Saturday’s Cross Country Pick 5 features all-turf sequence from Belmont Park, Churchill Downs

by NYRA Press Office

The New York Racing Association Inc. (NYRA) will host a Cross Country Pick 5 on Saturday featuring all-turf races from Belmont Park and Churchill Downs, including the Grade 3 Louisville to close out the sequence.

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 kicks off in Race 6 [3:18 p.m. Eastern] from Churchill Downs, a 5 1/2-furlong maiden special weight for fillies and mares 3-years-old and upward. An overflow field features Klein Racing’s Hey There, who makes her first start for Eclipse Award-winning conditioner Brad Cox after a debut fifth-place finish going the same distance on April 27 at Keeneland in a race won by the well-regarded Chardy Party. Hey There was away slowly under Colby Hernandez and trailed in eighth before swinging six-wide in the turn and coming up four lengths short. The Country Day filly, out of the Stormy Atlantic mare Sunny Isles, is a half-sister to stakes winners Extra Credit and Field Day.

The Wesley Ward-trained Musical Design nearly graduated in her March 16 debut but came up just shy when bested by a nose in a $50,000 maiden claimer at Gulfstream Park. She stepped up to the maiden special weight level in her next outing on April 22 at Keeneland and finished fourth after stalking the pace in second. The field will also see two newcomers make their debut as Air of Authority starts for trainer Brian Lynch and Wings Like Eagles enters for Michael Tomlinson.

The sequence heads north for the second leg in Race 8 [4:41 p.m.] from Belmont Park. A field of 11 New York-breds are set to sprint seven furlongs in a maiden special weight over the Widener turf course. Louis Lazzinnaro’s Marinara Sauced will make his debut for trainer Chad Brown and enters from a May 13 half-mile breeze in 51.40 seconds over the Belmont main track.

His rivals will include the Horacio De Paz-trained Independent Paul, whose long series of works at Belmont were topped by a sizzling half-mile drill from the gate in 47.96 over the training track on May 12; and Feathers Road, who finished second in his most recent outing for trainer Linda Rice on April 3 over a muddy and sealed Aqueduct main track.

Action switches back to Churchill for the middle leg in Race 9 [4:55 p.m.] with an overflow field 3-year-olds and up contesting at one mile in a maiden special weight. Classic Mark cuts back to one mile to make his turf debut for trainer Simon Callaghan after a fourth-place effort last out going 1 1/16 miles on April 14 at Keeneland. His best finish in four starts was a third two races back in a maiden special weight going one mile at Santa Anita after he set the pace and weakened to be defeated by 5 1/2 lengths.

Creative Miracle, a first-time gelding, will stretch out and make his first start since a game second in a maiden special weight going 7 1/2 furlongs in August at Horseshoe Indianapolis. The Brad Cox trainee was defeated 1 1/4 lengths after holding a short lead at the stretch call and losing it down the lane to Brits Wit. Blue Devil also enters from a last-out second, hoping to improve from a neck defeat at Turfway Park where he stalked and pounced to come up just shy of the victory. The son of Uncle Mo will be making his first start for trainer Jeff Hiles.

The penultimate leg features New York-bred 3-year-olds and upward sprinting six furlongs in an allowance at Belmont in Race 10 [5:46 p.m.]. Sheriff Bianco will look for his first victory against winners in his first start off a seven-month layoff for trainer Wesley Ward. The son of Speightster finished second in a six-furlong allowance in October at Belmont after breaking his maiden by a length in August at Saratoga Race Course.

Pick Six Racing’s Golquist was a debut winner in an off-the-turf maiden special weight for trainer George Weaver on April 8 at Aqueduct. The son of Nyquist went wire-to-wire to earn his first victory by 3 1/4 lengths. Citizen K was also a last out winner in a maiden special weight by a neck for trainer Horacio De Paz in a six-furlong sprint on April 28 at Belmont.

The sequence closes out in Race 11 [5:58 p.m.] from Churchill, the Grade 3 Louisville for older horses travelling 1 1/2 miles. Team Block’s Another Mystery started his 2022 campaign off with a win in the Grade 3 John B. Connally Turf Cup in January at Sam Houston for trainer Chris Block. The son of Temple City won in exciting fashion when he and Fantasioso hit the wire together to dead heat for the victory. Another Mystery finished a disappointing eighth next out in the Grade 2 Muniz Memorial Classic at Fair Grounds before regaining good form with a solid second-place effort last out in the Grade 2 Elkhorn, defeated 1 1/4 lengths by the accomplished Channel Maker.

Steep opposition will be provided by the veteran Shamrocket, who was last seen finishing fourth in the Turf Classic at Tampa Bay Downs for Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher. Shamrocket found stakes success earlier in the year with a half-length score in the Sunshine Classic in January at Gulfstream Park en route to a runner-up effort in the Grade 2 Mac Diarmida in March over the same course. Other challengers include Highest Honors, who makes his third start on grass for trainer Chad Brown; Cellist, who earned a Grade 1 placing in the Belmont Derby last year for trainer Rusty Arnold; and Cavalry Charge, winner of the Grade 3 Fair Grounds earlier this year for conditioner Dallas Stewart. 

America’s Day at the Races will present daily coverage and analysis of the spring/summer meet at Belmont Park on the networks of FOX Sports. For the complete broadcast schedule, visit https://www.nyra.com/belmont/racing/tv-schedule.

NYRA Bets is the official wagering platform of Belmont Park, and the best way to bet every race of the spring/summer 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 – Saturday, May 21:

Leg A: Churchill Downs – Race 6, maiden special weight (3:18 p.m. Eastern)

Leg B: Belmont Park – Race 8, maiden special weight (4:41 p.m.)

Leg C: Churchill Downs – Race 9, maiden special weight (4:55 p.m.)

Leg D: Belmont Park – Race 10, allowance (5:46 p.m.)

Leg E: Churchill Downs– Race 11, Grade 3 Louisville (5:58 p.m.)