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NYRA partners with Churchill Downs for Saturday's Cross Country Pick 5

by Keith McCalmont

The New York Racing Association, Inc. (NYRA) will partner with Churchill Downs for Saturday's Cross Country Pick 5, a unique offering highlighted by three graded stakes.

Live coverage will be available with America's Day at the Races on FOX Sports and MSG Networks. 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.

The sequence begins at beautiful Belmont Park in Race 7 at 4:08 p.m. Eastern with a six-furlong allowance optional-claiming sprint. The 10-horse field includes Liam's Pride, winner of the Gold Fever on a sloppy Belmont strip in July; popular 11-time winner T Loves a Fight; and the talented Hidden Scroll returning to the main track following off-the-board efforts on turf for Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott.

Action then shifts to historic Churchill Downs for the second leg [Race 8, 4:21 p.m. Eastern] where a field of 10 allowance optional-claiming fillies and mares will travel a one-turn mile on the main track. Joy Epifora, a Group 1 winner in her native Argentina, returns to the main track for trainer Ignacio Correas, IV to face a talented group that includes multiple graded-stakes placed Gold Standard for trainer Brad Cox; and half-million earner Talk Veuve to Me, a graded stakes winner trained by Hall of Famer Steve Asmussen.

A trio of graded stakes to complete the wager begins in Race 8 at Belmont Park at 4:42 p.m. Eastern with the Grade 3 Noble Damsel, a one-mile turf event for fillies and mares 3-years-old and upward. Four-time Eclipse Award-winning trainer Chad Brown sends out the talented troika of Viadera, Blowout and Noor Sahara to square off against the improving Feel Glorious, who searches for her first graded stakes win for conditioner Christophe Clement.

The penultimate leg from Churchill Downs [Race 9, 4:53 p.m.], the Grade 3, $100,000 Ack Ack, will see a field of 13 traverse a one-turn mile on the main track. Leading the charge is $1.3 million earner Mr. Money, a 4-year-old son of Goldencents trained by Bret Calhoun sporting a record of three wins from five starts at the Louisville oval. Steep opposition will be provided by Calumet Farm's Everfast, runner-up in last year's Grade 1 Preakness; and Grade 3 Razorback champ Warrior's Charge, a five-time winner for trainer Brad Cox who was elevated to first last out in the Grade 3 Philip H. Iselin at Monmouth Park.

The sequence concludes at Belmont Park in Race 9 at 5:14 p.m. with the Grade 2, $150,000 Vosburgh, a six-furlong sprint led by six-time graded-stakes winning millionaire Firenze Fire for trainer Kelly Breen. Opposition in the six-horse field is led by the John Terranova-trained pair of Funny Guy and Stan the Man.

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, September 26:
Leg A: Belmont-Race 7 (4:08 pm)
Leg B: Churchill-Race 8 (4:21 pm)
Leg C: Belmont-Race 8 - Grade 3 Noble Damsel (4:42 pm)
Leg D: Churchill-Race 9 - Grade 3 Ack Ack (4:53 pm)
Leg E: Belmont-Race 9 - Grade 2 Vosburgh (5:14 pm)