If you don’t play Aqueduct Park, and tend not to participate in multi-race Wagers, Saturday January 16th would be a good time to start.

The Early Pick 5, covering the first five races of every card at NYRA tracks was, for the first time in quite a stretch, not hit on Friday, resulting in a carryover of $265,042.64 when live racing resumes on Saturday at the Big A.

Several big-priced Winners on the Friday, eight-race card lead to the carry-over.

73-1 longshot GRATTO SWING kicked the day off with a half-length Victory in Race 1. Ridden by Benjamin Hernandez, the four year-old Maiden paid $148.50 for a $2 Win wager.

FLASHNDYNAMITE, off at 7-1, Won a one-mile Allowance tilt in Race 2, paying $16. Trained by Michael Moore and piloted by winter meet-leading rider Kendrick Carmouche. FLASHNDYNAMITE rallied from fourth to outkick Post Time favorite KANSAS KIS by a length.

REED KAN paid a nominal $5.50 as he topped a five-horse field in the six-furlong claimer that was Race 3. Benjamin Hernandez notched his second Win of the day.

BABA, off at odds of 26-1 in the one-mile Maiden contest in Race 4, paid $54, edging 3-1 COAL SHAFT by a head for the Win. Jorge Vargas, Jr. was the Victorious jockey, coaxing BABA to her first Win in five career starts.

JACKIE MILTON, a 4-1 selection, capped the Early Pick 5 with her Victory in the seven-furlong claiming race. Ridden by Pablo Morales, she returned $10.20 for a $2 Win wager.

So there you have it; two cheap Claimers, and an Allowance race with somewhat average pay-outs, plus two Maiden races that were bombs-away, and you now have over a quarter of a million dollars in carry-over.

We at the Daily Racing Blog can see that betting pool getting as high as $750,000 before they get in the gate.

So get your buddies together, pool your resources, and take your shot. Saturday’s Early Pick 5 will begin with the opening race with a Post Time of 12:20.

Don’t get shut out.