Wise Dan
Wise Dan | |
---|---|
American Champion Older Male Horse (2012, 2013) American Champion Male Turf Horse (2012, 2013) | |
Honours | |
Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame (2016) United States Horse Racing Hall of Fame (2020) GII Wise Dan Stakes at Churchill Downs (2016– ) | |
Last updated on 5 August 2021 |
Wise Dan (foaled February 20, 2007) is a champion
In a racing career which began in 2010, he has won nineteen
Background
Wise Dan is a
Racing career
2010: three-year-old season
Wise Dan began his racing career on the
2011: four-year-old season
Wise Dan's four-year-old campaign began with three losing efforts. He finished fourth when favorite for the Commonwealth Stakes at Keeneland, and when moved up in distance to nine furlongs he finished eighth of the nine runners behind First Dude in the Alysheba Stakes. After Wise Dan's unplaced effort on dirt at Churchill Downs in June, Lopresti tried him on the same venue's turf course. After working well on the surface, Wise Dan was entered in the Grade II Firecracker Handicap over one mile on July 4 and won by two and three quarter lengths.[5]
After a break of two months, he reappeared at
In the 2011
2012: five-year-old season
In his first race of 2012, Wise Dan returned to the polytrack at Keeneland for the Grade III
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/a1/Wise_Dan_2012_02.png/220px-Wise_Dan_2012_02.png)
A week after the Whitney, Wise Dan ran on turf in the Fourstardave Handicap at the same venue. He started the 6/4 favorite and won by five lengths from Corporate Jungle. In September, he took on international competition for the first time when he was sent north to contest the Woodbine Mile in Toronto, which attracted the European-trained horses Cityscape and Worthadd.[11] Velazquez tracked the leaders before moving to the front in the straight, and Wise Dan drew away to win[12] by three and a quarter lengths. By mid-September, he was the highest-rated active racehorse in the United States, according to the World Thoroughbred Racehorse Rankings (I'll Have Another and Bodemeister had been retired).[13]
In October, Wise Dan completed a hat trick on turf by winning the Shadwell Mile at Keeneland. On this occasion, he was ridden by Jose Lezcano and won by two and a quarter lengths from Willcox Inn.[14] After the race, Lopresti announced that the gelding would go to the Breeders' Cup at Santa Anita but declined to specify a race, saying that while he would "lean toward" the Mile, a run in the Classic had not been ruled out.[15]
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/ef/Wise_Dan_and_John_Velazquez%2C_2012_Breeders%27_Cup_%283%29.png/220px-Wise_Dan_and_John_Velazquez%2C_2012_Breeders%27_Cup_%283%29.png)
On 3 November, Wise Dan contested the Breeders' Cup Mile against a field which included European milers Excelebration and Moonlight Cloud as well as the 2011 Kentucky Derby winner, Animal Kingdom. In what The Washington Post described as "an unequivocal championship performance"[16] Wise Dan overtook the front-running gelding Obviously at the top of the stretch and won from Animal Kingdom with Excelebration in fourth. The time of 1:31.78 was a track record and came within .37 seconds of the world record. To highlight this achievement, the champion miler Dr. Fager set the world record of 1 mile on any surface of 1:32.25 on August 24, 1968.
In the
2013: six-year-old season
Wise Dan began his 2013 campaign in the
On June 29, Wise Dan attempted to win the Firecracker Handicap for the second time, carrying 128 pounds in a race run in heavy rain. Velasquez kept the horse "bottled up" until the straight when he accelerated through a gap on the inside rail (brushing against the hedge which serve as the running rail) and going clear to win by two lengths from Lea at odds of 1/5.[20] Wise Dan took his winning run to eight on August 10 when he won the Fourstardave Handicap for the second time, despite carrying 129 pounds, 11 pounds more than any of his opponents. Commenting on the performance, Lopresti said that "to prove that he's a great horse like everybody's talking about, he had to carry that weight... he proved he's a great horse today."[21]
On September 15, 2013, Wise Dan won his ninth consecutive race by taking the Grade I Woodbine Mile for the second time in succession, breaking the track record when he came home in 1:31.75.
