Two-time Horse of the Year Wise Dan has been cleared to resume full training, trainer Charlie LoPresti said June 30. His connections are hoping for a return to the races this fall.
The 8-year-old Wiseman's Ferry gelding has been on an every-other-day schedule jogging and galloping at Keeneland since doctors at Rood & Riddle Equine Hospital near Lexington gave Lopresti the green light May 26.
Sidelined from racing since a non-displaced fracture of his fetlock at the bottom of his right front cannon bone was discovered last October, the winner of the 2012 and 2013 editions of the Breeders' Cup Mile could still mount a bid at this year's Breeders' Cup Mile to be run at Keeneland.
"We X-rayed him today and he looks really good," LoPresti said. "He's getting a new pair of shoes as we speak. He has gone through jogging and galloping really well, he has responded really well, he's sound and happy. He'll get another set of X-rays to give us the all-clear before we breeze."
LoPresti said he has not decided whether to take a trip to Saratoga Race Course this summer as he has done with Wise Dan the past several years, or whether the gelding will remain at Keeneland to prep for a fall campaign.
The brilliant chestnut runner won the 2012 and 2013 editions of the Fourstardave Handicap before taking the Woodbine Mile both years. Last year before his injury, he returned from colic surgery after repeats in the Maker's 46 Mile and Woodford Reserve Turf Classic to win the Bernard Baruch at the Spa en route to victory in Keeneland's Shadwell Turf Mile.
"Saratoga doesn't open until July 20, and I'm not really sure if we're going to keep him here and train him all summer or bring him up there," LoPresti said. "I'm leaning towards maybe training him here all summer and getting ready for the Woodbine race.
"There are three options -- the Fourstardave [Aug. 15], the Bernard Baruch [Sept. 7], or the Woodbine Mile [Sept. 13]. He's a lot fitter than people think he is, so he might make a Saratoga race, but maybe we would just give him all the time and head straight to Woodbine."
Wise Dan, bred in Kentucky by owner Morton Fink out of the Wolf Power mare Lisa Danielle, has taken 11 Grade 1 races in his 23 wins and finished second twice from 31 starts, good for earnings of more than $7.5 million. He was named Horse of the Year in 2013 and 2012, and swept the titles for champion turf male and champion older male in both of those seasons as well, collecting six Eclipse Awards overall.
Last year Wise Dan won three Grade 1 races and a Grade 2 event despite having his season interrupted by colic surgery.