The New York Racing Association will offer a special all-stakes Whitney Weekend All-Turf Pick 5, linking races from Friday, Aug. 2 and Saturday, Aug. 3, at Saratoga Race Course.
The special wager, featuring a $0.50 base, low 15-percent takeout and mandatory payout, kicks off Friday in Race 8 at 5:10 p.m. ET with the $400,000 Saratoga Oaks Invitational (G2) for 3-year-old fillies at 1 3/16 miles over the Mellon turf. It continues one race later with the $500,000 National Museum of Racing Hall of Fame (G2) at one mile on the inner turf for 3-year-olds.
The wager concludes with a trio of races on Saturday's lucrative 13-race Whitney Day card. The third leg goes as the $600,000 Saratoga Derby (G1) Invitational at 3:21 p.m. at 1 3/16 miles for 3-year-olds over the Mellon turf. It will be followed by the listed $135,000 Lure at 4:29 at 1 1/16 miles on the inner turf for older horses that have not won a graded race this year. The sequence concludes with the $300,000 Troy (G2) for older horses at 5:04 p.m. at 5 1/2 furlongs over the Mellon turf.
Saturday's all-stakes Pick 5 kicks off with the Saratoga Derby Invitational and includes the Test, the Lure, the Troy and the $1 million Whitney (G1), a nine-furlong test for older horses offering a "Win and You're In" berth to the Breeders' Cup Classic (G1) in November at Del Mar.
First post Saturday is 12:05 ET, with gates opening to the public at 10:30 a.m.
This press release has been edited for content and style by BloodHorse Staff.
