Potomac River and Set the Sail combined to produce a $1,141 exacta. The
Baez, who was scoring his biggest win as a trainer, explained why he opted to
“It’s later in the year and we stable at Turfway, so we don’t really don’t
“This horse is just getting better and better and better. He just loved this
“He’s faced some nice horses but he never placed in a stakes. I wasn’t really
|
Contested over a turf course originally called soft but listed as “good” on
the chart, the River City was reduced by four scratches from the main body of
the field — Kalamos, Exothermic, Seruni and Tahoe Lake — as well as the
withdrawal of the also-eligible Star Channel.
When the gate opened, Skyring ducked in from his outside post 14, causing a
chain reaction involving several to his inside, including Potomac River next
door in post 13. But the speedy Skyring recovered to collar Ol Army through an
opening quarter in :24. Ol Army, the second-longest shot on the board at
45.60-1, regained a narrow advantage from Skyring through a half in :48 2/5, and
began to edge away at the six-furlong mark in 1:13 1/5.
Set the Sail, who tracked in third early, advanced to make it three abreast
on the far turn, but Potomac River was uncorking a bold move wider out. Although
Set the Sail took command at the head of the lane, Potomac River was clearly
full of run, and barreled past to complete 1 1/8 miles in 1:51 1/5.
There was a four-horse scrum for the minor awards. Set the Sail held second
by a half-length from Grand Arch. Villandry, Set the Sail’s better-fancied
stablemate from the Charlie LoPresti barn, rallied from last for fourth, another
neck away. Daddy Nose Best missed fourth by a nose. Next came defending champion
Keep Up; 5-2 favorite Coalport, who was hampered in that rough start; Olympic
Thunder; and pace factors Skyring and Ol Army.
LoPresti was pleased with his duo.
“I knew Set the Sail was gonna run big and he finished second, but Villandry
was probably the best horse in the race,” the trainer said. “He just didn’t
handle it (the course) the whole way down the backside. He made all kinds of
ground up, if you look where he came from. He spotted the field 10 lengths.”
Potomac River’s new career high improved his record to 18-5-2-2, $231,426.
After an inauspicious last of six in the 2012 Oliver in his stakes debut, he
kept plying his trade in allowance company for initial trainer William
Helmbrecht. The son of English Channel made one start for Jose Lopez, finishing
third in a May 29 allowance back at Indiana Downs.
Switched to Baez, Potomac River quickly cleared his entry- and second-level
allowance conditions and booked his ticket to stakes company, but could manage
only fifth in the August 3 West Virginia House of Delegates Speaker’s Cup.
Following another optional claiming win in Indiana, he checked in fourth in the
September 14 Kentucky Turf Cup and fifth in the October 12 Robert F. Carey
Memorial. Potomac River was dropped in for an $80,000 tag last time out at
Churchill on November 8, where he got up for second to Looking Cool and eluded
the claim box.
Regular rider Vargas blamed himself for that loss, and expected Potomac River
to outperform his odds in the River City.
“No,” Vargas said when asked if he were as surprised as the betting public.
“I knew I had a chance because last time I was too far back. There were some
nice horses, but the field wasn’t too tough.”
Bred by Mereworth Farm in Kentucky, Potomac River was sold for just $2,300 as
an unraced three-year-old at the 2012 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky Winter Mixed Sale.
He is out of the winning With Approval mare Reba’s Approval, herself a
half-sister to Grade 3 victor Reba’s Gold. This is the further family of Grade 1
star and $2.5 million-earner Dramatic Gold.
Bet Horseracing Free Online at TwinSpires.com