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NYRA partners with Woodbine, Monmouth and Delaware Park for summer meet's final Cross Country Pick 5

by Brian Bohl

The New York Racing Association, Inc. (NYRA) will host the final Cross Country Pick 5 of the summer meet at Saratoga Race Course on Saturday, teaming with Monmouth Park, Woodbine Racetrack and Delaware Park. 

Live coverage will be available with Saratoga Live on FOX Sports and MSG Networks. Free Equibase past performances for the Cross Country Pick 5 sequence are now available for download at https://www.nyra.com/saratoga/racing/cross-country-wagers.

Saratoga, which offers four total graded stakes on Saturday's 12-race card, will start the Cross Country Pick 5 with the Grade 2, $150,000 Jim Dandy for sophomores going nine furlongs in Race 9 at 4:21 p.m. Eastern. Dr Post, the runner-up in the Grade 1 Belmont Stakes in June, will be making his first start since running third in the Grade 1 Haskell in July at Monmouth Park. The Todd Pletcher trainee also saw stablemate Happy Saver entered. Other contenders include Mystic Guide, Celtic Striker, Jesus' Team, Liveyourbeastlife and First Line.

Monmouth will have a full field of 3-year-olds and upward going one mile on the turf in Race 9 at 4:40 p.m. The claiming race will see trainer Timothy Hills enter a pair in Beach Traffic and Leading Factor, while Rudy Rodriguez enters King of Ranch and Michael Trombetta sends out Make a Stand.

Action will shift to Delaware Park for an allowance races for fillies and mares 3-years-old and up contesting at one mile and 70 yards on turf in Race 8 at 4:45 p.m. Trainer Michael Matz will send out La Babia, who has finished in the money in five of her last six starts.

Saratoga will host the fourth leg by featuring the Grade 2, $200,000 Prioress in Race 10 at 4:57 p.m. Reagan's Edge will look to turn the tables on Frank's Rockette in the six-furlong sprint for sophomore fillies. The two were separated by a head in the Grade 3 Victory Ride on July 4 at Belmont Park. Four-time Eclipse Award-winning trainer Chad Brown will saddle the dangerous duo of Center Aisle and Secondary Market to add to a competitive field.

The wager concludes with the fourth track to participate in the sequence, with Woodbine hosting the Grade 3, $125,000 Vigil for 3-year-olds and up going six furlongs on the main track in Race 9 at 5:10 p.m. Pink Lloyd, trained by Robert Tiller, will look to win the race for a fourth straight year, as the 8-year-old Sovereign Award-winner and 2017 Canadian Horse of the Year will seek his 23rd career stakes 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 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, September 5:
Leg 1 - Saratoga, Race 9: Jim Dandy (G2) (4:21 p.m.)
Leg 2 - Monmouth, Race 9: (4:40 p.m.)
Leg 3 - Delaware Park, Race 8: (4:45 p.m.)
Leg 4 - Saratoga, Race 10: Prioress (G2) (4:57 p.m.)
Leg 5 - Woodbine, Race 9: Vigil (G3) (5:10 p.m.)