Silver Max is River City Highweight

Grade I winner Silver Max returns to his favorite track Nov. 8, getting a bit of class relief and looking for a rebound in the $100,000 River City Handicap (gr. IIIT) at Churchill Downs. 

Currently three-for-four at the Louisville oval, the 5-year-old son of Badge of Silver   comes off a fifth in the Shadwell Turf Mile (gr. IT) at Keeneland and a sixth in the Fourstardave Handicap (gr. IIT) at Saratoga Race Course, both after setting the pace in his typical front-running style.

In his only other start this season for owners Mark Bacon and Dana Wells, Silver Max won the Firecracker Stakes (gr. IIT) at Churchill back in the spring. The ungraded Opening Verse in 2013 and the American Turf (gr. IIT) in May of 2012 are his other Churchill wins.

The Dale Romans trainee carries top weight of 123 pounds in a field of 11 older runners and will be ridden by regular pilot Robby Albarado from the 6 hole.

Romans also will saddle Guys Reward, who departs post 5 with Corey Lanerie aboard as part of a 119-pound impost. The mutliple grade III victor is also looking to get back to the winner's circle as he comes off a fifth in the More Than Ready Mile Stakes Sept. 13 at Kentucky Downs.

Trainer Charlie LoPresti sends out a duo as well, with hard-knockers Villandry and Set the Sail in search of their first graded scores. Set the Sail was runner-up in the River City in 2013 to Potomac River, a 45-1 shot who blew past to take the 1 1/8-mile turf test by two lengths.

One runner of interest in the group is Greengrassofyoming, fresh off his first stakes victory in the $100,000 Remington Green at Remington Park and looking to duplicate that effort when he makes his graded stakes debut in the River City.

The River City is run over the same surface type and distance in which the Mike Tomlinson trainee was able to win on in his previous start. Tomlinson says the distance of Saturday's race is ideal for the 4-year-old gelding.

"The longer the better for him," Tomlinson said. "I liked the way he came out of his last race and this one looked like a logical next step."

Greengrassofyoming completed his final breeze for the River City on Nov. 4 with a half-mile on the Matt Winn Turf Course in :51 1/5.

"It was just a standard maintenance work to get him ready for Saturday," Tomlinson said. "It went well, though. I was very pleased with what I saw.

"He ran a great race last time out, but obviously there was no Silver Max down there. We're hoping maybe Silver Max isn't in top form and we can go catch him Saturday."

Greengrassofyoming will break from post 7 with jockey Brian Hernandez Jr. aboard for the River City, which goes as the ninth of 10 races Saturday with an approximate post time of 4:37 p.m. ET.