Wise Dan works day after postponement

By: SPORTS NETWORK

Lexington, KY (SportsNetwork.com) - Horse of the Year Wise Dan's Thursday workout was canceled due to wet grounds, so the 6-year-old got in his workout Friday at Keeneland.

Trained by Charles LoPresti, Wise Dan and exercise rider Damien Rock worked a half-mile in 47 2/5 seconds over Keeneland's main track. The gelding, training to defend his title in the Breeders' Cup Mile, galloped out five furlongs in 1:00.

"Pretty awesome - :11s and :12s all the way," LoPresti said of the eighth-mile splits. "He is just as good as last year.

"I was a little concerned the turf might be a little soft. The Polytrack is consistent and a little better when it has some moisture in it. He doesn't have to train on the turf. He didn't last year. I knew I had a good track on the Polytrack."

Owned by Morton Fink, the 6-year-old gelding finished second on Oct. 5 in the Shadwell Turf Mile at Keeneland after the race was moved off the turf due to heavy rain. With John Velazquez in the saddle. Wise Dan had his nine-race win streak snapped when he finished 1 1/4 lengths behind Silver Max in the reconfigured 1 1/16-mile stakes.

This year, Wise Dan won his second consecutive Fourstardave Handicap at Saratoga as well as his second straight Woodbine Mile. He won the Firecracker Handicap at Churchill Downs on June 29 after beginning 2013 with wins in the Maker's 46 Mile and Woodford Reserve Turf Classic.

The three-time Eclipse Award winner has won 18 of 26 career races for $5,193,610.