Villandry makes 2014 debut in split allowance feature

LEXINGTON, Ky. – After the 15-day Keeneland spring meet hit and passed its midpoint Sunday, trainer Charlie LoPresti was showing just one win from 10 starts – and you only get one guess as to who the winner was.

“Basically all our horses have been needing a race, as rough as the winter was for us here,” LoPresti said. “Except Wise Dan. He’s the exception to every rule.”

LoPresti will try to get a second winner Wednesday when sending out the highly regarded Villandry in the second of split allowances that anchor an eight-race Wednesday program. Villandry, a 5-year-old gelding owned by Gainesway Stable, ran in three straight stakes to end his 2013 campaign and was never higher than 7-2 odds in any of them.

“He had some minor issues last year and we had some trouble getting them lined out,” LoPresti said. “But he’s come back really good, that horse, and we’re excited to get him back.”

Eight older horses are in each split of third-level allowances carded as races 5 and 7. Each race is scheduled for 1 1/16 miles on the turf, and each offers a $64,000 purse. Villandry will have Ol Army, His Race to Win, and Kalamos as the prime opposition in his return to action in race 7. Ol Army was scratched by trainer Chuck Peery from the Grade 3 Commonwealth on Saturday to await this presumably easier spot.

The earlier split might be the tougher one, as it matches such capable performers as Reflecting, Grand Arch, Moro Tap, Olympic Thunder, and Adios Nardo.

First post Wednesday is 1:05 p.m. Eastern. There are no carryovers into the 50-cent pick five (races 4-8) nor the 50-cent super high five (race 8).

Meanwhile, LoPresti said he has settled on the Grade 1 Woodford Reserve Turf Classic on the May 3 Kentucky Derby undercard as the next start for Wise Dan, who was scheduled to return to light training Tuesday after winning the Grade 1 Maker’s 46 Mile Stakes in his 7-year-old debut Friday.

“He’s come out of the race just perfect,” LoPresti said. “He’s spot on. If everything goes right, I’ll probably just breeze him once before the Woodford, just like we did last year.”

LoPresti said the fact Keeneland is closing its main surface for construction of the new dirt track in mid-May is “kind of forcing my hand” in regard to how the rest of the year will unfold for Wise Dan. “We’ll probably just coast with him a little until I can get him up to Saratoga.”