EL Photo

Lightning strikes twice as Got Stormy secures second G1 Fourstardave score

by NYRA Press Office

• Lightning strikes twice as Got Stormy secures second G1 Fourstardave score
• High Oak impresses in G2 Saratoga Special; Speaker’s Corner earns 101 BSF in sharp allowance win
• Miles D targets G1 Travers; will be ridden by Prat
• Maracuja records final work for G1 Alabama
• Mischevious Alex, Drain the Clock and Ny Traffic breeze for upcoming graded-stakes engagements
• Pacific Gale to make turf debut in Smart N Fancy; Mr. Buff points to Empire Classic
• G1 Allen Jerkens remains a possibility for Following Sea
• Red Danger to get green light for first stakes appearance following Saratoga starts
• All-graded stakes CCP5 pays $93K; total pool of $328K

Trainer Mark Casse was all smiles on Sunday morning at Saratoga Race Course after securing his first Grade 1 victory as a newly enshrined Hall of Famer when Got Stormy bested males to win the $500,000 Fourstardave for the second time on Saturday. 

Owned by Spendthrift Farm and MyRacehorse Stable, Got Stormy set a course record over the inner turf capturing the 2019 Fourstardave in a time of 1:32 flat with Ricardo Santana, Jr. up. 

After finishing second in last year’s running to pacesetting Halladay, the 6-year-old chestnut daughter of 2010 Fourstardave victor Get Stormy vindicated herself with a sharp 1 ½-length triumph under Tyler Gaffalione. 

The victory registered a 104 Beyer Speed Figure, a tenth lifetime triple digit number for the talented mare, and included a “Win and You’re In” berth to the Breeders’ Cup Mile on November 6 at Del Mar.

Despite last week's Hall of Fame induction, the summer campaign had been a frustrating one for Casse, who was winless at the current Saratoga meet before Got Stormy’s Fourstardave coup. 

“It’s been a rough meet, but my wife [Tina] said it best: ‘It’s been gloomy in Saratoga until the storm blew through,’” Casse said. 

Got Stormy arrived at the Fourstardave off two fifth-place finishes at graded stakes level after making her seasonal bow a winning one in the Grade 3 Honey Fox on February 27 at Gulfstream Park. 

Sent off at 12-1 odds, Casse said he nevertheless felt confident in his mare because of her demeanor in the paddock. 

“It’s her. She just gets happy,” Casse said. “She was walking around after I had saddled her and I told Tyler, ‘She’s got her game face on today, they better be ready,’ I could tell she just wanted to go out there and do it.”

Casse said Got Stormy, a seven-time graded stakes winner with graded scores at six different tracks, will appreciate a return to Del Mar, where she captured the Grade 1 Matriarch in her final start of 2019.

“The good news for us is she’s 1-for-1 at Del Mar,” Casse said. “We should have hard and fast [turf] there, and the turns aren’t quite as tight as they are here but they’re sharp. I want to get one race into her, I just haven’t figured out where I want to do that yet.

“She just loves training here so much. Most horses do,” Casse added regarding Got Stormy’s affinity for Saratoga. “She enjoys the tight turns. She can run around a turn like most horses can’t, so that helps.” 

Casse mentioned the possibility of attempting a dual conquest in the Grade 3, $600,000 Kentucky Downs Ladies Sprint on September 11 at Kentucky Downs. 

“I can go to Kentucky Downs just as a prep, run her at 6 ½ [furlongs] and we don’t care about the weather,” Casse said. “If it rains, it’s okay. Where the soft ground hurts us is when she’s trying to get a mile.”

Previously owned by Gary Barber, Got Stormy was purchased for $2.75 million by Spendthrift Farm at the 2020 Fasig-Tipton November Sale.

Ned Toffey of Spendthrift Farm said he was delighted to see the superstar mare secure a Grade 1 victory when sporting Spendthrift’s orange and purple silks. 

“Mark was very confident. He said she was doing so well,” Toffey recalled. “I think clearly, she really likes Saratoga. It was just great to see. This was so gratifying because when Mr. [B. Wayne] Hughes decided to get involved with MyRacehorse, he really believed that this was something that would be successful, but what they need are really good horses.

“She didn’t appear to have lost any steps yesterday so that was great to see,” Toffey continued. “She’s such a gutsy, hard trying mare. You just love to see that kind do well.”

Toffey said he felt gratified to be able to provide the multiple MyRacehorse partners a prestigious victory at Saratoga. 

