NYRA/Coglianese Photo

Wood Memorial Day to feature Cross Country Pick 5 with Keeneland

by Najja Thompson

The New York Racing Association, Inc. (NYRA) announced today its latest Cross Country Pick 5 offering featuring an all graded stakes sequence from Aqueduct Racetrack and Keeneland on Saturday, April 6.

The multi-race wager will include: The Grade 2, $750,000 Wood Memorial and the Grade 1, $400,000 Carter Handicap from the Big A; along with the Grade 1, $300,000 Madison; the Grade 1, $500,000 Ashland; and the Grade 2, $1 million Toyota Blue Grass from Keeneland.

The Grade 2 Wood Memorial presented by NYRA Bets will be part of a live national broadcast on NBCSN from 5:30-7:30 p.m., scheduled to also include the Grade 2 Blue Grass and the Grade 1 Santa Anita Derby from Santa Anita Park.

Prior to the NBCSN broadcast, FOX Sports Saturday At The Races will air the major stakes, including the Grade 1 Carter, leading up to the Wood Memorial with national coverage on FS2 beginning at 4 p.m. and regional coverage in the tri-state area on MSG+ starting at 3 p.m.

Saturday's Cross Country Pick 5 wager kicks off with the Grade 1 Madison (Race 8, 5:10 p.m.) for fillies and mares, 4-years-old and up going seven furlongs at Keeneland. The nine-horse field will feature the return of multiple graded stakes winner Shamrock Rose for trainer Mark Casse, who will look to improve cutting back in distance off a third-place finish in the Grade 2 Azeri on March 16 at Oaklawn Park.

Leg 2, the Grade 1 Carter for 4-year-olds and up going seven furlongs, features 4-year-old colt World of Trouble, for trainer Jason Servis, who will look to earn his first graded stakes win when taking on last year's Wood Memorial winner Vino Rosso.

The third leg, a contentious eight-horse Ashland field (Race 9, 5:45 p.m.) at Keeneland, will put 100 Kentucky Oaks qualifying points on the line in a race headlined by two-time Grade 1-winning filly Jaywalk.

The action will shift back to Aqueduct for the penultimate leg, the featured Grade 2 Wood Memorial (Race 10, 6:00 p.m.) with 100 Derby points on the line, where Shadwell Stable's Haikal will look to win his second consecutive graded stakes at the Big A following a victory in the Grade 3 Gotham on March 9.

Closing out Saturday's Cross Country Pick 5 is the Grade 2, $1 million Toyota Blue Grass for 3-year-olds at 6:23 p.m. from Keeneland. A talented 14-horse field includes Vekoma for R.A. Hill Stable and Gatsas Stables; Win Win Win for Live Oak Plantation; and Dream Maker for owner John Oxley all vying to win a spot in this year's Kentucky Derby field with 100 qualifying points up for grabs.

The minimum bet for the multi-track, multi-race wager is 50 cents. Wagering on the Cross Country Pick 5 is also available on track, on ADW platforms, and at simulcast facilities across the country. There will be a mandatory payout of the entire pool.

Aqueduct-Keeneland Cross Country Pick 5 on Saturday, April 6:

Leg 1 - Keeneland, Race 8: Grade 1, $300,000 Madison (5:10 p.m.)

Leg 2 - Aqueduct, Race 9: Grade 1, $400,000 Carter (5:22 p.m.)

Leg 3 - Keeneland, Race 9: Grade 1, $500,000 Ashland (5:45 p.m.)

Leg 4 - Aqueduct, Race 10 Grade 2, $750,000 Wood Memorial (6:00 p.m.)

Leg 5 - Keeneland, Race 10: Grade 2, $1 million Toyota Blue Grass (6:23 p.m.)