​Saturday’s Cross Country Pick 5 features racing action from Belmont Park, Churchill Downs

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The New York Racing Association, Inc. (NYRA) will host a Cross Country Pick 5 on Saturday, May 8 in partnership with Churchill Downs. Live coverage will be available with America’s Day at the Races on FOX Sports. 

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.

Commencing the sequence is a first-level turf allowance going 1 1/16 miles for sophomore fillies in Race 8 at Churchill Downs at 4:22 p.m. Eastern. Marc Detampel’s Flown breaks from post 12 for trainer Brendan Walsh and attempts a triumph against winners after finishing fifth in the Grade 2 Appalachian at Keeneland. Fresh off a Fair Grounds maiden triumph, Lazy F Ranch’s Gam’s Mission provides steep opposition, seeking a second victory in a row for trainer Cherie DeVaux. 

Action shifts to beautiful Belmont Park for the second leg [Race 8, 4:38 p.m.], where sophomore fillies seek a first career win going 1 1/16 miles over the Widener turf course. Trainer Chad Brown will saddle Peter Brant’s In Italian and Klaravich Stables’ Infinite Potential. 

In Italian came up a neck shy of victory in her career debut last out at Tampa Bay Downs, while Infinite Potential, a 4-year-old daughter of Invincible Spirit, makes her career debut. 

Churchill Downs takes the reins for the following two legs. In the middle leg, WinStar Stablemates Racing’s Crystal Ball will attempt two victories in as many starts this season when traveling 1 1/16-miles against optional-claimers over the main track in Race 9 at 4:55 p.m.

Trained by Hall of Famer Bob Baffert, Crystal Ball was a hard-fought second to fellow WinStar Stablemates color-bearer Paris Lights in the Grade 1 Coaching Club American Oaks in July at Saratoga. She arrives off a one-length triumph going one mile on April 2 at Santa Anita. 

The penultimate leg will see a baker’s dozen of fillies and mares go into line for the $100,000 Mamzelle [Race 10, 5:26 p.m.] going five furlongs on the turf.

Trainer Wesley Ward will saddle a trio of contenders all arriving off stakes wins, including Hat Creek Racing’s Illegal Smile, who returns off a freshening after capturing the Stewart Manor on November 7 at Aqueduct in wire-to-wire fashion. Stonestreet Stables’ Wink captured the Melody of Colors on March 21 at Gulfstream Park in her most recent start, while Amanzi Yimpolo arrives of a triumph in the Speakeasy on September 26 at Santa Anita. 

In the finale, Sovereign will attempt to reign supreme in the Grade 1, $700,000 Man o’ War at Belmont Park for trainer Chad Brown and Coolmore partners Michael B. Tabor, Mrs. John Magnier and Derrick Smith. The son of Galileo makes his first start in North America and seeks his first trip to the winner’s circle since capturing the Group 1 Irish Derby in 2019 at 33-1 odds. Trainer Christophe Clement, who trained 2009-10 Man o’ War winner Gio Ponti, sends out Otter Bend Stables’ Gufo, who won last year’s Grade 1 Belmont Invitational and has never finished off the board in eight lifetime starts. The Man o’ War is carded as Race 10 with a 5:44 p.m.

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.