Wise Dan to face six in Maker's 46 Mile

Wise Dan kicked off his 2013 Horse of the Year title defense in the Maker's

Mark Mile, which he won by a length. The seven-year-old gelding won five of his

six remaining starts last season, culminating in a repeat victory in the

Breeders' Cup Mile at Santa Anita on November 2.

Weather remains one of the factors for LoPresti regarding Wise Dan's

participation Friday. There was a slight chance of rain in the forecast for

later Tuesday and a 40 percent chance of thunderstorms Friday.

"It depends on the weather and I am going to walk the turf course today to

see how much grass there is on it and see what I think," LoPresti said.

Weather has been an issue for Wise Dan in recent months. Based at Keeneland

during a prolonged and bitterly cold winter in Central Kentucky, Wise Dan might

be playing catch-up with some of his Maker's 46 Mile rivals, who have been

training and racing in warmer climes.

Lochte worked three furlongs in :36 after the renovation break on Tuesday

with Jennifer Young, assistant to trainer Marcus Vitali, aboard. Working on his

own, Lochte went through the stretch in :24 and galloped out in :36 to the

seven-eighths pole.

"That was good," Young said. "He had done his major work before he left

Calder (a half-mile in :48 on March 30)."

Lochte exits a second-place finish in the March 8 Frank E. Kilroe Mile at

Santa Anita. Fourth as the favorite in that race was the returning Za Approval,

a three-time graded stakes winner last year who finished second behind Wise Dan

in both the Breeders' Cup Mile and Woodbine Mile. The gray Christophe Clement

trainee drew the rail for his Keeneland debut.

Also entered in the Maker's 46 Mile are recent Canadian Turf hero Reload, the

Grade 3-placed Gentleman's Kitten and Kaigun, and the lightly-raced Brazilian

import Alakazan Alakazan.

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