“To get a Grade 1 and to be able to see a project like this come full circle, work out this way and have a bunch of enthusiastic MyRacehorse fans to be there and share it with us was a great feeling,” Toffey said. 

Casse said that maiden Volcanic, a two-time starting son of Violence owned by Breeze Easy, could race back in the Grade 1, $300,000 Hopeful on September 6. The $230,000 Keeneland September Yearling Sale purchase finished third last out in a six-furlong maiden event on July 24 at the Spa.

The Hall of Fame trainer said Live Oak Plantation’s graded stakes-winner Souper Sensational, who finished second in the Grade 1 Longines Test here on August 7, could race back in the Grade 2, $250,000 Prioress on September 4 at the Spa. 

*** 

High Oak impresses in G2 Saratoga Special; Speaker’s Corner earns 101 BSF in sharp allowance win

LRE Racing and JEH Racing Stable’s High Oak improved to 2-for-2 with an impressive 4 1/4-length score in Saturday’s Grade 2, $200,000 Saratoga Special presented by Miller Lite, a 6 1/2-furlong sprint for juveniles at Saratoga Race Course.

Trained by Hall of Famer Bill Mott, the Gormley bay bid three-wide at the top of the lane under Junior Alvarado, overtaking Doctor Jeff and the runner-up Gunite to stop the clock in 1:16.53.

High Oak closed to win his debut by a neck sprinting 5 1/2-furlongs in June at Belmont Park, but the bettors let the $70,000 Keeneland September Yearling Sale purchase leave the gate at odds of 10-1 on Saturday.

Mott said High Oak ran to his training, including a bullet half-mile breeze in 48.11 seconds on August 7 on the Oklahoma dirt training track.

“We were pleased but not totally surprised,” Mott said. “He had been working quite well and he had run well enough in his first race.”

Mott said he was pleased with how High Oak, who garnered a career-best 90 Beyer Speed Figure, finished up the race.

“He was determined,” Mott said.

While Mott said he will leave all options open, the next likely consideration for High Oak is the Grade 1, $500,000 Champagne on October 2 at Belmont, which offers a “Win and You’re In” berth to the Grade 1, $2 million Breeders’ Cup Juvenile on November 5 at Del Mar.

The win by High Oak completed a Mott-trained double that launched a race earlier when Godolphin homebred Speaker’s Corner drew off to a 5 1/4-length allowance score, registering a 101 Beyer.

With Jose Ortiz up, the 3-year-old Street Sense bay bobbled at the start of the seven-furlong main-track sprint but quickly found his footing to track the pacesetting Mahaamel from third before taking command at the five-sixteenths and powering home in a final time of 1:22.29.

Speaker’s Corner graduated at second asking with a three-quarter length score over eventual graded-stakes placed Caddo River and multiple graded-stakes winner Greatest Honour in a seven-furlong maiden special weight in October at Belmont.

Mott said he had hoped to start Speaker’s Corner around two turns but was pleasantly surprised at Saturday’s one-turn score.

“Visually he ran good and numbers wise he ran good. And he came back good, too,” Mott said. “We had entered him in a two-turn race the day before which didn't fill thinking that this might not work out that well for him because I knew there would be some fast horses in there, but we got lucky and it worked out.”

Mott said he had initially hoped to get the lightly-raced colt to the Grade 1 Runhappy Travers slated for August 28 at the Spa but circumstances led to a more patient schedule.

“That's what we were hoping for, but it didn't work out that way. One little setback after another and before you know it, the Travers is upon us,” Mott said. “There's other races and we'll have to make it count somewhere else, hopefully.”

Among a number of options for Speaker’s Corner is the Grade 1 Pennsylvania Derby on September 25 at Parx.

“That would have to be on the radar. It would fit into the timing,” Mott said. “But everything is an option. We try to keep all our options open.”

LRE Racing and JEH Racing Stable’s Casa Creed closed five-wide to finish third in Saturday’s Grade 1 Fourstardave, just two lengths in arrears of the more prominently placed Got Stormy.

The 5-year-old Jimmy Creed bay entered the one-mile inner turf test from a two-length score in the six-furlong Grade 1 Jackpocket Jaipur on June 5 at Belmont.

“He ran a good race. It's hard not to be pleased with his effort,” Mott said.

*** 

Miles D targets G1 Runhappy Travers; will be ridden by Prat

Trainer Chad Brown said Peter Brant’s Miles D will race in the Grade 1, $1.25 million Runhappy Travers on August 28 at Saratoga Race Course, where he will be ridden by jockey Flavien Prat. 

