Wise Dan Preps for Shadwell Turf Mile
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Two-time reigning Horse of the Year Wise Dan worked on Keeneland's turf course Sept. 23 in preparation for his next start Oct. 4 in the $1 million Shadwell Turf Mile (gr. IT).
Clockers caught Wise Dan, with regular exercise rider Damien Rock aboard, in five furlongs around the dogs on the course labeled firm in 1:01.20.
"I thought he worked really good," trainer Charlie LoPresti said about the 7-year-old gelding by Wiseman's Ferry . "These cones are really far out. He galloped out good."
LoPresti said he would determine in the coming days whether Wise Dan will work again before the Shadwell Turf Mile.
"We'll just see how he comes out of this one," he said. "Maybe we'll work him on the dirt one more time."
Wise Dan has run in the Shadwell Turf Mile three times. He finished fourth behind eventual champion Gio Ponti in 2011, won the 2012 edition by 2 1/2 lengths, then was second to Silver Max last year, when the race was moved to the main track because of heavy rains. Wise Dan went on to win the $2 million Breeders' Cup Mile (gr. IT) in both 2012 and 2013.
A homebred for Mort Fink, Wise Dan has won 22 races from 30 career starts and has earned $6,952,920. He has won a record six stakes at Keeneland, including the Maker's 46 Mile Stakes (gr. IT) in the spring of 2013 and 2014.
Following the 2014 Maker's 46 Mile, Wise Dan won the Woodford Reserve Turf Classic (gr. IT) then five days later underwent colic surgery. He returned to competition Aug. 30 with a nose victory in the Bernard Baruch Handicap (gr. IIT) at Saratoga Race Course.
Back at Keeneland, Wise Dan on Sept. 13 breezed five furlongs in :59.40, the fastest time of 21 works at the distance.
Keeneland's 17-day fall meet runs Oct. 3-25. The Shadwell Turf Mile, the first million-dollar race in track history, is the centerpiece of Fall Stars Weekend, which offers nine graded stakes worth a total of $3.6 million. The winner of the Shadwell Turf Mile receives an automatic berth in the Breeders' Cup Mile Nov. 1 at Santa Anita Park.
Other notable works at Keeneland included two 2-year-olds trained by Wesley Ward who breezed in company on the turf. Grade I winner Sunset Glow, nominated to the $400,000 Darley Alcibiades Stakes (gr. I) on opening day, covered five furlongs around the dogs in 1:02. Royal Ascot stakes winner Hootenanny, in his first work since running a close second Aug. 24 in the Darley Prix Morny (Fr-I) at Deauville, was clocked in 1:02.60. Hootenanny is nominated to the Oct. 5 $250,000 Dixiana Bourbon Stakes (gr. IIIT).