Wise Dan runs away with Shadwell Turf Mile

By: SPORTS NETWORK

Lexington, KY (Sports Network) - Odds-on favorite Wise Dan served notice for next month's Breeders' Cup with a dominating victory in Saturday's 27th running of the $750,000 Shadwell Turf Mile at Keeneland Racecourse. The win came less than three weeks after the gelding captured the Woodbine Mile.

Trained by Charles Lopresti, Wise Dan was ridden by Jose Lezcano in just his fifth start of the year. Lezcano was substituting for Hall of Fame jockey John Velazquez who had commitments at Belmont Park.

Setting the pace in the Mile was Silver Max followed by Dominus, Skyring and Corporate Jungle. Wise Dan, owned by Morton Fink, was racing just a handful of lengths off the lead.

Wise Dan began cutting into the leaders advantage as the field entered the far turn. The 3-5 favorite moved into fourth on the turn and easily advanced to third while racing wide around the turn.

Wise Dan took the lead at the head of the stretch and drove to a 2 1/4 length win over 48-1 outsider Willcox Inn. Slip and Drive, at 100-1, finished third followed by Doubles Partner, Data Link, Dominus, Corporate Jungle, Swift Warrior, Silver Max, Skyring, Worthadd and Ol Army.

Racing on a firm turf course, Wise Dan stopped the timer at 1:35.94.

"He was so good coming out of the Woodbine race I just didn't want to breeze him too many more times," thre winning trainer said. "I figured this (the Shadwell Turf Mile) would give him a chance to maybe breeze him one more time easy and then run him (in the Breeders' Cup World Championships)."

The 5-year-old gained $450,000 with the win and has now earned $2,461,638 with 12 wins in 19 lifetime starts. The Shadwell Turf Mile is a Breeders' Cup "Win and You're In" event as was the Woodbine Mile.

"We'll lean toward the Mile, but we won't rule out the Classic. Listening to everybody talk, I think he deserves to run in the Classic," Lopresti stated concerning the World Championships at Santa Anita.

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.

"If you watch him in the Stephen Foster, that track was kind of loose that night and he wasn't getting a hold of it," Lopresti noted. "He just wasn't on the bridle, but he still ran a good race."

Wise Dan paid $3.20, $2.40 and $2.40. Willcox Inn returned $23.60 and $11.00, and Slip and Drive paid $20.40 to show.