Second to Dynamic One in the Curlin last out on July 30, a race named after his multiple champion-producing sire, Miles D broke his maiden by 2 ¼ lengths off seven month’s rest going a one-turn mile on June 12 at Belmont Park. 

In his debut on October 11 at Belmont Park, Miles D was a close fourth behind subsequent stakes winner Caddo River and multiple graded stakes winner Greatest Honour. The winner of that event, Speaker’s Corner, defeated winners on Saturday. 

Miles D breezed a half-mile Saturday in 50.04 over the Saratoga main track. 

“He’s going to have to take a big step forward in the Travers, but he’s training well,” Brown said. 

On Saturday, Brown sent multiple Grade 1-winner Domestic Spending to Arlington Park for the Grade 1 Mister D., a race formerly known as the Arlington Million. Sent off as the heavy 2-5 favorite, the consistent son of Kingman tracked slow fractions set by Two Emmys and closed late to finish second beaten a neck behind the pacesetter. 

Domestic Spending, owned by Klaravich Stables, secured three Grade 1 victories entering the Mister D. when capturing the Hollywood Derby on November 28 at Del Mar and arrived at nearly six month’s rest to dead heat with Colonel Liam in the Bourbon Turf Classic on May 1 at Churchill Downs. From there, he conquered the Manhattan on June 5 at Belmont Park. 

“I’m not sure if I’m going to train him up to the Breeders’ Cup or not, we’ll get him back home and see how he’s doing,” Brown said.

Jeff Drown’s New York-bred maiden winner Key Point won on debut going six furlongs on August 12 over the Spa main track. The son of Into Mischief registered an 82 Beyer for the victory. 

“We’re going to see how he comes out of the race and get him back under tack, but so far so good. We’ll point to something at Belmont,” Brown said.

Brown sent out a handful of horses for turf works over the Oklahoma training turf on Sunday morning, including Rockemperor, who went a half-mile in 48.60 seconds in company with Flighty Lady. 

Brown said Rockemperor, second to Cross Border in the Grade 2 Bowling Green on July 31 last out, will point to the Grade 1, $600,000 Resorts World Casino Sword Dancer Invitational on August 28. 

*** 

Maracuja records final work for G1 Alabama

Beach Haven Thoroughbreds’ Maracuja completed her preparations for Saturday’s Grade 1, $600,000 Alabama with a solid half-mile breeze Sunday on the Spa main track.

Trained by Rob Atras, the daughter of third crop sire Honor Code went to the track at 6:00 a.m. and breezed in 49.61. This was her second work back since upsetting Grade 1 Kentucky Oaks-winner Malathaat in the Grade 1 Coaching Club American Oaks on July 24 at Saratoga. 

“She worked a half-mile in 49 and change and galloped out nicely,” Atras said of the work. “She went in company with an unraced 2-year-old. They just went head-and-head.”

One start prior to the CCA Oaks, Maracuja exited post 2 in a 13-horse field in the Kentucky Oaks in April at Churchill Downs and closed up the rail for seventh in a race won by Malathaat by a neck over Search Results.

In a compact field of four assembled for the CCA Oaks, Maracuja tracked closer to the pace in third under Ricardo Santana, Jr. and battled gamely to the wire to best Malathaat, who was pressed throughout, by a head.

“The way Malathaat had to run last time compromised her, I thought,” Atras said. “It won’t be an easy task to run against her again. Ultimately, I’ll leave it up to Ricardo. Hopefully, she will get the same kind of break and see how the race sets up. You never know how tricky it can be with a short field with not much pace.”

Boasting a consistent 6-2-2-1 record and $407,100 in lifetime earnings, Maracuja broke her maiden at third asking going 6 ½ furlongs at Aqueduct before finishing second in the Grade 3 Gazelle on April 3 at the Big A.

*** 

Mischevious Alex, Drain the Clock and Ny Traffic breeze for upcoming graded-stakes engagements

Trainer Saffie Joseph, Jr. said Cash is King and LC Racing's Mischevious Alex had a good breeze back on Friday in his first timed work since an off-the-board finish in the Grade 1 Alfred G. Vanderbilt on July 31 at the Spa.

The 4-year-old into Mischief bay worked a half-mile solo in 48.45 on the main track in preparation for a start in the Grade 1, $600,000 Forego at seven furlongs on the main track on Travers Day August 28.

