|
Wise Dan faces 11 in Shadwell; Daisy Devine seeks sweep in
First Lady
 |
|
Wise Dan dismantled his Woodbine Mile rivals under a hand
ride
(WEG/Michael Burns Photography) |
Wise Dan is unquestionably one of America's best turf horses, posting
impressive victories in the Grade 1 Woodbine Mile and Grade 2 Fourstardave
Handicap in his last two starts, and the talented gelding looks poised to make a
serious assault upon the November 3 Breeders' Cup Mile. He will receive his
final tune-up in Saturday's Grade 1, $750,000
Shadwell Turf Mile, one of five graded stakes races on a strong Keeneland
program.
Trained by Charles Lopresti, Wise Dan is as versatile as they come, winning
graded stakes on turf, dirt and synthetics, and the five-year-old rolled to a
track record-setting victory in his last appearance at Keeneland, taking the
Grade 2 Fayette Stakes on Polytrack. He possesses a four for five mark on turf,
but the lone setback came in last year's Shadwell as Wise Dan finished
fourth behind three-time champion Gio Ponti.
|
The chestnut looks much more formidable this time around and should be a heavy
favorite with Jose Lezcano, a one-race replacement for John Velazquez, who is
honoring a previous commitment at Belmont Park. Wise Dan breaks from post 5 in the
12-horse field.
Silver Max will have to be caught from post 10. The Dale Romans-conditioned
colt turned in a tour-de-force performance on Keeneland's turf last April,
winning the Grade 3 Transylvania Stakes by a widening 5 1/2-length margin in
wire-to-wire style, and the speedster backed it up with consecutive wins in the
Grade 2 American Turf, Arlington Classic, Oliver Stakes and Grade 2 Virginia
Derby. His six-race win skein came to an end in the Grade 1 Secretariat last
out, at a 1 1/4-mile distance that isn't favorable, but Silver Max should relish
the cutback in trip off a deserved 49-day freshening. Robby Albarado rides. Data
Link also showed an affinity for the course in April, posting a 12-1 upset in
the Grade 1 Maker's 46 Mile, and the Shug McGaughey-trained colt captured the
Grade 2 Monmouth Stakes two starts later. He exits a respectable second in the
Grade 2 Bernard Baruch in which there was little pace. The late runner figures
to receive a much more favorable set-up Saturday with Alex Solis.
 |
| Daisy Devine, scooting away
from her rivals in the stretch of the Jenny Wiley, is two for
two on Keeneland's turf
(Keeneland/Coady Photography) |
Todd Pletcher will send out a pair in Dominus and Doubles Partner. Dominus
has won two straight since a trainer switch, including a wire-to-wire tally in
the Bernard Baruch in his turf bow, and the four-year-old colt will likely
revert to rating tactics from post 11. Julien Leparoux retains the mount. Grade
2 hero Doubles Partner will make his first start since early May, checking in a
decent fourth in the Grade 1 Woodford Reserve Turf Classic, and the
five-year-old ran well when finishing a troubled third in the Maker's 46 Mile
two start back, beaten less than a length. Javier Castellano will guide. Trainer
Chad Brown will send out Grade 3 hero Corporate Jungle, who exits a
non-threatening second in the Fourstardave, and Grade 2 winner Willcox Inn
brings solid credentials into the race for Michael Stidham.
Daisy Devine will bring a two for two mark over the course into the Grade 1,
$350,000
First Lady Stakes, a one-mile turf affair that will feature six fillies and
mares. She made her turf bow at Keeneland 12 months ago, springing a 43-1 upset
in the Valley View Stakes, and followed it with a pair of sharp stakes wins on
Fair Grounds' turf. She then rolled to a one-length score in Keeneland's Grade 1
Jenny Wiley last April, and Daisy Devine will attempt to join Intercontinental
(2005) and Never Retreat (2011) as the only females to win both races in the
same year.
|
Trained by Andrew McKeever, Daisy Devine will make her first start since a
fifth in the Grade 2 Distaff Turf Mile in early May. Regular rider James Graham
will be back up on the four-year-old filly.
Tapitsfly will look to turn things around following a pair of unplaced
efforts in the Grade 1 Diana and Grade 2 Ballston Spa. The Romans charge won her
last attempt at a mile, taking the Grade 1 Just a Game Stakes at Belmont Park in
early June, and will likely show speed from her inside post with new jockey
Lezcano. Summer Soiree is a candidate to improve off a third in the Ballston Spa
in her 2012 debut. The Graham Motion-trained filly captured the Grade 1 Del Mar
Oaks and finished a close second in the Grade 1 Matriarch last season. Distaff
Turf Mile winner Hungry Island is another contender, finishing second in the
Ballston Spa most recently for Shug McGaughey.
Bet Horseracing Free Online at TwinSpires.com
Send this article to a friend
| 
