Wise Dan to Resume Galloping

Two-time Horse of the Year Wise Dan has been cleared to resume galloping.

On a humid morning at Keeneland on May 27, two-time Horse of the Year Wise Dan stood in his stall in trainer Charlie LoPresti's barn at the Lexington, Kentucky track. He had been tacked up and was preparing to be walked along the shedrow - a routine he has followed every other day. The two-time Horse of the Year began tack walking in early March, when he returned to Keeneland to gradually resume training as he recovers from the non-displaced fracture at the bottom of his right front cannon bone that kept him from pursuing a third consecutive Breeders' Cup Mile (gr. I) win last fall. At the end of April, Wise Dan began jogging every other day, tack walking on days on which he does not visit the track.

But days will soon become much more exciting for the 8-year-old son of Wiseman's Ferry. A re-evaluation at Rood and Riddle Equine Hospital on Tuesday, May 26 revealed that Wise Dan's injury has healed well enough for him to resume galloping.

"He can gallop every other day now," LoPresti said. "In thirty days, we're gonna x-ray it again. We feel pretty certain that after that, we can go right into full training."

As Wise Dan stepped out of his stall to begin tack walking this morning, LoPresti observed his multiple Eclipse Award winner. Despite not having been in full training for several months, the chestnut gelding's muscular frame appeared rather fit.

"He doesn't look like a horse who's been out of training, does he?" LoPresti said with a smile.

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Should things continue to go well, Wise Dan could return to the races by the latter part of the summer, with the Breeders’ Cup Mile at his home track of Keeneland as his main target.