"He's bounced out of the race good. We haven't seen anything to deter us running back in the Forego," Joseph, Jr. said. "He got the thumps last time pretty bad. Hopefully, that was the reason for his performance."

A multiple graded-stakes winner, Mischevious Alex has won 3-of-5 starts this year, including scores in the Grade 3 Gulfstream Park Sprint in February and the Grade 1 Carter Handicap in April at Aqueduct.

Joseph Jr. said Friday's breeze have him confidence that Mischevious Alex could return to form in the Forego.

"He went a good half by himself. Hopefully the real Alex shows up and if he does, he'll have a good chance," Joseph, Jr. said.

Slam Dunk Racing, Madaket Stables, Wonder Stables and Michael Nentwig's Drain the Clock, a sophomore son of Maclean’s Music, also breezed Friday covering a half-mile in 48.83 on the main track.

Boasting a record of six wins and two seconds from nine starts, Drain the Clock bested Jackie's Warrior by a neck on June 5 at Belmont in the Grade 1 Woody Stephens.

Last out, in the 6 1/2-furlong Grade 2 Amsterdam, Jackie's Warrior turned the tables with a romping 7 1/4-length score over a sloppy and sealed Saratoga main track.

Joseph Jr. said he is hopeful Drain the Clock will one up his familiar foe in the Grade 1, $500,000 H. Allen Jerkens Memorial on Travers Day.

"No one was beating Jackie that day. He ran dynamite. Maybe our horse didn't run his best that day but all credit to Jackie," Joseph, Jr. said. "We have no excuse. We had a good trip. The record is one and one. He's beat us once, we beat him once. We'll try again in the Allen Jerkens."

John Fanelli, Cash is King, LC Racing, Paul Braverman and Team Hanley's Ny Traffic, a 4-year-old New York-bred son of Cross Traffic, breezed a half-mile in 48 flat Sunday on the main track.

The talented colt finished second in a trio of graded events last year, including the Grade 2 Louisiana Derby in March at Fair Grounds, the Grade 3 Matt Winn in May at Churchill and the Grade 1 Haskell at Monmouth in July in which he finished just a nose back of Authentic.

Ny Traffic won his seasonal debut in May at Belmont by 6 3/4-lengths sprinting seven furlongs against fellow state-breds in an optional claimer and followed with a close second in the Grade 3 Salvator Mile in June at Monmouth.

Last out, Ny Traffic faded to fourth in the nine-furlong Grade 3 Monmouth Cup on July 17.

"He went good this morning. It was his first breeze back since Monmouth, I had him in 47 and 4. It was a good work back," Joseph Jr. said. "There's a possibility he could go in the Forego or the Charles Town Classic."

Joseph Jr. said Ny Traffic will breeze again next weekend before he decides on cutting back to seven furlongs for the Forego or stretching out to nine furlongs for the Grade 2 Charles Town Classic on August 27.

Overall, Joseph, Jr. said he has been pleased with Ny Traffic's performances this season.

"He won his debut at Belmont and in his second race at Monmouth he ran second but it was a good race," Joseph, Jr. said. "Last time he disappointed a little bit if you just look at the running lines, but the reality is that he acted up pre-race back at the barn and I think he lost his race there. It wasn't a true run."

Joseph, Jr. said e Five Racing Thoroughbreds' Gibberish will turn back to nine furlongs for the $120,000 Summer Colony on August 22 at the Spa.

Last out, the 4-year-old daughter of Lea was a game second to Miss Marissa in the 10-furlong Grade 2 Delaware Handicap on July 10.

***

Pacific Gale to make turf debut in Smart N Fancy; Mr. Buff points to Empire Classic

Holly Hill Stables’ Pacific Gale breezed a half-mile in 48.80 Sunday on the Oklahoma training turf in preparation for a grass debut in Saturday’s $120,000 Smart N Fancy, a 5 1/2-furlong Mellon turf sprint for older fillies and mares.

A multiple graded stakes winner on dirt, the 6-year-old Flat Out bay worked solo under Hall of Fame jockey John Velazquez.

“She went 48 and change the right way and had a very good gallop out,” Kimmel said.

Pacific Gale blossomed over the winter in Florida, capturing the Grade 2 Inside Information in January and Grade 3 Hurricane Bertie in March, both at Gulfstream Park.

