Morton Fink's Wise Dan is telling trainer Charlie Lopresti he's ready to get back to the races and that's just what he's going to do, as Lopresti plans on entering him Oct. 3 for the Oct. 6 Shadwell Turf Mile (gr. IT) at Keeneland.
Wise Dan will go into the Shadwell having run only 20 days earlier in the Woodbine Mile (gr. IT) at Woodbine, in which he crushed an international field by 3 1/4 lengths for his second consecutive impressive score over the turf. He won the Fourstardave (gr. IIT) at Saratoga by five lengths Aug. 11.
"He came out of the Woodbine Mile very well and the race didn't take much out of him, so it makes sense," Lopresti said. "All we have to do is ship him across the street. Mr. Fink talked about, and we figured he ran in the Shadwell last year and he came off that and won the Fayette. I worked him the other day and he went with the authority, as he did at Saratoga following the Fourstardave. He's such an incredible work horse. I would have had to work him several times anyway, so we might as well run him. He's never been better, otherwise I wouldn't do it."
Wise Dan breezed four furlongs in :47 2/5 at Keeneland Sept. 28.
"If in the next couple of days he shows me any indication he's not ready to run, or if there is any hiccup at all then I wouldn't run," Lopresti said. "If he stays like he was this morning, it's 'all systems go.' The way he trains and the way he works, you don't want to work him too many times. This way I wouldn't have to do as much with him before the Breeders Cup."
Speaking of the Breeders' Cup, Lopresti said, although he hasn't ruled out the Classic (gr. I), he is still pointing the son of Wiseman's Ferry for the Breeders' Cup Mile (gr. IT).
"Let's see how he does Saturday," Lopresti said. "This race could knock him out. If it does, we'll have to re-evaluate things and decide what to do. Right now, we're still leaning toward the Mile on turf, but we'll know more after this weekend. Mr. Fink and I will discuss what we want to do."
Lopresti said Horse of the Year will have no bearing on their decision.
"He's a gelding and he's not going to be a stallion, so we're not overly concerned with Horse of the Year. It would be nice to get it, but I just want to get him to the races and do a good job with him."
Wise Dan has run only four times this year, winning three and finishing second by a head to Ron the Greek in the Stephen Foster (gr. I) on the dirt at Churchill Downs.
