ELMONT, N.Y. – Saturday’s all graded stakes Cross Country Pick 5 featuring action from Belmont and Delaware Park paid $1,500.75 for selecting all five winners for the 50-cent wager. The total pool was $197,502.
Dalika started the sequence by besting Luck Money by one length in the Grade 3, $150,000 Robert G. Dick Memorial in Race 5, with fillies and mares 3-years-old and up competing at 1 3/8 miles on the turf. Trained by Al Stall, Jr. and ridden by Miguel Mena, Dalika completed the course in 2:16.35 and returned $10.60 on a $2 win wager.
Three consecutive stakes at Belmont comprised the heart of the wager, starting with Santa Barbara’s rally for a half-length win in the Grade 1 Belmont Oaks Invitational in Race 7. The Irish-bred shipper for trainer Aidan O’Brien rallied from seventh at the top of the stretch under internationally renowned jockey Ryan Moore, winning the 1 1/4-mile inner turf contest for sophomore fillies that was the first leg of the Turf Triple series. Santa Barbara, who notched a 2:03.76 final time, paid $4.30 as the even-money favorite in Race 7.
Prat, aboard the runner-up Con Lima in the Belmont Oaks Invitational, earned a trip to the winner’s circle in the next race piloting Souper Sensational to a 3 1/4-length victory in the Grade 3 Victory Ride for 3-year-old fillies sprinting 6 1/2 furlongs on the main track in Race 8. Trained by Casse, Souper Sensational returned $13.80, posting a final time of 1:15.79 to top Ova Charged.
Belmont’s other Turf Triple opener – the Grade 1 Belmont Derby Invitational for 3-year-olds also going 1 1/4 miles on the inner turf, saw O’Brien and Moore team up again to win aboard a talented Irish-bred shipper, as Bolshoi Ballet rewarded his even-money favoritism with a 1 1/4-length score, paying $4.10. Bolshoi Ballet topped the French-bred Tokyo Gold, hitting the wire in 2:04.42.
Delaware Park bookended the action when Miss Marissa bested a six-horse field of fillies and mares 3-years-old and up to win the Grade 2, $400,000 Delaware Handicap by 1 1/4 lengths in Race 9. Miss Marissa, conditioned by James Ryerson and ridden by Daniel Centeno, notched a final time of 2:04.50, paying $11.40.
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.
NYRA Press Office
