Wise Dan highlights Keeneland's first ever $1 million race
Oct 1, 2014 21:13:55 GMT -5
Post by Evelyn on Oct 1, 2014 21:13:55 GMT -5
I didnm't realize it's the first million dollar race here! Is Dan an infamous "mortal lock"?
Wise Dan highlights Keeneland's first ever $1 million race
Brisnet
Dual Horse of the Year Wise Dan, a familiar face on opening weekend of Keeneland's fall meet in recent years, will grace the Lexington, Kentucky, track with his presence again on Saturday when he runs for a fourth time in the Shadwell Turf Mile. The Grade 1 event this year offers a $1 million purse, the richest ever offered at the course, which opened 78 years ago this month.
Fourth in the 2011 edition of the race, his last defeat on grass, Wise Dan won in 2012 by 2 1/4 lengths and then ran second last year when the race was transferred from the turf to the now-defunct Polytrack due to wet weather. His 13-race turf win streak has resulted in two grass male championships, but was in peril twice earlier this season.
After a season-opening score in the Maker's 46 Mile at Keeneland by three-quarters of a length in April, Wise Dan eked out a head victory over returning rival Seek Again in the Woodford Reserve Turf Classic at Churchill Downs on May 3. Back in action in the August 30 Bernard Baruch Handicap at Saratoga following colic surgery, and perhaps not at 100 percent fitness, the son of Wiseman's Ferry was still able to get his nose on the wire first over the hard-charging Optimizer, who also makes a reappearance here.
"He is just an amazing horse," trainer Charlie LoPresti said of Wise Dan, who visited the starting gate and then had an easy gallop through the fog Wednesday morning under regular exercise rider Damien Rock. "He is about as good as I can get him."
"It looks like we are going to get rain (this weekend) and that doesn't bother me," LoPresti said. "He has run in a bog before; done it a couple of times."
Seek Again, who captured the 1 1/4-mile Hollywood Derby in his U.S. debut last November, showed versatility after his Churchill defeat by rallying for a neck victory over the Canadian-based Grand Arch in the one-mile Fourstardave Handicap at Saratoga in early August. The Juddmonte Farms homebred has won one of three starts this season for trainer Bill Mott.
Optimizer, a multiple Grade 3 winner on turf, ran his best race in more than a year in the Bernard Baruch while making his first start for trainer Jose Fernandez. The Calumet Farm-owned five-year-old was previously with Hall of Famer D. Wayne Lukas.
The likely front-runner is Silver Max, who took advantage of a wet, speed-friendly Polytrack to upset Wise Dan in last year's Shadwell Turf Mile. The Dale Romans trainee has had two runs this season, taking the Firecracker Handicap at Churchill Downs and then fading to the rear of the pack in the Fourstardave despite having an uncontested lead.
Kaigun, winner of the seven-furlong Play the King at Woodbine in August, enters off a runner-up finish in the Woodbine Mile. The aforementioned Grand Arch, who won the one-mile King Edward at the Toronto course prior to his second in the Fourstardave, was only fifth in the Woodbine Mile after making a five-wide bid.
Completing the field are stakes winner Sayaad, fourth in the Bernard Baruch last time, and the Virginia-bred outsider Two Notch Road.
Wise Dan (outside) and Seek Again will square off again in the Shadwell Turf Mile, Keeneland's first seven-figure race (Jamie Newell/Horsephotos.com)
Wise Dan highlights Keeneland's first ever $1 million race
Brisnet
Dual Horse of the Year Wise Dan, a familiar face on opening weekend of Keeneland's fall meet in recent years, will grace the Lexington, Kentucky, track with his presence again on Saturday when he runs for a fourth time in the Shadwell Turf Mile. The Grade 1 event this year offers a $1 million purse, the richest ever offered at the course, which opened 78 years ago this month.
Fourth in the 2011 edition of the race, his last defeat on grass, Wise Dan won in 2012 by 2 1/4 lengths and then ran second last year when the race was transferred from the turf to the now-defunct Polytrack due to wet weather. His 13-race turf win streak has resulted in two grass male championships, but was in peril twice earlier this season.
After a season-opening score in the Maker's 46 Mile at Keeneland by three-quarters of a length in April, Wise Dan eked out a head victory over returning rival Seek Again in the Woodford Reserve Turf Classic at Churchill Downs on May 3. Back in action in the August 30 Bernard Baruch Handicap at Saratoga following colic surgery, and perhaps not at 100 percent fitness, the son of Wiseman's Ferry was still able to get his nose on the wire first over the hard-charging Optimizer, who also makes a reappearance here.
"He is just an amazing horse," trainer Charlie LoPresti said of Wise Dan, who visited the starting gate and then had an easy gallop through the fog Wednesday morning under regular exercise rider Damien Rock. "He is about as good as I can get him."
"It looks like we are going to get rain (this weekend) and that doesn't bother me," LoPresti said. "He has run in a bog before; done it a couple of times."
Seek Again, who captured the 1 1/4-mile Hollywood Derby in his U.S. debut last November, showed versatility after his Churchill defeat by rallying for a neck victory over the Canadian-based Grand Arch in the one-mile Fourstardave Handicap at Saratoga in early August. The Juddmonte Farms homebred has won one of three starts this season for trainer Bill Mott.
Optimizer, a multiple Grade 3 winner on turf, ran his best race in more than a year in the Bernard Baruch while making his first start for trainer Jose Fernandez. The Calumet Farm-owned five-year-old was previously with Hall of Famer D. Wayne Lukas.
The likely front-runner is Silver Max, who took advantage of a wet, speed-friendly Polytrack to upset Wise Dan in last year's Shadwell Turf Mile. The Dale Romans trainee has had two runs this season, taking the Firecracker Handicap at Churchill Downs and then fading to the rear of the pack in the Fourstardave despite having an uncontested lead.
Kaigun, winner of the seven-furlong Play the King at Woodbine in August, enters off a runner-up finish in the Woodbine Mile. The aforementioned Grand Arch, who won the one-mile King Edward at the Toronto course prior to his second in the Fourstardave, was only fifth in the Woodbine Mile after making a five-wide bid.
Completing the field are stakes winner Sayaad, fourth in the Bernard Baruch last time, and the Virginia-bred outsider Two Notch Road.
Wise Dan (outside) and Seek Again will square off again in the Shadwell Turf Mile, Keeneland's first seven-figure race (Jamie Newell/Horsephotos.com)
