Coastal King seeks two in a row

AUBURN, Wash. - Coastal King will attempt to make it two wins in a row when he heads a field of nine older sprinters in Saturday's feature, a six-furlong race to be run under $40,000 optional claiming conditions.

Coastal King, a 5-year-old son of Charismatic from the barn of trainer Frank Lucarelli, is coming off a sharp win over $32,000 claimers on May 24. Coastal King came from off the pace to prevail by a head over Skyrider in 1:15.60 for 6 1/2 furlongs. It was the seventh win from 29 starts for Coastal King, who is 4 for 10 at the six-furlong distance.

Coastal King figures to be tested by Diligent Prospect, a Charles Essex-trained 6-year-old who has a win and 3 thirds from 5 starts this year. He defeated Coastal King in a 5 1/2-furlong optional claiming affair here on April 26, then came back to run third at the same level going six furlongs before shipping to Hastings and running third against optional $35,000 claimers last Saturday. Diligent Prospect is coming back quickly and breaking from the rail, but both of those factors could be positives. He was coming back in just eight days when he won here April 26, and he is 2 for 3 from the inside post.

A newcomer in Saturday's headliner is Maxey Boy, a $675,000 yearling purchase who graduated at the maiden special weight level at Churchill Downs. Maxey Boy has not run since finishing last of nine in an allowance race at Del Mar last July, but he has worked extremely well over this track for trainer Mike Chambers.