She has made her last three starts in graded stakes sprints, finishing third in the Grade 3 Vagrancy in May and fourth in the Grade 3 Bed o’ Roses in June, both at Belmont, ahead of a fifth-place effort last out in the Grade 2 Princess Rooney on July 3 at Gulfstream.

Kimmel said the Grade 1, $500,000 Ketel One Ballerina, a seven-furlong main track sprint on Travers Day August 28, is coming up tough, so he has given Pacific Gale her last two works on turf to good effect.

“I always wanted to see if she had any affinity for the turf course. Even though she's a 6-year-old we never really got around to it. It might open up another avenue,” Kimmel said. “We gave her a couple breezes on the turf course with very positive results both visually and also Johnny thought she handled it very nicely.”

Kimmel said Chester and Mary Broman’s popular New York-bred millionaire Mr. Buff will target a third win in the nine-furlong Empire Classic for state-breds on October 30 at Belmont following his off-the-board effort in the Evan Shipman on August 11 at the Spa.

With regular pilot Junior Alvarado up, Mr. Buff did not break as alertly as usual and had to chase the pace of gate-to-wire winner Sea Foam while being hemmed in by Three Jokers.

“The weather was kind of hot for him and he was a little dull. He didn't break that sharp and when he wanted to go, Junior had a quick moment to push him through there and he didn't go,” Kimmel said. “He got put in a box and he was in his mouth for a good quarter of a mile trying to slow him down. When he didn't get enough response he put his stick away and galloped him home.

“We'll try to make sure we have him ready for the Empire Classic,” Kimmel continued. “Cooler weather should work well for him.”

G1 Allen Jerkens remains a possibility for Following Sea

Spendthrift Farm’s general manager Ned Toffey said Following Sea remains under consideration for the Grade 1, $500,000 H. Allen Jerkens on August 28 at Saratoga. 

The talented son of champion medication-free stallion Runhappy was elevated to second via disqualification last out in the Grade 1 Haskell Invitational on July 17 at Monmouth Park. 

In his second start, Following Sea was a decisive 5 ¾-length winner on April 10 at Oaklawn Park before defeating winners on June 3 at Belmont Park. 

Since the Haskell, Following Sea has recorded two breezes over the Saratoga main track for Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher, most recently going a half-mile in 49.22 seconds on August 14. 

“We’ll see. Obviously, the Jerkens is coming up tough,” Toffey said. “He’s clearly a very talented horse. He’s working really well. We’ll put our heads together with Todd and see which way we want to go. We certainly have an eye on the Jerkens, but it will be very tough for a horse that still has his conditions. We’ll see how his next work is, talk to Todd and go from there.”

A Kentucky homebred, Following Sea is out of the stakes-placed Speightstown mare Quick Flip. 

Red Danger to get green light for first stakes appearance following Saratoga starts

Promising juvenile Red Danger has already competed twice during the Saratoga meet, running fifth in his debut on July 17 sprinting 5 1/2 furlongs on the main track. Moved to turf for his start on August 11, the Orb colt rallied from fifth to display a strong closing kick in winning the 5 1/2-furlong contest by 1 1/4 lengths. 

Lynch said Silverton Hill’s Red Danger will use that Saratoga experience to step up to stakes company next out at Kentucky Downs. Red Danger had been training in the Bluegrass State at Churchill Downs before setting up show at the Spa in early July. 

“He stepped up like we needed him to the other day and now we’ll look at one of those 2-year-old stakes at Kentucky Downs,” Lynch said. “We’re very happy with how he did it and his time at Saratoga set him up nicely for his next steps.”

The news wasn’t as positive for Amerman Racing’s graded stakes-winner Gift List, who was working her way back from one setback before needing a chip removed last week, postponing her return to the track.

“We had another little hiccup with her,” Lynch said. “She had a small chip removed and she’s going to be laid up for a little bit. She’ll back in the fall, hopefully.”

Gift List has not run since finishing third in the Grade 3 Wonder Again on June 3 at Belmont as the 3-year-old Bated Breath filly worked her way back after recovering from pneumonia and combating colic.

On August 6, Gift List breezed four furlongs in 54.20 seconds on over Saratoga’s Oklahoma turf training track. Lynch’s original goal was to get her ready for the $700,000 Jockey Club Oaks going 1 3/8 miles on September 18 at Belmont, but those fall plans have now been placed in a holding pattern.

After earning black type in the Wonder Again over a Belmont turf rated good, Gift List was slated for a potential next-out start in the first leg of the Turf Triple with the Grade 1, $700,000 Belmont Oaks on July 10 followed by the Grade 3, $700,000 Saratoga Oaks Invitational on August 8.

