Everything Lovely takes on males in My Frenchman

A well-matched field of turf sprinters Saturday should make for an exciting edition of the $60,000 My Frenchman Stakes, the highlight of the final weekend at Monmouth Park before the July 30 Haskell.

Everything Lovely, the only mare in a lineup that will max out at 10 starters, figures as the one to catch under Jose Ferrer when breaking from post 3 in the 5 1/2-furlong My Frenchman. Everything Lovely led throughout the $100,000 The Very One on the May 20 Preakness card at Pimlico and is the only My Frenchman starter to have won a 2017 stakes.

Her chief threats figure to be Take Cover (post 10, Nik Juarez), making the third start in his form cycle for Alan Goldberg, and Super Spender (post 6, Antonio Gallardo), a sharp second in a June 23 prep toward this.

The My Frenchman, named for the turf-sprint specialist who won 23 of 68 starts from 1988-95 when trained mostly by the late Jimmy Murphy, goes as the ninth of 10 races on a program that starts at 12:50 p.m. Eastern. Post time for the feature is 4:57.

Fair weather has been forecast for the Jersey Shore area through Saturday, meaning all five turf races on the card most likely will stay put.

The annual Monmouth showcase, the $1 million Haskell, is shaping up with another terrific cast. Battle of Midway, Practical Joke, McCraken, Timeline, and Girvin are among the 3-year-olds expected.

KEY CONTENDERS

Everything Lovely, by Pollard’s Vision
Last 3 Beyers: 78-82-91

◗ Five-year-old mare looks to make amends as a twice-beaten odds-on favorite following her The Very One score.

Take Cover, by War Front
Last 3 Beyers: 92-93-86

◗ Handy 5-year-old comes favorably drawn in the outside post and should make his presence felt down the stretch.

Super Spender, by Super Saver

Last 3 Beyers: 92-89-98

◗ One of two contenders (with Amelia’s Wild Ride) for the Jane Cibelli barn, his last effort suggests he’s sitting on a big one.

Amelia’s Wild Ride, by D’wildcat
Last 3 Beyers: 71-94-96

◗ Dull effort in the July 8 Parx Dash seems like a misleading indicator for a grizzled veteran whose $583,430 bankroll is tops in the field.

Simon Bar Sinister, by War Front
Last 3 Beyers: 88-89-88

◗ Consistent 6-year-old was a solid third behind Super Spender in the key June 23 prep for trainer John Mazza.