Wise Dan picked up right where he left off (Keeneland/Coady Photography)

Two-time reigning Horse of the Year Wise Dan dismissed any concerns of rust while opening his seven-year-old season in the same manner as last year, winning Friday's Grade 1, $300,000 Maker's 46 Mile at Keeneland. The powerful gelding surged clear in the stretch and easily held late-running longshot Kaigun safe to score by three-quarters of a length.

Trained by Charles LoPresti, Wise Dan was making his first appearance since repeating in the Breeders' Cup Mile at Santa Anita in early November. Regular rider John Velazquez missed the last start after being injured earlier on the Breeders' Cup program, but the Hall of Famer was back in the boot aboard the classy chestnut.

"This horse is incredible," Velazquez said. "They don't come around that often. He's definitely a special horse, and he's proven it the last two-to-three years."

The Mort Fink homebred opened 2013 with a one-length tally in the Maker's 46 Mile and Wise Dan notched his sixth graded stakes victory at Keeneland Friday. An overwhelming 1-5 favorite among six rivals, he paid $2.80 to win after completing a mile in 1:34 4/5 over the firm turf.

Velazquez was thrilled to open the year with a victory aboard the "special horse" (Keeneland/Coady Photography)

Wise Dan notched his 11th straight turf stakes victory, a streak that extends back to August 2012, and his only setback during that period came as a second in the off-the-turf, Grade 1 Shadwell Turf Mile last October.

"You think I could really come up with the words to describe that,?" Fink said when asked what it's like to own a horse like Wise Dan. "It's like a dream: the whole thing. He does everything right. You just interviewed the guy (LoPresti) who's the reason he's the way he is."

Wise Dan settled into a perfect stalking position, about two lengths back in fourth during the early stages. Alakazan Alakazan advanced forward at the break and held a slim advantage after an opening quarter-mile in :23 4/5. The pacesetter continued to lead a tight pack down the backstretch, with Gentleman's Kitten and Za Approval also up close after a half-mile in :47.

Lochte accelerated from near the back of the back to take a short lead on the far turn as Wise Dan also began edge closer. Lochte passed the six-furlong mark in 1:11, but Wise Dan was only a head back in second with a quarter-mile remaining.

LoPresti (red tie) gave his star gelding a well-deserved pat after winning the Maker's 46 Mile for the second consecutive year (Wendy Wooley/EquiSport Photos)

"He got a little strong on the backstretch, so I let him get his position to where he was comfortable. From then on, he did it very well."

Kaigun, the longshot in the field at 37-1, came rolling on the far outside in deep stretch but was never a serious threat to the winner. It was a 4 1/4-length gap to Grade 1 winner Lochte in third. Next came Za Approval, who didn't experience a clean trip along the inside as the 7-2 second choice, Gentleman's Kitten and Alakazan Alakazan. Reload was scratched.

LoPresti was asked what's next.

"I'll talk to the boss man right here (Fink). He'll tell me what to do," the trainer said. "We're looking at the Woodford (Grade 1 Reserve Turf Classic) Derby Day (May 3) -- what we did last year. We'll just see.

The Finks received a gold tray as part of Keeneland's signature graded stakes trophy; only 18 other owners have achieved such an accomplishment (Keeneland/Coady Photography)

Wise Dan proved a triple-surface threat in 2011, winning the Firecracker in his turf debut, and adding the Presque Isle Mile on Tapeta, before romping in the Fayette over Keeneland's Polytrack and the Clark Handicap on the Churchill Downs dirt.

He kicked off his 2012 season at Keeneland with a scintillating 10 1/2-length conquest of the Ben Ali in a track-record time of 1:46.63 on the Polytrack. Wise Dan returned to Churchill for the Stephen Foster Handicap, only to lose by a head after a tough trip.

Wise Dan commenced a winning spree in the Fourstardave at Saratoga, then added the Shadwell Turf Mile, Woodbine Mile and Breeders' Cup Mile, the latter in a course- and stakes-record 1:31.78.

Last year, Wise Dan followed his Maker's 46 Mile victory with scores in the Woodford Reserve Turf Classic, Firecracker and Fourstardave, carrying 128 and 129 pounds, respectively, in the latter two performances. He captured the Woodbine Mile for the second straight year in mid-September, this time blitzing in a course-record 1:31.75. After the aforementioned second in the Shadwell Turf Mile, which was held over a puddle-strewn Polytrack at Keeneland, Wise Dan rebounded in the Breeders' Cup Mile, defeating runner-up Za Approval by about a length.