River Deep cuts back for Maryland Coalition

The $75,000 Maryland Coalition, the second of two stakes at the meet, tops the Saturday program as the seven-day season at the Maryland State Fair in Timonium heads into the stretch. The meet will conclude with a holiday card Monday.

Going into the Friday races, Gerald Brooks (10-3-1-2) leads Wayne Potts (5-2-0-1) in the trainer standings and Angel Cruz (13-4-0-1) tops the jockey list over Erin Walker (10-3-1-2).

Trainer Phil Schoenthal holds a strong hand in the Coalition with River Deep and Sonny Inspired. The 6 1/2-furlong Coalition will be run around two turns over the five-furlong track.

River Deep will be turning back in distance from a 7 1/4-length victory in the one-mile Hansel Stakes, a Virginia-restricted race that was moved from turf to the Laurel Park main track and run around a single turn.

The second bend of the Coalition should not bother River Deep, who last year at 3 won four races around two turns. The 6 1/2 furlongs also suits him. Cruz picks up the mount.

Sonny Inspired, 7, has regained his best form and has won two of his last three races. He rallied from well back to win the Maryland-bred Ben’s Cat on turf last time out and scored over Tapeta in optional-claiming company at Presque Isle in late June.

While dirt and the distance are fine for Sonny Inspired, this will be his first two-turn try since June 2016. Arnaldo Bocachica is named to ride.

Union Blues, a $7,500 claim in May at Laurel, has dramatically improved for trainer Jennifer Shannon. In his last three starts, Union Blues won a first-level allowance, was beaten a head in second-level optional-claiming company, and was disqualified from a win at that level Aug. 16.

A 4-year-old son of Union Rags, Union Blues has good speed and could show the way in the Coalition under jockey Luis Rodriguez.

Colonel Sharp has finished third in stakes at Mountaineer and Presque Isle in his most recent races. The late-running sprinter trained by Hugh McMahon rallied in each of those races, the $75,000 Senator Robert Byrd Memorial and the Karl Boyes Memorial.

He is in good form, but is pace dependent. J.D. Acosta rides.

Rockinn On Bye also is going well and rallied from sixth to finish third to Laki and Lewisfield in the Aug. 12 Polynesian. But the 7-year-old Rockinn On Bye has won once in his last 30 starts. His regular rider, Taylor Hole, will be aboard for trainer Stephen Casey.