​Belmont Park, Thistledown and Churchill Downs comprise Saturday’s all-stakes Cross Country Pick 5

by Keith McCalmont

The New York Racing Association Inc. [NYRA] will host a Cross Country Pick 5 on Saturday featuring stakes action from Belmont Park, Thistledown 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.

The sequence kicks off in Race 9 at Churchill Downs at 4:55 p.m. with a field of 11 juveniles sprinting six furlongs on the main track. Double Thunder, trained by Hall of Famer Todd Pletcher, boasts the field’s highest Beyer Speed Figure garnering a 60 when sprinting to a debut win on June 5 at Monmouth Park. Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen will saddle a pair of contenders led by maiden winner Red Run and maiden Vodka N Water.

Action switches to Thistledown for the second leg as 11 sophomores do battle in the nine-furlong Grade 3, $500,000 Ohio Derby [Race 9, 5:04 p.m.] The Pletcher-trained Promise Keeper, last out winner of the Grade 3 Peter Pan at Belmont, is listed as the 7-2 morning-line favorite. The experienced Keepmeinmind, trained by Robertino Diodoro, competed in two legs of the Triple Crown, closing to finish seventh in the Grade 1 Kentucky Derby and fourth in the Grade 2 Preakness.

 The middle leg will offer the $100,000 Wild Applause [Race 9, 5:12 p.m.], a one-mile Widener turf test for sophomore fillies from Belmont. Four-time Eclipse Award-winning trainer Chad Brown will saddle a formidable pair in Group 3-winner Minaun and the improving Nevisian Sunrise. Offering steep opposition are the Grade 1-place Alda for trainer Graham Motion and the regally-bred Lovestruck, a half-sister to Scat Daddy, for Hall of Famer Bill Mott.

The final two legs of the sequence will come from the Closing Day card at Churchill Downs beginning with the Grade 2, $300,000 Wise Dan [Race 10, 5:26 p.m.], a 1 1/16-mile turf test for older horses led by the multiple graded stakes winning New York-bred Somelikeithotbrown for trainer Mike Maker. Hall of Famer Mark Casse will send out eight-time winner Ride a Comet in search of a fourth graded-stakes score.

Closing out the sequence is the nine-furlong Grade 2, $600,000 Stephen Foster [Race 11, 5:59 p.m.] for older horses at Churchill Downs. A talented field of nine is led by Godolphin homebred Maxfield, a multiple graded stakes winner who boasts six wins from seven starts. 

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 for Saturday, June 26

Leg A: Churchill Downs-Race 9, G3 $150K Bashford Manor (4:55 p.m.)

Leg B: Thistledown-Race 9, G3 $500K Ohio Derby (5:04 p.m.)

Leg C: Belmont Park- Race 9, $100K Wild Applause (5:12 p.m.) 

Leg D: Churchill Downs -Race 10, G2 $300K Wise Dan (5:26 p.m.)

Leg E: Churchill Downs-Race 11, G2 $600K Stephen Foster (5:59 p.m.)