In the 2013 World's Best Racehorse Rankings, Wise Dan was given a rating of 129, making him the third-best racehorse in the world, the best miler, and the best racehorse in North America.[24] He repeated his successes of the previous year in the Eclipse Awards for 2013, being voted Champion Male Turf Horse, Champion Older Male and Horse of the Year.[25]
2014: seven-year-old season
Wise Dan began his 2014 campaign by winning the Grade I Maker's 46 Mile Stakes at 2-5 odds over Kaigun on the turf at Keeneland on April 11, running from the #3 post position in a six-horse field with Velazquez back aboard. The winning time was 1:34.91[26] On May 3, the same day as the 2014 Kentucky Derby, he won the Woodford Reserve Turf Classic, running a mile and an eighth instead of his usual mile and beating Seek Again by a head.[27]
On May 16, Wise Dan became distressed after his morning workout and was sent to the Rood & Riddle Equine Hospital. An ultrasound scan revealed an intestinal abnormality, and the gelding underwent emergency surgery for horse colic.[28] After repair of a piece of intestine that had "looped" over itself, a "best case scenario" for colic surgery, the horse was anticipated to be out for six to eight weeks of recovery time, but the issue was not career-ending.[29]
After a break of over three months, Wise Dan returned in the Bernard Baruch Handicap at Saratoga on August 30. He won by a nose from Optimizer, to whom he was conceding eleven pounds. On October 4, Wise Dan contested the Shadwell Turf Mile again, with his opponents including Silver Max and Optimizer. He came from well off the pace to win in a time of 1:35.6, with Grand Arch second and Sayaan third.[30] On 12 October, LoPresti noticed swelling in the horse's ankle and ordered an x-ray examination which revealed a "non-displaced fracture at the bottom of the cannon bone". Although the injury was expected to heal without surgery, the gelding was not entered in the Breeders' Cup. Discussing Wise Dan's future, Fink said, "Dr Bramlage recommends that we wait at least 30 days and assess his progress before we make any further decisions. He is seven years old, with 30 starts in his career, so we'll let him show us what to do next... He'll be retired if it doesn't grow back normal."[31]
He was given several months off to heal from his injury and returned to training in mid-2015. He was progressing well and pointed to a return in the Woodbine Mile, the only two-time winner and the track record holder for the distance, on September 13. However, the week prior to the race, he developed a tear on the outside edge of his tendon, unrelated to his previous injury, and was retired on September 7, 2015.[32] John Velasquez said Wise Dan is the "greatest horse" he has ever ridden.[33]
Retirement
After the end of his track career, Wise Dan spent his retirement at LoPresti's farm. In 2020 his former trainer said "He's living with his brother Successful Dan, here at our farm. He's happy as can be. He gets a lot of visitors to see him. We took him over to Old Friends last summer, they had a Wise Dan Day over there, it was really incredible the people that came to see him, the fans that came to see him, and how much money was raised... He walked off that trailer, around that place, like he owned it. He's still a pretty incredible horse. He has a different personality than most horses."[34]
Wise Dan was voted into the American Hall of Fame in 2020 although the induction ceremony was postponed until 2021 owing to the COVID-19 pandemic.[35]
Pedigree
Sire Wiseman's Ferry (USA) 1999 |
Hennessy (USA) 1993 |
Storm Cat | Storm Bird |
---|---|---|---|
Terlingua | |||
Island Kitty | Hawaii | ||
T. C. Kitten | |||
Emmaus (USA) 1994 |
Silver Deputy | Deputy Minister | |
Silver Valley | |||
La Affirmed | Affirmed | ||
La Mesa | |||
Dam Lisa Danielle (USA) 1994 |
Wolf Power (SAF) 1978 |
Flirting Around | Round Table |
Happy Flirt | |||
Pandora | Casabianca | ||
Blue Siren | |||
Askmysecretary (USA) 1982 |
Secretariat | Bold Ruler | |
Somethingroyal | |||
Laquiola | Lyphard | ||
Kalila (Family 5-h)[37] |
See also
References
- ^ Novak, Claire (January 18, 2014). "Horse of the Year Wise Dan Repeats Sweep". bloodhorse.com. The BloodHorse. Retrieved January 18, 2014.
- ^ "Wiseman's Ferry, stallion directory, horse breeding". Thoroughbredtimes.com. September 15, 2012. Retrieved October 9, 2012.
- ^ "Morton Fink". Archive.breederscup.com. December 3, 1929. Retrieved October 9, 2012.
- ^ "Wise Dan emerges from Phoenix into BC Sprint scene Daily Racing Form". Drf.com. October 13, 2010. Retrieved October 9, 2012.
- ^ "Wise Dan scores Firecracker in turf debut - ESPN". Sports.espn.go.com. July 4, 2011. Retrieved November 4, 2012.
- ^ "Clark Handicap". Racing Post. Retrieved October 9, 2012.
- ^ "The 2011 World Thoroughbred Rankings". Horseracingintfed.com. Retrieved October 9, 2012.
