​Saturday’s Cross Country Pick 5 features racing action from Belmont, Monmouth Park and Woodbine Racetrack

by Ryan Martin

The New York Racing Association, Inc. (NYRA) will host a Cross Country Pick 5 on Saturday featuring racing action from Belmont Park, Monmouth Park in Oceanport, New Jersey and Woodbine Racetrack in Toronto, Ontario. 

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. 

Action commences in Race 7 [4:06 p.m. Eastern] at Belmont Park, when a field of nine older fillies and mares seek a first-level allowance triumph going seven furlongs over the main track. Breaking from the rail, Juddmonte Farms’ Entreat makes her first start since a victorious career debut on September 25 at Churchill Downs for trainer Chad Brown. Jeff Drown and Don Rachel’s Iaintfraidanoghost cuts back in distance after a four-length victory on February 28 at Aqueduct. Trained by Jeremiah Englehart, the daughter of Ghostzapper scored at fourth asking in a one-turn mile over a muddy and sealed track. 

Action shifts to Woodbine Racetrack for the second leg – a 5 ½-furlong maiden optional claiming event over the all-weather surface. Praven Sorenson and Wayne Oliver’s Thatsmykindanight seeks a first career win following two runner up finishes as the 2-1 morning line favorite. Carded as Race 7, the second leg of the sequence has a scheduled post time of 4:20 p.m.

The middle leg brings stakes action to the table when Monmouth Park hosts the Grade 3, $150,000 Salvator Mile [Race 10, 4:28 p.m.]. Defending winner Pirate’s Punch invades from Kentucky for trainer Grant Forster, making his first start since finishing 12th in the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile in November at Keeneland. John Fanelli, Cash Is King, LC Racing, Paul Braverman and Team Hanley’s Ny Traffic returns to Monmouth Park after a narrow defeat in last year’s Grade 1 Haskell Invitational. Trained by Saffie Joseph, Jr., Ny Traffic arrives off his best Beyer Speed Figure yet when garnering a 103 when defeating his New York-bred counterparts by 6 ¾ lengths going seven furlongs at Belmont Park. 

Woodbine gets back in on the action in an open maiden special weight for 3-year-olds and upward going one mile over the turf for Race 8 [4:51 p.m.]. Hall of Famer Roger Attfield sends out regally-bred Speightstown Shirl – a daughter of prolific sire Speightstown out of 2011 Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf winner Perfect Shirl – for her fourth start after finishing second in all three previous efforts. Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners and Gary Barber’s Astrological, a bay daughter of Malibu Moon and half-sister to 2018 Woodbine Oaks winner Dixie Moon, makes her career debut for Hall of Fame trainer Mark Casse. 

A field of 11 turf maiden special weight aspirants closes the curtains on the sequence in a 1 1/16-mile event, carded as Race 11 with a 4:58 p.m. post. Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher will debut Lumino, a son of Medaglia d’Oro out of Exotic Bloom. Owned by Phoenix Thoroughbreds, the 4-year-old dark bay is a half-sibling to 2015 Breeders’ Cup Distaff winner Stopchargingmaria and was bought for $2.1 million from the 2018 Keeneland September Yearling Sale. Pletcher also sends out Jackpot Farm’s Freer, who makes his second career start after finishing second on April 24 at Gulfstream Park. 

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, June 12:

Leg A: Belmont Park – Race 7 (4:06 p.m.)

Leg B: Woodbine – Race 7 (4:20 p.m.)

Leg C: Monmouth Park – Race 10, G3, $150,000 Salvator Mile (4:28 p.m.)

Leg D: Woodbine – Race 8 (4:51 p.m.)

Leg E: Monmouth Park – Race 11 (4:58 p.m.)