The Champ Is Back: Wise Dan Wins Bernard Baruch

Wise Dan noses out Optimizer on the wire in the Barnard Baruch Handicap. (Photo by NYRA/Coglinese Photos)
Wise Dan made a dramatic return from colic surgery in Saturday’s $250,000 Bernard Baruch Handicap as the field raced to the wire and nearly broke the track record when winning the Saratoga race.
After showing some extra enthusiasm to race that had the gate crew back him out of the gate in the final seconds before the start, Wise Dan got down to business.  He had an uneventful break and settled perfectly in fourth as Five Iron pulled away to lead by open lengths. Wise Dan bid his time as the field ran the first half of the race, continuing his run in fourth. But as the field entered the turn, jockey John Velazquez gave him his signal to go and he started picking off horses.
It took Wise Dan most of the stretch to grab a comfortable lead from those he was passing but even then he wasn’t out of danger, as the late running Optimizer made a bid to upset the two-time Horse of the Year’s chances. Wise Dan had to put in a little extra effort as Optimizer gained on him and in the end pulled off the win by a nose in 1:39.08 for the 1 1/16 miles on the turf, a near course record time. Five Iron and Sayaad, who were in the third and fourth spots at the line, made the Stewards look at another photo to determine who was third with Five Iron just getting his nose in front for that spot.
"He was really tough. He showed he has the heart of a champion," said Velazquez. "[He carried] 127 pounds coming from a long layoff. When I got to the eighth pole, I didn't think I got it. When I got past the sixteenth pole he was giving me everything he had and the other horse [Optimizer] was coming from the outside. There was a little bit of doubt, he was getting tired. [I'm] incredibly proud. It's incredible to have this horse coming back. What happened to him, training and come back and run with 127 pounds, that's incredible."
Wise Dan, trained by Charlie LoPresti, is a homebred for Morton Fink. The 7-year-old gelding has been nearly unbeatable since finishing fourth in the 2011 Shadwell Turf Mile, winning 15 of 17 starts with Grade 1 victories both on the turf and dirt. Wise Dan has won the last two editions of the Breeders’ Cup Mile and is looking to equal Goldikova, who is the only horse to win three consecutive Breeders’ Cup Miles.
Wise Dan went off at odds of 4/5 and paid $3.60 to win on a $2 bet.