How to bet Saturday's Cross Country Pick 5 on a budget

The New York Racing Association will on Saturday host a Cross Country Pick 5 featuring races from Aqueduct, Oaklawn Park, Charles Town, Woodbine and Keeneland.

Saturday's Pick 5 sequence will start with Race 8 at Woodbine, the Whimsical Stakes (G3) with a scheduled post time of 4:51 p.m., and runs through Race 9 at Aqueduct, a division of the New York Stallion Series, at 5:48 p.m.

The Cross Country Pick 5 has a minimum bet of 50 cents and can be played through NYRA Bets, ADW platforms, on track and at simulcast facilities across the country. 

Once again, I will use one of my favorite cost-effective Pick 5 wagering strategies, the spread ticket formula. It would cost $600 to lump all of my contenders on one ticket, but the spread ticket formula knocks the price down to a much more reasonable $42.

Cross Country Pick 5 Contenders

Woodbine Race 8 (G3 Whimsical, 6f)

Primary - #5 Shakopee Town

Secondary - #4 Sly Beauty, #6 Magic Spell

Comments - #5 Shakopee Town (2-1) moves to the Kevin Attard barn, and this is her first try on all-weather ground. The Louisiana-bred filly drilled a local bullet for this April 13 and does her best work at this distance. #4 Sly Beauty (9-5) tuned up for this with a show finish in a turf sprint at Gulfstream. She removes blinkers and won a $100,000 stakes race at this course/distance last May. #6 Magic Spell (7-2) is 2-for-3 in local all-weather sprints and projects an outside stalking trip.  

Oaklawn Race 7 (Rainbow Stakes, 6f)

Primary - #7 Tapit Star

Secondary - #1 Young Bull, #2 No Debate, #3 Rusty Cage, #6 Destinedtobeastar

Comments - #7 Tapit Star (8-5) improved his numbers in all four starts and is back at his winning distance. He drew well and looks better than these on paper. #1 Young Bull (9-2) added blinkers and earned improved pace ratings in a runner-up finish April 12. #2 No Debate (5-1) graduated in his local debut on a good track March 24 and would not have to improve much to be competitive in this spot. #3 Rusty Cage (3-1) will definitely be there early but might not last. His speed figures are going the wrong way. #6 Destinedtobeastar (4-1) owns competitive numbers and picks up Ricardo Santana Jr. He is probably a bigger threat underneath.  

Keeneland Race 9 (G3 Elkhorn, 12T)

Primary - #4 Soglio, #10 Zulu Alpha

Secondary - #5 Canessar, #8 Red Knight

Comments - #4 Soglio (4-1) had a rare off-the-board finish from an outer post in the Pan American (G2) last time. His last win was at this course/distance last fall, and he figures to stalk the pace under his new rider Florent Geroux. #10 Zulu Alpha (8-5) won two graded turf marathon races at Gulfstream Park this winter, and he captured the Sycamore (G3) at this course/distance last fall. #8 Red Knight (5-1) exits a game head victory over Soglio at two miles. He is 6-for-9 overall on turf and will try to get involved late under Luis Saez. #5 Canessar (6-1) probably moved too soon in the Pan American. He was sixth in this event last year, and Feargal Lynch needs better timing this go around. He was second in the Belmont Gold Cup (G2) at two miles last June and is probably using this event as a prep for that upcoming affair at Belmont Park. 

Charles Town 11 (G2 Charles Town Classic, 9f)

Primary - #1 Mongolian Groom, #4 Rally Cry

Secondary - #2 Nanoosh, #3 Diamond King, #9 War Story

Comments - California shippers have done well in this race, and #1 Mongolian Groom (6-1) exits an OK show finish in the Santa Anita Handicap (G1). The improving 4-year-old gelding figures to stalk the pace from the inside post. #4 Rally Cry (9-2) makes his first start in more than seven months for sharp layoff trainer Todd Pletcher, who has won this race twice. He reconnects with winning rider John Velazquez. #3 Diamond King (4-1) exits a sharp flat mile win as the favorite at Gulfstream. He won the Tesio Stakes at this distance last spring, but I think he is at his absolute best around one turn, not three. He should be forwardly placed, and his rider, Javier Castellano, has won this race three times. #9 War Story (7-2) missed by a neck in this race last year and is capable of firing a fresh shot for Jorge Navarro. His new stablemate #2 Nanoosh (10-1) has tactical speed and an inner post. He might move forward in his third start after a layoff. 

Aqueduct Race 9 (Times Square, 6.5f)

Primary - #4 Bankit, #8 Blindwillie McTell

Secondary - #5 Funny Guy, #11 Thorny Tale

Comments - #4 Bankit (5-2) competed in Kentucky Derby points races in his last four starts and was not quite up to that level of competition. He turns back and easily won the Sleepy Hollow Stakes in his last New York-bred attempt in October. #8 Blindwillie McTell (2-1) is 2-for-2 in the local state-bred stakes ranks. He meets other speed and will have to be on top of his game to win this under Irad Ortiz Jr. #11 Thorny Tale (9-2) finished behind Blindwillie McTell in his last two starts against this kind. The fresh gelding drew well and gets pace to chase. #5 Funny Guy (15-1) reconnects with his winning rider, Rajiv Maragh, and could fall into the perfect stalking trip. He battled on the pace and retreated to eighth place as a 37-1 longshot in his lone state bred stakes attempt, and bounced back with a solid place finish last time.