Wise Dan and Little Mike nominated to Woodford Reserve

By: SPORTS NETWORK

Louisville, KY (Sports Network) - Current Horse of the Year Wise Dan and Breeders' Cup Turf champ Little Mike are among the 62 thoroughbreds nominated to the $500,000 Woodford Reserve Turf Classic to be run on the Kentucky Derby card at Churchill Downs on Saturday, May 4.

Also nominated to the 1 1/8-mile grass race are 2011 Kentucky Derby winner Animal Kingdom. Gulfstream Park Turf Handicap champ Point of Entry and Hawthorne Gold Cup winner Pool Play.

Trained by Charles Lopresti, Wise Dan won last year's Breeders' Cup Mile after claiming the Woodbine and Shadwell Miles. In the opening NTRA Poll the 6-year- old gelding is fourth.

Little Mike, trained by Dale Romans, defeated Point of Entry in the Turf on Nov. 3 at Santa Anita. Tenth in the poll, the 6-year-old gelding won last year's Turf Classic along with the Arlington Million.

Trained by Graham Motion, Animal Kingdom was second to Wise Dan in the Breeders' Cup Mile and returned this year to finish second to Point of Entry in the Gulfstream Park Turf. The 5-year-old is ninth in the opening rankings.

Pool Play, trained by Mark Casse, began 2013 by finishing sixth to Graydar in the Donn Handicap. He was eighth behind Fort Larned in the Breeders' Cup Classic.