Belmont Offers Punters Options and New Cross Country Pick 5

June 5, 2020

Friday’s Late Pick 5, Empire 6 and New Cross Country Pick 5 with Churchill Downs 

Late Pick 5 carryover of $327,647 set for Friday at Belmont

A slew of upsets on Thursday’s card at Belmont Park ensured a Late Pick 5 carryover of $327,647 when live racing resumes at Belmont on Friday.

Live coverage of all the races in Friday’s Late Pick 5 carryover sequence are available with America’s Day at the Races on FOX Sports and MSG+. Free Equibase-provided past performances are available for all races that are part of the America’s Day at the Racesbroadcast and can be accessed at https://www.nyra.com/belmont/racing/tv-schedule

The Late Pick 5, which covers the last five races of every card at NYRA tracks, commenced in Race 6 on Thursday when A d’Oro, under jockey Dylan Davis, won a six-furlong maiden claimer, returning $10 on a $2 win wager.

Race 7 saw a major upset, when Riken, at 25-1, also won a six-furlong sprint. The David Donk trainee, ridden by Luis Cardenas, paid $52.50. Tap It to Win did just that in Race 8, with Hall of Famer John Velazquez piloting the Florida-bred to a win at 1 1/16 miles, returning $14.40.

In the day’s featured race, the Australian-bred Paret, off at 38-1, bested a 12-horse field going 1 3/8 miles on the turf, paying a hefty $78.50 that appeared to be the biggest upset of the day before Hunnybunnerdini won the 10th race finale at 47-1 odds, returning $97 to cap the whirlwind day.

Friday’s 10-race card at Belmont will feature a 1:15 p.m. Eastern first post. The Late Pick 5 will commence in Race 6 with a post time of 3:59 p.m. For more information on the Late Pick 5, visit www.NYRABets.com.

Mandatory payout set for Empire 6 for Saturday, June 6

Empire 6 jackpot currently stands at $51,220

The New York Racing Association, Inc. (NYRA) today announced the first Saturday card of the Belmont Park spring/summer meet will be highlighted by a mandatory payout of the Empire 6, which currently boasts a jackpot of $51,220.

Live racing resumed at Belmont Park without spectators on June 3, starting a 25-day meet that will feature 40 total stakes worth $7 million, including 22 graded contests.

Four of those graded stakes will take place during Saturday’s 11-race card with a first post of 1:15 p.m. Eastern.

Live coverage of all the races in the sequence are available with America’s Day at the Races on FOX Sports and MSG+. Free Equibase-provided past performances are available for races that are part of the America’s Day at the Races broadcast and can be accessed at https://www.nyra.com/belmont/racing/tv-schedule.

The Empire 6’s first four legs will feature consecutive stakes, starting with Race 6 at 3:59 p.m., the Grade 2, $150,000 Fort Marcy at 1 1/8 miles on the turf. The Fort Marcy will feature four contenders for trainer Chad Brown, including Grade 1-winner Newspaperofrecord, as well as Viadera, Regal Glory and Significant Form. 

The Grade 3, $100,000 Westchester will go off as Race 7, followed by the $100,000 Intercontinental for fillies and mares 4-years-old and up going seven furlongs on the Widener turf in Race 8.

The 120th running of the Grade 1, $250,000 Carter Handicap, carded as Race 9, is the centerpiece, with 11 contenders 3-years-old and up going seven furlongs on Big Sandy.

A 6 ½-furlong sprint for New York-breds in Race 10 will be followed by a one-mile maiden race on the Widener turf in the 11th-race finale to close the Empire 6 sequence.

The Empire 6 requires the bettor to select the first-place finisher of the final six races of the card. On non-mandatory payout days, if one unique ticket exists, then 100 percent of the net pool, plus the jackpot carryover if applicable, will be paid to the winner. If there is no unique wager selecting the first-place finisher in all six races, then 75 percent of the day’s net pool will be distributed to those who selected the first-place finisher in the greatest number of races. The remainder will be added into the jackpot and carried to the next day’s Empire 6.

For more information on the Empire 6, please visit http://www.nyrabets.com.

NYRA teams with Churchill Downs for Cross Country Pick 5 on Saturday

The New York Racing Association, Inc. (NYRA) will partner with Churchill Downs to host a Cross Country Pick 5 on Saturday, June 6. The wager will include action from both Belmont Park and Churchill, with live coverage of all the races in the sequence available with America’s Day at the Races on FS1 and MSG+.

Free Equibase past performances for the Cross Country Pick 5 sequence are available for download at https://www.nyra.com/belmont/racing/cross-country-wagers.

Belmont will be the site of the sequence’s first two races, starting with the Grade 3, $100,000 Westchester in Race 7 at 4:32 p.m. Eastern. Four-time graded stakes-winner Code of Honor will make his 2020 debut as part of an 11-horse field contesting at 1 1/16 miles on the main track.

Following will be the Grade 3, $100,000 Intercontinental for fillies and mares 4-years-old and up in Race 8 at 5:04 p.m. 

Action will then switch to Churchill for Race 9 at 5:18 p.m. for an allowance race going 5 ½ furlongs on turf. The penultimate leg will then switch back to Belmont for another stakes contest in the Grade 1 $250,000 Runhappy Carter Handicap. The seven-furlong main track sprint will see 11 contenders, including Mind Control, Performer, Vekoma, Firenze Fire and Nitrous, vie for an automatic berth to the Breeders’ Cup Sprint in November.

The Cross Country Pick 5 will conclude at Churchill with the Grade 3, $100,000 Dogwood for sophomore fillies going seven furlongs. The 10th race, with a post time of 5:50 p.m., offers eight contenders.

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 6:

Leg 1 – Belmont, Race 7, Grade 3 Westchester: (4:32 p.m.)

Leg 2 – Belmont, Race 8, Grade 3 Intercontinental (5:04 p.m.)

Leg 3 – Churchill, Race 9: (5:18 p.m.)

Leg 4 – Belmont, Race 9, Grade 1 Runhappy Carter (5:36 p.m.)

Leg 5 – Churchill, Race 10, Grade 3 Dogwood: (5:50 p.m.)

Edited NYRA Press Release 

Photo: Belmont Park. Credit: Coglianese Photos 

@jonathanstettin great read as always!

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