Edited from press release--The NTRA National Pick 4 wager, offered in conjunction with "The Road to the World Thoroughbred Championships on NBC", will be available for fans Saturday, Oct. 8.The wager challenges fans to correctly select the winners of four grade I stakes: the $500,000 Frizette Stakes from Belmont Park; the $500,000 Lane's End Breeders' Futurity from Keeneland; the $500,000 Champagne Stakes from Belmont; and the $600,000 Shadwell Turf Mile from Keeneland. All races will air live Saturday on NBC from 4:30-6:00 p.m. EDT.The NTRA National Pick 4 carries a $400,000 gross pool guarantee, has a $1.00 minimum wager amount, and will be hubbed as a separate card event by Belmont Park with a 25% takeout. To wager, fans should ask for the "National Pick 4." The first leg will be the Frizette, with a scheduled post time of 4:45 p.m. EDT. The Frizette will be followed in order by the Lane's End Breeders' Futurity (5:08 p.m. EDT), the Champagne (5:25 p.m. EDT), and the Shadwell Turf Mile (5:45 p.m. EDT). "We are delighted to offer our final NTRA National Pick 4 of the year on this important national telecast," said Kenneth E. Kirchner, the NTRA's senior vice president for product development. "This year's first three National Pick 4s all easily exceeded their handle guarantees and, with this being the last chance for fans to scout out their prospective Breeders' Cup horses, we think customers will find Saturday's wager equally attractive."FRIZETTE STAKES: The Todd Pletcher-trained Adieu, winner of the Spinaway Stakes (gr. II) at Saratoga, is the expected favorite in a field that should include the unbeaten trio of Keeneland Kat, winner of the Sorority Stakes; Catch My Fancy, who took the Barretts Debutante Stakes; and Mykindasaint, winner of the Princess Stakes. Other possible contenders are Better Now, Along the Sea, Lasting Appeal, and Philanthropy Lady. The one-mile race for 2-year-old fillies is part of the Alberto VO5 Juvenile Fillies Division. LANE'S END BREEDERS' FUTURITY: The Patrick Biancone-trained Stream Cat, coming off a win in the Kentucky Cup Juvenile (gr. III), will meet Laity, winner of the Cradle Stakes; Reaffirmed, who took the Continental Mile Stakes, the Bob Baffert-trained Too Much Bling, who was third in the Hopeful Stakes (gr. I); and possibly Lemonade Kid, who is a stablemate of Preakness (gr. I) and Belmont Stakes (gr. I) winner Afleet Alex. The 1 1/16-miles race for 2-year-olds is part of the Bessemer Trust Juvenile Division. CHAMPAGNE STAKES: First Samurai, the unbeaten, impressive winner of the grade I Hopeful Stakes, headlines a field of juveniles that should include the Patrick Biancone-trained Henny Hughes, who was second in the Hopeful after winning the Saratoga Special (gr. II). Also scheduled to start are Bro Lo, winner of the I'm Smokin Stakes; Flanders Fields, and Deputy Glitters. Other possible starters include Menacing, Greater Fool and Superfly. The one-mile race for 2-year-olds is part of the Bessemer Trust Juvenile Division. SHADWELL TURF MILE: Trainer Bobby Frankel could saddle the top two favorites in the race in the Australian champion mare Alinghi and Three Valleys. Alinghi won the Ballston Spa Breeders' Cup Handicap (gr. III) at Saratoga in her first U.S. start, and Three Valleys set a course record in capturing the Del Mar Breeders' Cup Handicap (gr. II). Main challengers include Cool Conductor, winner of the Arlington Handicap (gr. III); Brazilian-bred Durban Thunder, winner of the Kentucky Cup Turf Dash; and Host, who won the Mac Diarmida Handicap (gr. III) at Gulfstreamin January. The one-mile turf contest is part of the NetJets Mile Division.