- ^ Wincze, Alicia (April 22, 2012). "There's no holding back Wise Dan at Keeneland". Kentucky.com. Retrieved October 9, 2012.
- ^ "Stephen Foster Handicap". Racing Post. Retrieved October 9, 2012.
- ^ Shinar, Jack. "Ron the Greek Rides Rail to Foster Surprise". BloodHorse.com. Retrieved October 9, 2012.
- ^ "Woodbine Mile: Wise Dan looks to earn trainer Charles Lopresti a second straight win". Toronto Star. September 14, 2012. Retrieved October 9, 2012.
- ^ "Ricoh Woodbine Mile Stakes". Racing Post. Retrieved October 9, 2012.
- ^ "September 2012 World Thoroughbred Rankings". Horseracingintfed.com. Retrieved October 9, 2012.
- ^ "Shadwell Turf Mile Stakes". Racing Post. June 2, 2011. Retrieved October 9, 2012.
- ^ Biles, Deirdre B. "Wise Dan Rallies to Win Shadwell Turf Mile". BloodHorse.com. Retrieved October 9, 2012.
- ^ Andrew Beyer (February 24, 2011). "2012 Breeders' Cup: Game on Dude flops while Wise Dan proves worthy of horse of the year". The Washington Post. Retrieved November 4, 2012.
- ^ "Wise Dan rules at Eclipse awards". Sporting Life. December 13, 2012. Retrieved January 20, 2013.
- ^ "Wise Dan triumphant in Maker's 46 return". - ESPN. April 13, 2013. Retrieved April 15, 2013.
- ^ Shinar, Jack (May 4, 2013). "Wise Dan Pours It On in Woodford Reserve Win". BloodHorse.com. Retrieved December 31, 2013.
- ^ Shinar, Jack (June 30, 2013). "Wise Dan Squeezes Out Soggy Firecracker Win". BloodHorse.com. Retrieved December 31, 2013.
- ^ Shinar, Jack (August 10, 2013). "Wise Dan Handles Test in Fourstardave Repeat". BloodHorse.com. Retrieved December 31, 2013.
- ^ Shinar, Jack. "Wise Dan makes Woodbine history". Bloodhorse.com. Retrieved December 31, 2013.
- ^ Tom LaMarra (November 2, 2013). "Wise Dan Rolls Again in Breeders' Cup Mile". BloodHorse.com. Retrieved December 31, 2013.
- ^ "LONGINES WORLD'S BEST RACEHORSE RANKINGS 2013". IFHA. January 2014. Retrieved January 16, 2014.
- ^ "2013 Eclipse Award Winners". Daily Racing Form. January 17, 2014. Retrieved January 19, 2014.
- ^ "Results | Keeneland Thoroughbred Racing and Sales". Keeneland.com. Retrieved April 12, 2014.
- ^ "Woodford Reserve Turf Classic result 2014" (PDF). equibase. May 3, 2014. Retrieved May 16, 2014.
- ^ Nicholas Godfrey (May 16, 2014). "Wise Dan colic not career ending says LoPresti". Racing Post. Archived from the original on May 17, 2014. Retrieved May 16, 2014.
- ^ Novak, Claire (May 16, 2014). "Wise Dan Undergoes Colic Surgery". Blood-Horse. Retrieved May 16, 2014.
- ^ Claire Crosby (October 4, 2014). "Wise Dan Blows Away Shadwell Turf Mile Foes". Blood Horse. Retrieved September 30, 2023.
- ^ Claire Crosby (October 13, 2014). "Wise Dan to Miss Breeders' Cup Mile". Blood Horse. Retrieved September 30, 2023.
- ^ Ron Mitchell (September 7, 2015). "Two-Time Horse of the Year Wise Dan Retired". Blood Horse. Retrieved September 30, 2023.
- ^ ""The best I've ever ridden": John Velazquez on Wise Dan". Brooklyn Backstretch. September 10, 2015. Retrieved September 30, 2023.
- ^ Angst, Frank (June 5, 2020). "Casse, Wise Dan Selected for 2020 Hall of Fame Class". Blood-Horse. Retrieved August 17, 2021.
- ^ Ehalt, Bob (August 3, 2021). "Ten to be Inducted at Combined Hall of Fame Ceremonies". Blood-Horse. Retrieved August 17, 2021.
- ^ "Wise Dan Pedigree". equineline.com. May 8, 2012. Retrieved October 9, 2012.
- ^ "Ann of the Forest - Family 5-h". Bloodlines.net. Retrieved October 9, 2012.