Belmont Park, Churchill Downs comprise Saturday’s Cross Country Pick 5

by Brian Bohl

The New York Racing Association Inc. [NYRA] will host a Cross Country Pick 5 on Saturday featuring racing action from Belmont Park and Churchill Downs.

Free Equibase past performances for the Cross Country Pick 5 sequence are now available for download at https://www.nyra.com/belmont/racing/cross-country-wagers.

Churchill, located in Louisville, Kentucky, will commence the sequence with a starter allowance contest for 3-year-olds and up going one mile on the turf in Race 6 at 3:18 p.m. Eastern. Chantry Flats, who has compiled two wins and a runner-up finish in five starts this year for trainer Paul McGee, will be looking for his second victory in three starts at Churchill. Handy, who won at Churchill on May 15 for conditioner Robertino Diodoro, will also comprise a full field of 12.

Belmont will kick off the stakes portion of the wager with a field of 11 New York-sired 3-year-old sophomore fillies will contest in the $150,000 New York Stallion Stakes Series Cupecoy’s Joy at seven furlongs on the Widener turf course in Race 6 at 3:34 p.m.

Ava’s Grace, also trained by Diodoro, arrives at her first grass engagement off a runner-up finish in the 1 1/16-mile Grade 3 Fantasy on April 3 at Oaklawn Park. The Laoban filly secured a front-running position and battled gamely down the stretch to the inside of Pauline’s Pearl before hitting the wire one length back. Trainer Christophe Clement will move two fillies up from the claiming ranks when saddling Sport Model and Proper Grammar.

A 10-horse field for 3-year-olds and up going a one-turn mile on Belmont’s Big Sandy will comprise the third leg in Belmont’s Race 8 at 4:40 p.m. The starter allowance contest will see 2-1 morning-line favorite Risk Profile look to win his second in a row at Belmont for trainer George Weaver after capturing a maiden special weight on May 7.

Action alternates back to Churchill for a 1 1/8-mile turf allowance optional claiming tilt for fillies and mares 3-years-old and up in Race 9 at 4:55 p.m. Graded stakes-veteran Guitty, who ran second in the Grade 2 San Clemente last July and has competed in a pair of Grade 1s, will be making her second start for trainer Mike Maker. The veteran conditioner will also saddle Three Diamonds Farm’s Enjoyitwhilewecan, who enters from a narrow neck defeat last out when third in a nine-furlong optional-claiming tilt on the Churchill turf on May 21. Also in the field is the Ian Wilkes-trained Witez, who ran third in the Grade 3 Lake George in August at Saratoga Race Course and is looking for her first win since besting an allowance field in July at the Spa.

Closing out the Cross Country Pick 5 will be the $150,000 NYSSS Spectacular Bid in Belmont’s Race 9 at 5:12 p.m. A full field of 13 sophomores going seven furlongs on the Widener course.

Dreamer’s Disease, who will be saddled by Diodoro will return to the turf after five consecutive main track appearances, including a sixth-place finish in the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile in November at Keeneland. Step Dancer, the 3-1 morning-line favorite, won his debut in September at Saratoga and followed with a third-place finish in his first race at Belmont in the Grade 2 Pilgrim in October. The Barclay Tagg trainee capped his juvenile year with a three-quarter length victory in the 1 1/16-mile Awad in October at Belmont.

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, June 19:

Leg A: Churchill – Race 6 (3:18 p.m.)

Leg B: Belmont – Race 6, NYSSS Cupecoy’s Joy (3:34 p.m.)

Leg C: Belmont – Race 8 (4:40 p.m.)

Leg D: Churchill – Race 9 (4:55 p.m.)

Leg E: Belmont – Race 9, NYSSS Spectacular Bid (5:12 p.m.)