Thorn Song will try to get back to his winning ways in the River City (Ed Van Meter/Horsephotos.com)

Zayat Stables' THORN SONG (Unbridled's Song) will look to defend his title in Saturday's $100,000 River City H. (G3) at Churchill Downs. Winner of the Shadwell Turf Mile (G1) two starts back, the Dale Romans-trained horse exits a ninth in the Breeders' Cup Mile (G1) at Santa Anita. Thorn Song captured the 2007 River City in front-running fashion, and the five-year-old gray also captured the Firecracker H. (G2) under the Twin Spires in July. He'll face 10 rivals on Saturday from post 11 with Robby Albarado.

Other contenders in the 1 1/8-mile turf affair include Grade 3 winner STEVE'S DOUBLE (Stephen Got Even), who exits a pair of turf stakes wins at Remington Park and Louisiana Downs; Argentinean Group 1 hero STAR PLUS (Arg) (Alpha Plus), a last-out allowance winner over the Polytrack at Keeneland for Kenny McPeek; and stakes victor KARELIAN (Bertrando), who is two for two over the Matt Winn Turf Course. Multiple stakes runner-up YATES BLACK CAT (Black Minnaloushe) is also a horse for the course, recording four wins locally, and CANELA (El Corredor) will enter off a convincing 5 1/4-length victory over allowance/optional claiming foes at Churchill.

The $56,000 Bet on Sunshine H. will be offered one race earlier, and a solid field of eight sprinters will contest the six-furlong event. Group 1 winner KELLY'S LANDING (Patton), who returned from a near five-month layoff with a sharp allowance/optional claiming victory at Keeneland on October 17, is the top draw, but EUROEARS (Langfuhr) will also attract plenty of attention. Unbeaten in six career starts, the four-year-old colt will return off an 8 1/2-month layoff for trainer Bret Calhoun. Euroears reeled off wins in the Duncan F. Kenner S., Colonel Power S. and F.W. Gaudin Memorial S. at Fair Grounds before heading to the sidelines in March.