Races to be determined for Lopresti's top charges

By: SPORTS NETWORK

Lexington, KY (Sports Network) - Successful seasonal debuts by both of trainer Charles Lopresti's top two runners have not made it easy to decide where to run them next.

Reigning Horse of the Year Wise Dan won the Maker's 46 Mile and half-brother Successful Dan had no problem in the Ben Ali Stakes, both at Keeneland. However, their next starts have yet to be decided.

"We really haven't made a plan yet, but I'm going to talk to (owner Morton Fink) this morning and see how (Wise Dan) comes out of this," LoPresti said following the champion's Wednesday workout. "Successful Dan will go back to the track tomorrow, and we'll try to figure out what we're doing.

"At this point, we're trying to just enjoy the races we've won."

Wise Dan worked five furlongs in 59 3/5 seconds at Keeneland and galloped out six furlongs in 1:13 1/5 and seven furlongs in 1:27 3/5.

"I just wanted to work him one time and see how he worked and how his fitness level was," Lopresti said. "He worked really good today."

The 6-year-old gelding won the Maker's 46 Mile turf race by a length on April 12.

"The race came up a little bit tougher than I would have liked, but it didn't look like he had to run too hard," his trainer commented. "It looked like they could have gone around again and he would not have let that other horse (Data Link) by him.

"People don't realize what this horse can do. There's no telling what he will do the next time he runs. He was a couple of breezes short, but I have him where I want him now. We will take it easy with him now and I would like to see him put a little more weight on."

Wise Dan has now posted 14 wins in 21 lifetime starts for better than $3.7 million.

Successful Dan also posted a one-length victory in the Ben Ali Stakes last Sunday to mark his first start since June 30.

"He has tremendous heart. He's got a lot of talent, and his injuries here lately haven't been very bad," Lopresti said after the race. "At Saratoga, he had some filling in his pastern. Probably, I could have run him, but you want them to be 100 percent with a horse of this caliber. It wasn't that hard to get him back to this race. (Jockey) Julien (Leparoux) has breezed him these past two times, and he's told me he was as good as ever. And Dr. Larry Bramlage checked him and gave him a clean bill of health."

Lopresti offered nothing concrete about Successful Dan's second 2013 start following the Ben Ali.

"He loves Churchill. We'll see how he is after this race. Maybe the Stephen Foster (on June 15). We might have to rethink what we do with Wise Dan (also mentioned as a possible contender for the Stephen Foster). If not that, we might just freshen (Successful Dan) and take him to Saratoga."

Successful Dan has earned $746,608 with eight wins in just 12 career starts.