Velazquez: Wise Dan's the 'whole package'

Hall of Fame jockey John Velazquez, regular rider of U.S. Horse of the Year

Wise Dan, will take part in an autograph signing on Sunday's Woodbine Mile card.

Velazquez, who guided Wise Dan to a 3 1/4-length score in the 2012 Woodbine

Mile, will sign free commemorative photos for fans from 1:30 p.m. to 2 p.m.

(EDT) on the second floor, next to the customer service desk.

Velazquez, inducted into the U.S. Racing Hall of Fame in 2012, capped a

phenomenally successful 20-year career as a jockey with a victory in the 2011

Kentucky Derby aboard longshot Animal Kingdom, a mount he only obtained one day

before the big race as a replacement for Robby Albarado.

A two-time Eclipse Award winner, Velazquez took over as Wise Dan's regular

rider with a 3 3/4-length score in the 2011 edition of the Clark Handicap at

Churchill Downs. Since that victory, Velazquez and Wise Dan have teamed up to

win six additional graded events.

The Hall of Fame jockey is full of admiration for the champion chestnut with

the high cruising speed.

"He can be pretty tough," Velazquez  admitted. "I think that's why he's

a little bit better (than other horses). He allows you to control the first part

of the race and that's why he's become the horse that he is, because he can do

what he wants in the first part of the race."

Velazquez believes that Wise Dan, trained by well-regarded horseman Charles

LoPresti, is continuing to improve with age.

"As they become older, they get a little bit better as well and train a

little bit differently," Velazquez said. "Charles is doing a great job with

him."

Last time out, Wise Dan carried 129 pounds over a good Saratoga turf and was

up in time to reel in the speedy King Kreesa in the Fourstardave Handicap.

"He was going really well the whole way around and running pretty easily,"

Velazquez recalled. "I was pretty confident I was going to get there."

Having piloted Wise Dan to graded victories on turf, synthetic and

traditional dirt, Velazquez is hard pressed to select a favorite win with the

fan favorite.

"It's difficult to pick just one. He's been so good that every race I win

with him is special," Velazquez said. "Each time out it's a different group of

horses, different track. I have to pick every one of them."

On Sunday, Velazquez will look to add to his excellent numbers at Woodbine

where he has won nine races, six of them Grade 1 events, including a record

three wins in the Mile: Riviera in 2000 and Leroidesanimaux in 2005 prior to

Wise Dan.

"I've been very lucky up there, but I've also been on good horses," Velazquez

said. "When you ride good horses, you have confidence to give them the best

possible ride and that alone is more than half the battle."

The Hall of Famer acknowledges that having a game plan for Woodbine's

expansive E.P. Taylor Turf Course, and one-turn mile, is a key to his success.

"You need to have that on your radar, study it, and not use your horse too

early in the race," he said. "Everywhere we go, I have to be prepared and having

a good horse like Wise Dan helps a lot."

And as for what makes Wise Dan that much more special than his peers?

"Talent, courage and heart," Velazquez said. "It's the whole package. You

can't have just one and not the other. He has such a great team behind him. The

team has done an exceptional job to keep him going the same way all the time.

That's hard to do. He really is the whole package."

During Thursday's post position draw, LoPresti commented on the champion

gelding's temperament and plans.

"He's always been a really good shipper," the trainer said. "When we brought

him up here (to Woodbine) last year, he made a few passes around the stall and

went to sleep. For the Breeders' Cup, he got in there a day or so later

than he needed to but he handled the shipping well. Nothing seems to upset him.

"He worked really good (Tuesday at Keeneland, breezing four furlongs in :48

1/5). He just did it real easy.

"We'll get him home Monday (after the race), assess him and see how he came

out of the race. There's a possibility we could freshen him and go to the

Breeders' Cup directly, but I don't want to rule out the Shadwell (Mile on

October 5 at Keeneland)."

LoPresti added that the primary goal right now is "to keep him undefeated"

for this season.

After Wise Dan ended 2012 riding a four-race winning streak, he has won all

four starts of 2013.

Wise Dan vanned from his Keeneland base and arrived at Woodbine in the wee

hours Friday morning. The champion chestnut enjoyed a pick of grass on a cool,

gray morning and has settled in nicely.

LoPresti, who arrived a few short hours later, is looking forward to seeing

the reigning Horse of the Year race over the E.P Taylor Turf Course.

"I love this turf course," LoPresti said. "It's a safe course and he raced

well here last year.

"I think no matter where he breaks from, he's going to put himself in the

race and be in a good position.

"I think it's better than the one hole," the trainer added regarding being

drawn in post 4. "I'm happy with it and don't have any bad feelings about it."

A tracking trip will be the most likely route to the winner's circle for Wise

Dan.

"Johnny won't let him go to the lead, he never does. He just tucks him in

somewhere," LoPresti said. "He knows him well enough and he's such a good rider

that I don't even tell him much anymore. He studies the Form as much as I

do, who am I to tell him what to do? He's out there, it's his job, and a world

class rider doesn't need me to tell him. All I need to tell him is that the

horse is fit enough and ready to run."

LoPresti is in the process of mapping out a comfortable schedule for Wise

Dan's title defense.

"Today (Friday) we'll let him have an easy day and walk around here,"

LoPresti said. "On Saturday, I'd like to get him onto the turf and let him jog

and gallop a little bit like he did last year. We might paddock school him

tomorrow afternoon. It depends how he is. He's a pretty smart horse and I don't

want to take too much away from him.  Maybe I'll take him out and see how

he acts tomorrow. After that, he'll walk Sunday, run and then leave Monday

morning."

Za Approval also arrived on early Friday morning from New York, while fellow

Mile contender Dimension shipped up from Kentucky on Thursday morning.

Wise Dan's rivals know that they've got a tall task to dethrone the defending

champion.

Christophe Lorieul, trainer Christophe Clement's assistant who is on the

scene with Za Approval, spoke of taking on the Horse of the Year.

"I'm not sure we can beat Wise Dan," Lorieul said. "Wise Dan is a very good

horse. But we'll take him on and see what happens. Our horse is doing very well.

"We're obviously looking for firm turf with him, regardless of the

competition," Lorieul said of Za Approval's going preference. "We think he's a

very good horse, but he's a lot more effective on firm turf. He's fit. He's run

good races off long layoffs. He's also a little bit better in the cooler

climate."

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