Saturday’s Cross Country Pick 5 will feature Aqueduct Racetrack, Oaklawn Park, and Tampa Bay Downs

by Keith McCalmont

The New York Racing Association Inc. (NYRA) will host a Cross Country Pick 5 on Saturday featuring racing from Aqueduct Racetrack, Oaklawn Park and Tampa Bay Downs.

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.

Saturday’s sequence kicks off in Race 10 at Tampa Bay Downs [4:50 p.m. Eastern] with an overflow field of maidens 3-years-old and up sprinting five furlongs on the turf. Psychedelic Shack, a 4-year-old son of Shackleford trained by Christophe Clement for MyRacehorse, will make his career debut boasting a work tab that features three consecutive bullet breezes at Payson Park, including a five-eighths effort in 1:01.80 over the turf on March 11. Run Smitty Run, a 4-year-old American Pharoah ridgling trained by Edward Barker, notched a field-best 69 Beyer Speed Figure in May over the Belmont turf and will look to graduate at ninth asking.

Action switches to the Big A for the second leg [Race 8, 5:01 p.m.] with a field of 12 New York-breds 3-years-old and up sprinting six furlongs in a state-bred optional claimer led by the multiple stakes-placed Runningwscissors. Owned and trained by Jeffrey Englehart, the 6-year-old Congaree gelding boasts a consistent record of 35-10-7-4 with four of those wins coming at Aqueduct. A hard-knocking group of contenders includes eight-time winner Seven Lillies, five-time winner Bustin Timberlake and stakes winners T Loves a Fight and Thin White Duke.

The middle leg will offer the first of two stakes from Oaklawn Park, beginning with the Grade 3 Whitmore [Race 7, 5:04 p.m.] at six furlongs for older horses featuring last-out King Cotton-winner Bob’s Edge for trainer Larry Jones. Steep opposition will be provided by 19-time winner Greeley and Ben for conditioner Karl Broberg and Hollis, who garnered a career-best 109 Beyer capturing an optional-claimer in December at the Hot Springs, Arkansas, oval.

The penultimate leg will see a field of six sophomore fillies sprint six furlongs in the $100,000 Cicada [Race 9, 5:32 p.m.] at the Big A led by the impressive maiden winner Monshun, who makes her first start since graduating at first asking in August at Saratoga Race Course. A talented group includes Lady Scarlet, last out winner of an optional-claiming sprint at Oaklawn, and stakes-placed Lady Milagro, who enters from a 7 1/4-length optional-claiming romp in February at the Big A.

Closing out the sequence is the Grade 3 Essex Handicap [Race 9, 6:10 p.m.] at 1 1/16-miles for 4-year-olds and up, featuring five horses from last month’s Grade 3 Razorback Handicap including the victorious Plainsman. Also returning are runner-up Thomas Shelby, third-place Popular Kid and fifth-place finisher Rated R Superstar, who won this race in 2019 and was runner-up a year ago. A seasoned field also boasts graded stakes-winners Title Ready and Warrior’s Charge.

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, which features a low 15 percent takeout, will continue each Saturday throughout the year.

America’s Day at the Races will present daily coverage and analysis of the winter meet at Aqueduct Racetrack on the networks of FOX Sports. For the complete broadcast schedule, visit https://www.nyra.com/aqueduct/racing/tv-schedule.

NYRA Bets is the official wagering platform of Aqueduct Racetrack, and the best way to bet every race of the winter meet. Available to horseplayers nationwide, the NYRA Bets app is available for download today on iOS and Android at www.NYRABets.com.

Cross Country Pick 5 – Saturday, March 19:

Leg A: Tampa - Race 10, maiden special weight (4:50 p.m.)

Leg B: Aqueduct – Race 8, optional-claimer (5:01 p.m.)

Leg C: Oaklawn - Race 7, G3 Whitmore (5:04 p.m.)

Leg D: Aqueduct - Race 9, $100K Cicada (5:32 p.m.)

Leg E: Oaklawn - Race 9, G3 Essex (6:10 p.m.)