Wise Dan might have met his match in Animal Kingdom in the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile
It is going to be a thrilling end to this year’s Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Mile, as two of the best and most accomplished U.S. horses, Animal Kingdom and Wise Dan will take the field in the same gate at Santa Anita on 3 November, 2012, but both have taken a
different path leading up to the Breeders’ Cup race.
Luck hasn’t been on Animal Kingdom’s side since his eye popping run in the 2011 Triple Crown, when he won the Grade 1 Kentucky Derby, finished second to Shackleford in the Grade 1 Preakness Stakes, and with an injured leg in the Belmont Stakes he chased
the field in the slop never giving up, as he split the field by finishing sixth with a clear disadvantage.
The son of Leroidesanimaux made his return to the races this year with an ambitious goal to win the Group 1, $10 million Dubai World Cup at the Meydan, and to get on familiar territory, Animal Kingdom won the an allowance optional claimer on turf at Gulfstream
Park on 18 February, 2012.
However, while preparing for the Dubai World Cup, Team Valor International owned and Graham Motion trained 4-year-old colt suffered from another injury and was sidelined, as he hasn’t raced since, but has been turning in works at Fair Hill.
On the other hand, Charles Lopresti trained 5-year-old gelding, Wise Dan is coming on the back of three graded stakes victories, and prior to his hat-trick, Morton Fink’s Wise Dan finished second and before that in 2011 won the Grade 2 Fayette Stakes, Clark
Handicap and this year the Grade 3 Ben Ali Stakes.
"If he were to win this race, he should be considered one of the best horses, sure," Lopresti said. "He'd be one of the best, not the best, but one of the best in the world. It's very hard to say who would be the best."
At the end of it all, Wise Dan might steal the win from Animal Kingdom, solely based on his extremely good form, but Animal Kingdom will not be denied easy, comeback race or no comeback race, he is going to give his all.
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