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​Sunday’s Cross Country Pick 5 to feature racing from Aqueduct Racetrack and Keeneland

by Mary Eddy

The New York Racing Association, Inc. (NYRA) will host a Cross Country Pick 5 on Sunday with racing from Aqueduct Racetrack and stakes action from Keeneland. 

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 begins at 3:40 p.m. Eastern in Race 6 from Keeneland, a six-furlong maiden special weight for sophomores. Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher will debut Malibu Springs on the heels of three consecutive bullet works at Palm Beach Downs, most recently covering a half-mile in 49.31 seconds from the gate on April 5. The son of Quality Road is out of the graded stakes-placed mare Marquee Miss.

Fellow Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen will also debut a well-bred colt in Magic Tap, a son of Tapit out of the graded stakes-placed American Story. He is a half-brother to multiple graded stakes-winner American Gal. Three horses in the field of 10 have already made at least one start, including the Eddie Kenneally-trained Wild Thinker, who finished third on debut in March at Fair Grounds, and Zed, who has hit the board in 2-of-3 starts for conditioner Doug O’Neill. 

An overflow field of 12 will feature in the second leg from Keeneland, the $250,000 Palisades at 5 1/2 furlongs on the grass for sophomores [Race 7, 4:12 p.m.]. The Asmussen-trained Private Creed returns to turf after finishing off-the-board in the Grade 2 Risen Star on dirt last out. The Jimmy Creed colt finished a game third in the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint in November and kicked off his sophomore campaign with a narrow defeat in the Texas Turf Mile in January. 

The field also features Grade 2 Saratoga Special-winner Damon’s Mound, who returns from a seven-month layoff to make his turf debut for trainer Michelle Lovell; the multiple stakes-placed No Nay Hudson for trainer Wesley Ward; and two undefeated entrants in New York Thunder and stakes-winner Bushido. 

The middle leg will see action shift north to Aqueduct Racetrack for Race 7 [4:34 p.m.], a 1 1/16-mile starter allowance over the inner turf for 3-year-olds and up. Last year’s Grade 3 Kitten’s Joy runner-up Royal Spirit will look to get back to winning ways for trainer Linda Rice, who will also saddle Mo Rewards for his third start of the year. The competitive field includes four-time winner Lord Gatling for conditioner Edmund Pringle and the Bruno Tessore-trained Big Venezuela, who has finished on-the-board in this condition three times this year. 

The penultimate leg will see graded action from Keeneland as a field of seven line up for the Grade 2, $400,000 Beaumont for sophomore fillies [Race 8, 4:44 p.m.]. Trainer Brad Cox saddles Key of Life for her graded debut on the heels of a dominant 3 1/4-length score in the Purple Martin on March 25 at Oaklawn Park. The Mo Town filly won 3-of-5 starts as a juvenile, posting her victories by a combined 15 1/2 lengths. Steep opposition will be provided by the in-form New York-bred Stonewall Star, a last-out 11-length winner of the Wide Country at Laurel Park for trainer Horacio De Paz, and Interpolate, winner of the Ruthless at Aqueduct for four-time Eclipse Award-winning trainer Chad Brown. 

The sequence wraps up in Race 8 at Aqueduct Racetrack [5:06 p.m.] with a six-furlong allowance sprint over the outer turf for fillies and mares 3-years-old and up. Graded stakes-placed Gal in a Rush returns from a five-month layoff for conditioner Christophe Clement. The Ghostzapper filly, who finished second in the 2021 Grade 3 Matron, was last seen posting a fifth-place finish in an off-the-turf November allowance at the Big A.

The stakes-placed Lady Milagro will return to turf for the first time since a ninth-place finish in the 2021 Chelsey Flower for trainer Carlos Martin while the Chad Brown-trained Anna Karenine will look to improve off her American debut when ninth last out in the Grade 3 Herecomesthebride in March at Gulfstream Park. The in-form Kitten’s Appeal has been on the board in 7-of-8 lifetime outings and will vie for her second victory since being transferred to Bruce Levine four starts back. 

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 – Sunday, April 16

Leg A: Keeneland, Race 6 – MSW (3:40 p.m. Eastern)

Leg B: Keeneland, Race 7 – $250K Palisades (4:12 p.m.)

Leg C: Aqueduct Racetrack, Race 7 – starter allowance (4:34 p.m.)

Leg D: Keeneland, Race 8 – G2 Beaumont (4:44 p.m.)

Leg E: Aqueduct Racetrack, Race 8 – allowance (5:06 p.m.)