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Sunday’s Cross Country Pick 5 to feature action from Belmont Park, Monmouth Park and Woodbine

by Keith McCalmont

The New York Racing Association, Inc. (NYRA) will host a Cross Country Pick 5 on Sunday featuring stakes from Belmont Park and Woodbine as well as action from Monmouth Park.

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 Belmont Park and partner tracks across the country.

The sequence kicks off in Race 8 at Monmouth Park at 3:56 p.m. Eastern with a one mile and seventy yard allowance optional claiming event for 3-year-olds and up led by the Chad Brown-trained Systemic Change.

The 4-year-old Ghostzapper gelding, who won a pair of two-turn routes in the spring at Aqueduct Racetrack, will be challenged by Kobe B, a five-time winner trained by Michael Pino and King of Hollywood, who enters on a two-race win streak for conditioner Gregg Sacco.

Action switches to Belmont for the second leg, a seven-furlong Widener turf allowance [Race 7, 4:16 p.m.] for New York-bred fillies and mares topped by stakes-winner Moonage Daydream.

Trained by Jorge Abreu, the Candy Ride sophomore captured the Stewart Manor in November at the Big A and made her seasonal debut with a pacesetting sixth in the Grade 3 Herecomesthebride in March at Gulfstream Park when defeated just three lengths. Moonage Daydream was most recently a closing second in a state-bred optional claiming sprint. Prime contenders include the consistent New Ginya, who sports a ledger of 9-2-4-2 for conditioner Christophe Clement and multiple stakes-winner Dream Central for trainer Gary Sciacca.

The middle leg returns to Monmouth [Race 9, 4:24 p.m.] for a contentious 1 1/16-mile starter handicap on turf for 3-year-olds and up in which Wicked Finn will look to double up for trainer Blake Kelly.

The 5-year-old Wicked Strong dark bay closed to win by a neck last out on May 24 at Delaware Park, besting returning rivals Royal Luck and Bode’s Maker. Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher sends out Six Minus, a three-time winner cutting back in distance from a trio of starts at 12 furlongs; while Initforthelove, who saw a three-race win streak end last out, will look to return to winning form for trainer Gerald Bennett.

The penultimate leg will see a field of nine sophomore fillies sprint 6 1/2-furlongs over the turf in the $100,000 Alywow [Race 7, 4:28 p.m.] at Woodbine with the Brown-trained Up and Down listed as the 5-2 morning line favorite.

The Creative Cause grey, who graduated in April at Keeneland ahead of a troubled fourth last out in the Hilltop, will be piloted by Kazushi Kimura – the 2019 Eclipse Award-winning Apprentice Jockey, who has won the last two Sovereign Awards as Canada’s Outstanding Jockey. Steep opposition will be provided by Ryder Ryder Ryder, who makes her turf debut for Hall of Fame trainer Mark Casse out of a seven-length score in the Ruling Angel on May 20 over the Woodbine Tapeta. The Quality Road dark bay should take to the turf being a full-sister to 2014 Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf-winner Hootenanny.

The sequence concludes at Belmont with the $125,000 Dancin Renee [Race 8, 4:48 p.m.], a six-furlong sprint for older New York-bred fillies and mares featuring the graded-stakes placed Rossa Veloce.

Trained by Rob Aras, the 5-year-old Girolamo mare won the open-company Correction in March at Aqueduct and enters from a pacesetting third in the Grade 3 Vagrancy on May 14 here. A strong field includes the multiple graded-stakes placed Sterling Silver for trainer Tom Albertrani as well as the graded-stakes placed Betsy Blue, a 10-time winner from the barn of Linda Rice. Grannys Connection, in the midst of a four-race win streak, will make her stakes debut for trainer Tom Morley. 

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

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 best way to bet every race of the Belmont 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 – Sunday, June 25

Leg A: Monmouth Park, Race 8 – AOC (3:56 p.m. Eastern)

Leg B: Belmont Park, Race 7 – AOC (4:16 p.m.)

Leg C: Monmouth Park, Race 9 – Starter Handicap (4:24 p.m.)

Leg D: Woodbine, Race 7 – $100K Alywow (4:28 p.m.)

Leg E: Belmont Park, Race 8 – $125K Dancin Renee (4:48 p.m.)