Monday, May 25, 2015

Peeping Dan



Morton Fink's homebred Wise Dan -- U.S. Horse of the Year, champion older male, and champion turf male of 2012 and 2013 and the winner of 11 Grade 1 races throughout 2011, 2012, 2013, and 2014 -- has been back in very light training (i.e. jogging) since the final week of April, and he is due to be re-evaluated by Dr. Larry Bramlage of Lexington's Rood and Riddle Equine Hospital on May 26th. It is yet to be determined if the eight-year-old Wiseman's Ferry gelding out of Lisa Danielle, diagnosed with a non-displaced fracture of his right front cannon bone in October, will return to the races.

Here is Wise Dan today, his last day of jogging before the re-evaluation, at trainer Charlie LoPresti's Keeneland base. The hugely popular chestnut has won 23-of-31 starts and $7,552,920. Wise Dan has not been worse than second in his 19 latest outings, dating back to the autumn of 2011, and was undefeated in 2014.

Wise Dan's stablemate/graded stakes-placed five-year-old half-sister Enchanting Lisa (by War Chant) runs in the Grade 3 Winning Colors Stakes at Churchill Downs this afternoon. She's looking for her first stakes win. Go, Lisa!

Taking in some round pen time, feeling the sun on his back, before going to the track.




Wise Dan, Kelly Wheeler up.

Amy LoPresti and pony accompanied Wheeler and Wise Dan to the track.



Back at the barn, trainer Charlie LoPresti feels the gelding's legs post-jog.






Friday, May 1, 2015

Kentucky Derby 2015

It's Kentucky Derby time! Here is the field (with pedigrees) in post position order. Bonus photos of Four Star Sales grads Danzig Moon as a yearling and Keen Ice as a foal.

My horses? I am in love with DORTMUND. He is a stunning individual. Morning line favorite American Pharoah is gorgeous as well, but Dortmund is DORTMUND. Upstart and Danzig Moon have caught my eye to grab a piece of the prize.

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1. Ocho Ocho Ocho (Street Sense - Winner, Horse Chestnut)
    O-DP Racing; B-Siena Farms; T-James Cassidy


2. Carpe Diem (Giant's Causeway - Rebridled Dreams, Unbridled's Song)
    O-WinStar Farm and Stonestreet Stables; B-Coffee Pot Stable; T-Todd Pletcher


3. Materiality (Afleet Alex - Wildwood Flower, Langfuhr)
    O-Alto Racing; B-John D. Gunther; T-Todd Pletcher


4. Tencendur (Warrior's Reward - Still Secret, Hennessy)
    O/B-Phil Birsh; T-George Weaver



5. Danzig Moon (Malibu Moon - Leaveminthedust, Danzig)
    O-John Oxley; B-William D. Graham; T-Mark Casse




6. Mubtaahij (Dubawi - Pennegale, Pennekamp)
    O-Essafinaat Limited; B-Dunmore Stud; T-Mike de Kock



7. El Kabeir (Scat Daddy - Great Venue, Unbridled's Song)
    O-Zayat Stables; B-Rustlewood Farm; T-John Terranova II


8. Dortmund (Big Brown - Our Josephina, Tale of the Cat)
    O-Kaleem Shah; B-Emilie Gerlinde Fojan; T-Bob Baffert






9. Bolo (Temple City - Aspen Mountain, Chief Seattle)
    O-Golden Pegasus Racing and Earle Mack; B-Spendthrift Farm; T-Carla Gaines


10. Firing Line (Line of David - Sister Girl Blues, Hold for Gold)
      O-Arnold Zetcher; B-Clearsky Farms; T-Simon Callaghan



11. *Stanford (Malibu Moon - Rosy Humor, Distorted Humor)
      O-Stonestreet Stables, Magnier, Tabor, and Smith; B-WinStar Farm; T-Todd Pletcher
      *scratched


12. International Star (Fusaichi Pegasus - Parlez, French Deputy)
      O-Ken and Sarah Ramsey; B-Katharine Voss and Robert Manfuso; T-Mike Maker



13. Itsaknockout (Lemon Drop Kid - Stormy B, Cherokee Run)
      O-Starlight Racing; B-Brookfield Stud; T-Todd Pletcher


14. Keen Ice (Curlin - Medomak, Awesome Again)
      O-Donegal Racing; B-Glencrest Farm; T-Dale Romans




15. Frosted (Tapit - Fast Cookie, Deputy Minister
      O-Godolphin Stable; B-Darley; T-Kiaran McLaughlin


16. War Story (Northern Afleet - Belle Watling, Pulpit)
      O-Loooch Racing Stables, Glenn Ellis, and Christopher Dunn; B-Jack Swain III; T-Tom Amoss


17. Mr. Z (Malibu Moon - Stormy Bear, Storm Cat)
      O-Zayat Stables; B-Richard D. Maynard; T-D. Wayne Lukas


18. American Pharoah (Pioneerof the Nile - Littleprincessemma, Yankee Gentleman)
      O/B-Zayat Stables; T-Bob Baffert






19. Upstart (Flatter - Party Silks, Touch Gold)
      O-Ralph Evans and WinStar Farm; B-Mrs. Gerald Nielsen; T-Rick Violette




20. Far Right (Notional - Zindi, Vindication)
      O-Robert LaPenta and Harry Rosenblum; B-Nossab and Patrick Crowley; T-Ron Moquett



Also Eligibles:

21. *Frammento (Midshipman - Ginger Bay, Golden Missile)
      O-Mossarosa; B-Mr. and Mrs. Olly Tait; T-Nick Zito
      *has drawn in to the Kentucky Derby


22. *Tale of Verve (Tale of Ekati - Verve, Unbridled)
      O/B-Charles Fipke; T-Dallas Stewart
      *needs a scratch by Friday to draw in