Mountaineer: Russell Road attempts Mountaineer Mile on short rest

Two weeks ago, Russell Road’s bid to become a three-time winner of the $450,000 West Virginia Breeders’ Classic was thwarted when he was run down in deep stretch by Fed High. Russell Road, the winner of 26 races and $1.6 million, is coming back quickly to try for a consolation prize in Saturday night’s $130,000 Mountaineer Mile at Mountaineer Racetrack.

The one-mile stakes, which goes as race 9 at 10:20 p.m. Eastern, attracted a field of 12 horses, including Raging Daoust, upset winner of the Grade 3 Salvator Mile at Monmouth Park, and 2012 Mile winner Good Lord.

The 7-year-old Russell Road has run well in all six of his previous visits to Mountaineer, collecting three wins and three seconds, including a victory in the off-the-turf one-mile Independence Day in July. On the down side, trainer James W. Casey is 0 for 6 the past five years with route runners returning in 14 days or less.

Raging Daoust ran the best race of his 22-start career when he got up by a nose at 33-1 in the Salvator Mile on July 6, earning a 98 Beyer Speed Figure. He picked up his 10th lifetime win two starts ago in a $16,000 optional starter going a one-turn mile at Belmont.

Victor Santiago, who was aboard for the Salvator Mile victory, comes along with Raging Daoust to retain the mount for trainer Charles Carlesimo.

Good Lord made a favorable impression in his first trip to Mountaineer for last year’s Mile, winning by 3 3/4 lengths as the 3-2 favorite. His eight-race campaign in 2013 includes a third in the Grade 3 Texas Mile and wins in the seven-furlong Super at Tampa Bay Downs and the 6 1/2-furlong Don Bernhardt at Ellis Park. He has gone off form in his two most recent starts, however, finishing ninth on turf at Kentucky Downs and eighth racing over a sloppy track at Indiana Downs.

The best recent race belongs to Voodoo Storm, who shipped from Kentucky to dominate a no-conditions allowance at Mountaineer on Oct. 12 by 3 1/4 lengths, earning the best Beyer of his 32-race career, a 99. Trainer Tim Glyshaw is just 2 for 21 (10 percent) with last-out winners coming off a career Beyer top returning in a route within 30 days.