Although the Grade 2 Pat O’Brien Stakes does not include California’s top older sprinter The Chosen Vron, the seven-furlong race Saturday at Del Mar is no easy spot for a trio of contenders with something to prove.

Anarchist is too good to be labelled a bridesmaid, yet he finished second in four straight U.S. graded stakes. Brickyard Ride is an eight-time stakes winner, but he has never won at Del Mar. As for Spirit of Makena, two-time graded winner at seven furlongs, he was lucky that a brutal trip last out carried no aftereffects.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – The stalwart turf distance specialist Channel Maker will make his sixth start in the Grade 1 Sword Dancer Stakes on Saturday at Saratoga. Could he be saving his best for last?

Brad Cox’s lone career starter at FanDuel Racing finished third, but Cox has two legitimate hopes to win his first St. Louis Derby on Saturday night.

Slip Mahoney was a last-start winner at Saratoga and sniffed the edges of the Triple Crown trail earlier this year, and figures to be a shorter price than Cox’s second entrant, Tabeguache. While Slip Mahoney so far has been the better horse, Tabeguache might be the better bet Saturday as an improving, lightly raced 3-year-old.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – In midstretch of last month’s Grade 1 Alfred G. Vanderbilt Stakes, Gunite looked as though he was going to avenge his loss to Elite Power earlier in the year in Saudi Arabia and end that horse’s seven-race winning streak.

But Elite Power found another gear over the sealed and muddy Saratoga main track and nailed Gunite on the wire, running his win streak to eight over a 13-month period, during which he has won three Grade 1 stakes.

Manitoba Derby victor Mano Dura will look to continue his winning ways going 1 1/4 miles against a deep field in the second leg of the Western Canadian Triple Crown on Saturday in the Grade 3, $200,000 Canadian Derby at Century Mile in Edmonton, Alberta.

The series concludes with the Grade 3 British Columbia Derby on Sept. 16 at Hastings. There’s a $100,000 bonus in waiting if Mano Dura sweeps the three prestigious races for 3-year-olds. In addition, the Canadian Derby winner gets a paid entry into the Grade 3 Ontario Derby on Oct. 21 at Woodbine.

A couple of hours before Mage tries to win his second Grade 1 over 1 1/4 miles, his 2-year-old full brother, Dornoch, tries to win for the first time while making his second career start in the $200,000 Sapling Stakes at Monmouth Park.

Princess Kokachin will attempt to stretch her early speed around two turns in Saturday’s $75,000 Timonium Distaff for fillies and mares at about 6 1/2 furlongs.

“I wouldn’t try it at Laurel,” trainer John Robb said about the extra distance, noting that the bullring configuration at Timonium might help Princess Kokachin see out the trip.

Princess Kokachin has captured half of her 24 starts, including a gate-to-wire victory in a high-level allowance going six furlongs on July 1 at Laurel.

Zippin Sevenz will attempt to regain her 2022 form while heading Saturday’s wide-open allowance feature over six furlongs at Emerald Downs.

The 5-year-old mare has raced just twice in 2023, having finished third of five in a June 3 allowance when beaten a neck for the win. The Alan Bozell trainee did not start again until July 23 in the Washington State Legislators Stakes in which she forced a taxing pace and finished last of seven.

“You can throw that last race out [as her] tongue [was] over the bit,” Bozell said. “She’s ready for Saturday and hopefully a good run.”

After canceling Thursday and Friday’s cards due to excessive heat blanketing the region, Belterra Park will be back in action Saturday with an eight-race card that begins at 12:05 p.m. The competition will be as hot as the weather when the track hosts a pair of turf stakes that have drawn full fields.

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Kavala has struggled since a promising start to her career at Gulfstream Park, but a change in surfaces could get her back on the beam in Saturday’s Woodbine headliner for fillies and mares.

The six-furlong main-turf sprint combines nonwinners-of-two allowance types with $50,000 claiming 3-year-olds, and Kavala is making her first non-Tapeta start for $50,000 under Jose Campos.