Lexington, KY (Sports Network) - Woodbine Mile winner Wise Dan tops a field of 12 for Saturday's 27th running of the $750,000 Shadwell Turf Mile at Keeneland Racecourse. Wise Dan finished fourth in last year's running to Gio Ponti.
Trained by Charles Lopresti, Wise Dan will be ridden by Jose Lezcano, substituting for Hall of Fame jockey John Velazquez, from post five.
"If he wins, it will be like a workout for the Breeders' Cup, but if he struggles, then I've blown the Breeders' Cup. Plus, Johnny (Velazquez) can't ride because he has a commitment in the Champagne that day at Belmont. That's a negative," said Lopresti.
Owned by Morton Fink, the 5-year-old won the Woodbine Mile in only his second start on the turf this year and gained entry into the Breeders' Cup Mile next month at Santa Anita Park. The Shadwell Turf Mile is also a Breeders' Cup "Win and You're In" event.
Wise Dan won the Fourstardave in August on Saratoga's turf course after winning the Ben Ali on Keeneland's synthetic main track and finishing second in Churchill Downs' Stephen Foster Handicap on dirt.
The gelding has won 11 of 18 career starts for just over $2 million.
Breaking from post seven will be Data Link and jockey Alex Solis. The 4-year- old colt is owned by Stuart Janney III and trained by Shug McGaughey.
Data Link is coming off a second-place result to Dominus in the Bernard Baruch Handicap on Saratoga's turf course last month. He began the year with a third in the Canadian Turf at Gulfstream Park behind Doubles Partner on March 3.
He came back to win Keeneland's Maker's 46 Mile in April, but finished fifth the following month to Little Mike in the Turf Classic at Churchill Downs. Data Link returned to the winner's circle with a victory in the Monmouth Stakes in June. The colt will try to become the first horse to win the Maker's 46 Mile and Shadwell Turf Mile in the same year.
In 13 career starts, Data Link has earned $501,335 with six wins.
Trainer Dale Romans, who has Dullahan racing Saturday at Belmont Park, will start 3-year-old colt Silver Max versus older horses for the first time. Robby Albarado will ride Silver Max from post 10.
Owned by Mark Bacon and Dana Wells. the 3-year-old claimed Keeneland's Transylvania Stakes back in April to begin a five stakes winning streak. He went on to win the American Turf, Arlington Classic, Oliver Stakes and Virginia Derby. Silver Max had his streak stopped with a fifth in Arlington's Secretariat Stakes on Aug. 18.
The colt has won seven of 14 career starts for $867.067.
The field for the Shadwell Turf Mile from the rail out: Skyring, Rajiv Maragh; Doubles Partner, Javier Castellano; Corporate Jungle, Paco Lopez; Willcox Inn, James Graham; Wise Dan, Jose Lezcano; Worthadd, Luis Contreras; Data Link, Alex Solis; Slip and Drive, Alex Cintron; Ol Army, Jesus Castanon; Silver Max, Robby Albarado; Dominus, Julien Leparoux and Swift Warrior, Jose Espinoza.
The race has a scheduled post-time of 5:21 p.m. (ET).
10/03 16:37:44 ET
