NYRA Photo

​Sunday Cross Country Pick 5 features racing from Belmont Park and Churchill Downs

by Mary Eddy

The New York Racing Association, Inc. (NYRA) will host a Cross Country Pick 5 on Sunday with racing from Belmont Park and Churchill Downs. 

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 begins at 3:50 p.m. Eastern in Race 7 from Churchill, a 5 1/2-furlong maiden for 3-year-olds and up. The Eddie Kenneally-trained Wild Thinker has finished on-the-board in his two lifetime outings, most recently earning a field-best 87 Beyer Speed Figure for a runner-up effort sprinting six furlongs on April 16 at Keeneland. Cuore Sacro missed a debut graduation by a head in August at this distance on turf for conditioner Brian Lynch, while the Jeff Engler-trained Smoke Wagon, a $425,000 Keeneland September Yearling Sale purchase, makes his debut off a series of works over Turfway Park’s synthetic. 

Action heads north to Belmont for the second leg [Race 7, 4:08 p.m.], a six-furlong allowance for New York-bred fillies and mares 3-years-old and up. The Brad Cox-trained Luna’s Song returns from a more than seven-month layoff after breaking her maiden at second asking in October at Belmont at the Big A. Trainer Bill Morey will hope to see the undefeated Red Moon make it 3-for-3 in her first start outside of Turf Paradise as Miss Stones makes her first start against winners after a first-out maiden score by 5 1/4 lengths on April 29 at Aqueduct Racetrack. 

The middle leg will feature a field of nine in Race 8 [4:22 p.m.] at Churchill, a 6 1/2-furlong allowance for 3-year-olds and up. Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen sends out Blue Light for his second try against winners after a 1 1/2-length defeat on April 8 at Keeneland to Squire Creek, who exited that race to finish second in the Gold Fever at Belmont. Two-time Eclipse Award-winning trainer Brad Cox saddles impressive debut maiden winner Saudi Crown, who garnered a 97 Beyer for an April 16 maiden score at Keeneland. Sweet Cherry Pie brings another formidable speed figure to the field after earning a 95 for his maiden win on April 14 for trainer Rusty Arnold. 

The penultimate leg will see a field of nine in a six-furlong inner turf optional claiming tilt for New York-bred 3-year-olds and up in Race 8 [4:40 p.m.] at Belmont. Rough Draft is undefeated through two starts and will look to continue his winning ways for conditioner David Duggan after a determined April 15 state-bred allowance victory at the Big A. Awesome Native boasts a 3-for-4 in-the-money record for trainer Jorge Abreu, including an allowance conquest in January at the Big A. The multiple stakes-placed Big Engine could provide interest should the race be moved to the main track as he is entered for the main-track only for trainer Linda Rice. 

The sequence closes out in Race 9 [4:55 p.m.] from Churchill as 3-year-olds and upward contest at 1 1/16 miles over the turf in a maiden special weight. The overflow field includes Big Elm, who finished a game second in his second lifetime outing and first for conditioner Michael McCarthy on March 17 over the Turfway synthetic. The Brian Michael-trained Now That Ican Rock finished in-the-money in his last two outings while Caroom will look to break through for trainer Wayne Catalano after hitting the board in each of his last three starts. 

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, May 21

Leg A: Churchill Downs, Race 7 – MSW (3:50 p.m. Eastern)

Leg B: Belmont Park, Race 7 – ALW (4:08 p.m.)

Leg C: Churchill Downs, Race 8 – ALW (4:22 p.m.)

Leg D: Belmont Park, Race 8 – AOC (4:40 p.m.)

Leg E: Churchill Downs, Race 9 – MSW (4:55 p.m.)