LoPresti Sends Set the Sail, Villandry to River City

 

Set the Sail finished second beaten two lengths by 45-1 longshot Potomac River in last year’s edition of the 1 1/8-mile turf race, while Villandry finished fourth.

 

Set the Sail is seeking his first win of 2014. He finished seventh in an allowance race at Keeneland last out, but was close to a win in his last race prior to that when he finished second by a nose in an optional claiming event at Saratoga.

 

“Set the Sail is a horse who never liked the inside post,” LoPresti said. “He ran pretty big at Saratoga earlier in the year and then came back at Keeneland and didn’t really fire; he’s a funny horse like that. But if you look at him last year in the Fayette at Keeneland, he didn’t run that great either but then he came back and nearly won the River City last year. He’s doing well and I think at 12-1, he’ll be live Saturday.”

 

Villandry on the other hand won on Churchill Downs’ turf course earlier this year, ran third in the Oct. 16 Sycamore (GIII) at Keeneland last out and was fourth in the Northern Dancer (GI) prior to that. With both of his last races coming at the distance of 1 ½ miles, LoPresti thinks Villandry will respond well in Saturday’s 1 1/8-mile contest.

 

“Villandry has been pretty honest all year,” LoPresti said. “He’s had some solid performances in 1 ½-mile races against some stiff competition. I think cutting him back to a mile-and-an-eighth will probably set up nicely for him. I think there’s a ton of speed in there with Silver Max and maybe Set the Sail, so I think he can probably come off the pace and give himself a big chance.”

 

Villandry (8-1) will have jockey Julien Leparoux in the saddle breaking from post four and Set the Sail (12-1) will be ridden by Shaun Bridgmohan and break from post position three.

 

“I know Silver Max is tough but I honestly think it’s anybody’s race,” LoPresti said. “Both of my horses are doing well and I think they’re both sitting on big performances.”

 

The River City will go as the ninth of 10 races Saturday with an approximate post time of 4:37 p.m. ET.

 

Source: Churchill Downs Communications