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NYRA partners with Meadowlands for special cross-breed Cross Country Pick 5 on Saturday

by Keith McCalmont

The New York Racing Association Inc. (NYRA) will host a unique cross-breed Cross Country Pick 5 on Saturday featuring stakes action from the Breeders Crown at the Meadowlands and Empire Showcase Day at Belmont Park.

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.

Current New York State regulations allow NYRA to accept wagering only on standardbred races that take place in New York. As such, the cross-breed Cross Country Pick 5 will not be available on-track at Belmont or to NYRA Bets customers located in New York State. The cross-breed Cross Country Pick 5 is available to NYRA Bets, LLC customers outside of New York State.

Saturday’s sequence kicks off in Race 7 at 2:51 p.m. at the Meadowlands with the $650,000 Breeders Crown 3-Year-Old Fillies Trot led by the Nifty Norman-trained Hambletonian Oaks winner Bella Bellini, who bested Herculisa in last week’s elimination in rein to returning driver Dexter Dunn. Altar, who won her elimination for trainer Nancy Takter, will again be piloted by Yannick Gingras.

The second leg will see Kentucky Futurity-winner Jujubee look to go one better for trainer Greg Wright, Jr. after finishing second to Cuatro De Julio in last week’s elimination for the $650,000 Breeders Crown 3-Year-Old Colts and Geldings Trot [Race 8, 3:27 p.m.]. Trainer Marcus Melander will send out In Range [Tim Tetrick] and Dancinginthedark [Brian Sears].

Action switches to the Belmont main track for the middle leg with a field of 10 juvenile fillies lining up for the $250,000 Maid of the Mist in Race 7 at 3:47 p.m. Leading the charge is a pair of contenders for trainer Jorge Abreu in Gold Square homebred Sue Ellen Mishkin and NY Final Furlong Racing Stable and Parkland Thoroughbreds’ Venti Valentine.

Sue Ellen Mishkin romped to a 7 1/4-length score against fellow state-breds in August at Saratoga Race Course but finished a disappointing seventh last out after a troubled trip in the Grade 1 Spinaway traveling seven furlongs over the Spa main track. Venti Valentine rallied from off-the-pace to notch a nose score on debut after leaving post 11 in a field of 12 state-breds.

The penultimate leg returns to the Meadowlands for the $330,000 Breeders Crown Filly and Mare Pace in Race 9. Jim King Jr.’s Lyons Sentinel [Tim Tetrick] will look to make amends after finishing third as the mutuel favorite in her elimination which was won by Rocknificent over longshot Peaky Sneaky.

Closing out the sequence is the $250,000 Empire Distaff at 1 1/16-miles for New York-bred fillies and mares in Race 8 from Belmont Park.

Gary Barber’s multiple graded stakes placed Make Mischief leads a talented field that includes last year’s Grade 3 Go for Wand-winner Sharp Starr as well as the streaking Bank Sting, who has won her last four starts led by a last-out score in the Critical Eye Handicap in May 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.

America's Day at the Races is presented by America's Best Racing, Runhappy, and Claiborne Farm. For the complete broadcast schedule, and additional programming information, visit https://www.nyra.com/belmont/racing/tv-schedule.

The Cross Country Pick 5 will continue each Saturday throughout the year. For more information, visit NYRABets.com.

Cross Country Pick 5 – Saturday, October 30:

Leg A: Meadowlands -Race 7, 3-year-old Filly Trot (2:51 p.m.)

Leg B: Meadowlands - Race 8, 3-year-old Trot (3:27 p.m.)

Leg C: Belmont Park - Race 7, Maid of the Mist (3:47 p.m.)

Leg D: Meadowlands - Race 9, Filly and Mare Pace (4:01 p.m.)

Leg E: Belmont Park - Race 8, Empire Distaff (4:21 p.m.)