Saratoga Race 9: Post: 5:39 ET
8-Maven (5/2)
Erratic but talented gelding should outclass his rivals in this year’s edition of the Lucky Coin S., a restricted turf sprint for older horses. No threat when 11 of 16 in the King’s Stand S.-G1 at Royal Ascot in June, the W. Ward-trained son of American Pharoah returns to face a field he’ll outrun with a repeat of his facile allowance win sprinting over the Keeneland course two runs back. The triple-digit Beyer number he earned in that race clearly sets him above the rest, and his recent work tab at Keeneland should have him plenty fit.
Del Mar Race 7: Post: 6:30 PT
5-England’s Rose (5/2)
Lightly-raced mare is bred to excel in marathon races and finally gets her chance to show it in this first-level allowance event for fillies and mares over 11 furlongs on grass. The daughter of English Channel, a sharp runner-up in a hot middle-distance event over the local lawn last month, always has shown a good turn of foot and her late kick should be extremely effective in long distance races such as this. V. Espinoza knows her well and should have the J. Shirreffs-trained mare along in time as a win play and rolling exotic single.