers include the Jimmy Ferraro-trained Great White Way-winner and multiple graded stakes-placed General Banker, as well as the streaking Kerness, who arrives with three consecutive victories for conditioner Jamie Ness.

The action switches back to Keeneland for the middle leg in Race 9 [5:16 p.m.], the Grade 3, $300,000 Ben Ali for older horses at 1 3/16 miles. The multiple graded stakes-winning Skippylongstocking makes his return for trainer Saffie Joseph, Jr. after winning the Grade 3 Challenger by 3 1/4 lengths in March at Tampa Bay Downs. The son of Exaggerator has won three graded events and was third in last year’s Grade 1 Belmont Stakes presented by NYRA Bets.

He will face a familiar rival in Pioneer of Medina, who finished a close second to his foe in the Grade 3 Harlan’s Holiday in December at Gulfstream. Trained by Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher, Pioneer of Medina scored a narrow victory in the Grade 3 Mineshaft in February at Fair Grounds. The field also includes graded stakes winners Rattle N Roll for trainer Ken McPeek and the Brad Cox-trained Tawny Port.

The final two legs feature stakes races from Oaklawn Park, beginning with Race 10 [6:06 p.m.], the Grade 2, $1 million Oaklawn Handicap for older horses going nine furlongs. The field of seven is headlined by the matchup of graded stakes winners Charge It and Last Samurai - the latter entering with two graded stakes victories in his last two outings for Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas. Fellow Hall of Famer and former Lukas mentee Todd Pletcher will saddle Charge It on the heels of a disappointing runner-up finish in the Grade 2 Gulfstream Park Mile on March 4.

The salty field will also see Grade 1-winner Classic Causeway look to improve off a close second in the Grade 3 Essex Handicap in March for McPeek while Grade 1 Clark-winner Proxy will attempt to return to winning ways for Cox after being defeated a neck last out in the Grade 1 Santa Anita Handicap to returning rival Stilleto Boy.

The sequence concludes in Race 11 [6:46 p.m.] at the Hot Springs oval, the $200,000 Bath House Row at nine furlongs for sophomores. The field of nine will see the return of several former Kentucky Derby hopefuls, including Red Route One, who races for the first time since finishing an even sixth in the Grade 1 Arkansas Derby on April 1 for Hall of Famer Steve Asmussen. Victory Formation is in search of his first win since the January 1 Smarty Jones for Cox as the Christ Hartman-trained Two Eagles River attempts his first stakes victory off a seventh in the Arkansas Derby. Impressive maiden winner Tapit Shoes also enters for Cox as he tries for his first victory against winners. 

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.

America's Day at the Races will present live coverage and analysis of the Aqueduct spring meet on the networks of FOX Sports. For the broadcast schedule and channel finder, visit https://www.nyra.com/aqueduct/racing/tv-schedule.

NYRA Bets is the best way to bet every race of the Aqueduct Racetrack spring meet. Available to horse players nationwide, the NYRA Bets app is available for download today on iOS and Android at www.NYRABets.com.

Cross Country Pick 5 – Saturday, April 22

Leg A: Keeneland, Race 8 – G2 Elkhorn (4:44 p.m. Eastern)

Leg B: Aqueduct Racetrack Race 8 – $200K NYSSS Times Square (5:06 p.m.)

Leg C: Keeneland, Race 9 – G3 Ben Ali (5:16 p.m.)

Leg D: Oaklawn Park, Race 10 – G2 Oaklawn Handicap (6:06 p.m.)

Leg E: Oaklawn Park, Race 11 – $200K Bath House Row (6:46 p.m.)