Wise Dan to kick off his 2012 campaign in the Ben Ali Stakes
The 5-year-old gelding, Wise Dan, will debut his much anticipated campaign in the Grade 3, $150,000 Ben Ali Stakes on 22 April, 2012, at Keeneland’s poly track against six other 4-year-old and above colts and geldings to contest over a distance of 1 1/8
miles.
Morton Fink’s homebred, Wise Dan ended his 2011 campaign as one of the best older horses in the nation with four wins out of eight starts last year, Wise Dan won three graded stakes races, and showed how versatile he is, as he didn’t mind running and then
winning over dirt, turf and poly track.
Given the winter off, Wise Dan will reappear under Charles Lopresti’s training, as the trainer in typical fashion brought him along slowly, and readied him to debut his 2012 campaign at Keeneland. The Ben Ali Stakes will highlight the Keeneland’s nine race
Sunday card.
In his first three starts of the last campaign as a 4-year-old, Wise Dan struggled a bit, while Charles Lopresti tried the son of Wiseman’s Ferry on poly track and dirt.
Last year, Wise Dan also started his campaign at Keeneland’s synthetic surface in the Grade 2 Commonwealth Stakes at seven furlongs, where he finished fourth on the day.
Finding Churchill Downs’ dirt track difficult, Wise Dan turned in a dull eighth place finish in his next start in the Grade 3 Alysheba Stakes, but bounced back to finish fourth on the same track in an allowance race.
He downed back to back victories at Churchill Downs’ grass in the Grade 2 Firecracker Stakes and then at Presque Isle Downs he won the 1 mile Presque Isle Mile over poly track.
Back at Keeneland, Wise Dan won the Grade 2 Fayette Stakes and finally over at Churchill Downs’ dirt track, Wise Dan won the Grade 1 Clark Handicap at about 1 1/8 miles.
“I think he’s doing really good; he’s as good as when I put him away,” Lopresti said. “Hopefully he’ll run as good as Successful Dan and Turallure. I want him to win, but first race off the bench I won’t be disappointed if he doesn't as long as he runs well.”
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