Instead, she likely will have to skip the Turf Triple series entirely, curtailing the momentum she generated to start 2021 when she ran second, a half-length back to Jouster, in the Grade 2 Appalachian in April at Keeneland before winning the Grade 2 Edgewood by 4 1/2 lengths going 1 1/16 miles in April at Churchill Downs. That winning effort netted a personal-best 88 Beyer.

Tobys Heart, who ran third in the Grade 3 Lake George on July 23 going one mile on the Saratoga turf, was listed as a probable for Saturday’s Grade 2, $200,000 Lake Placid for sophomore fillies going 1 1/16 miles but instead will opt for the $500,000 Music City at 6 1/2 furlongs on Sunday, September 12 at Kentucky Downs.

Owned by Terry Hamilton, Lynch and Gary Barber, Tobys Heart won the 5 1/2-furlong Limestone Turf Sprint in April at Keeneland over a course labeled good. Stretched out to seven furlongs, the Jack Milton filly ran fifth in the Grade 3 Soaring Softly in May at Belmont but responded by running second in the Tepin contested at the Lake George distance on June 26 at Churchill Downs over firm ground.

After heading back to Kentucky, Lynch said there is a possibility Tobys Heart will return to Belmont for the fall meet.

“She’s doing really well and we’re looking forward to cutting her back in distance a little bit and having a crack at the big pot down there and then see what our options are,” Lynch said.

Tobys Heart breezed a half-mile in 51.50 Sunday on the Oklahoma training turf. 

***

All-graded stakes CCP5 pays $93K; total pool of $328K

Saturday’s all-graded stakes Cross Country Pick 5, featuring top-caliber action from Saratoga and Arlington Park, paid $93,103 for selecting all five winners for the 50-cent wager. The total pool was $328,609.

Saratoga started the action when High Oak drew away for an impressive 4 1/4-length win in the Grade 2, $200,000 Saratoga Special presented by Miller Lite in Race 9. Trained by Hall of Famer Bill Mott, High Oak won the 6 1/2-furlong main track sprint for juveniles in a final time of 1:16.53 under jockey Junior Alvarado. Off at 10-1, he returned $22.40 on a $2 win wager.

The remainder of the sequence featured all Grade 1 contests, commencing with the $400,000 Beverly D. for fillies and mares 3-years-old and up competing at 1 3/16 miles on the Arlington turf in Race 7. Even-money favorite Santa Barbara [$4], the winner of the Grade 1 Belmont Oaks Invitational last month at Belmont Park, posted a three-length win under rider Ryan Moore, who traveled from Europe for the mount. Conditioned by internationally acclaimed trainer Aidan O’Brien, Santa Barbara completed the course in 1:54.55.

In Saratoga’s 10th race, Got Stormy bested males to win the $500,000 Fourstardave for 3-year-olds and up for the second time in her career. Trained by Hall of Famer Mark Casse, Got Stormy, the 2019 Fourstardave winner, bested Set Piece by 1 1/2 lengths under Tyler Gaffalione, hitting the wire in 1:33.09 for the one-mile inner turf contest. Got Stormy [$27] won at 12-1. Her sire, Get Stormy, won the 2010 edition of the Fourstardave.

The premier race day at Arlington – located in Arlington Heights, Illinois – closed the wager with the final two races, starting with Point Me By’s 2 3/4-length win in the $300,000 Bruce D. for 3-year-olds going one mile on the turf in Race 8. The Bruce D., formerly known as the Secretariat, saw the Eddie Kenneally-trained Point Me By win as the favorite, returning $5.40. Luis Saez, who traveled from Saratoga for the card, piloted Point Me By to victory, notching a final time of 1:37.70.

Arlington’s Race 9 concluded the sequence when Two Emmys edged heavy favorite Domestic Spending by a neck in a thrilling finish to the $600,000 Mr. D. for 3-year-olds and up competing at 1 1/4 miles on the turf. It was potentially the last running for the contest formerly known as the Arlington Million and renamed for long-time Arlington owner Richard Duchossois, honoring the 99-year-old World War II veteran. Two Emmys, trained by Hugh Robertson and ridden by James Graham, went gate-to-wire and put his nose on the wire at 2:03.34 to get the win.

The minimum bet for the multi-track, multi-race wager is 50 cents. Wagering on the Cross Country Pick 5 is also available on track, 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.