Wise Dan (USA)
February 20, 2007 – Living
Wiseman's Ferry (USA) x Lisa Danielle (USA), by Wolf Power (SAF)
Family 5-h
February 20, 2007 – Living
Wiseman's Ferry (USA) x Lisa Danielle (USA), by Wolf Power (SAF)
Family 5-h
At his best, Wise Dan was a horse who didn't know how to lose. Gifted with a tremendous turn of foot and an equally tremendous will to win, he was the most brilliant American turf miler of recent years. While he seldom competed outside his specialty during his two American Horse of the Year seasons, he was so outstanding that he was an easy choice for his honors.
After winning his first two outings of 2014, both Grade 1 races, Wise Dan underwent emergency colic surgery in May. He came back at the Saratoga meeting in August, winning the Bernard Baruch Handicap (USA-G2), and appeared to be on target to win his third consecutive Breeders' Cup Mile (USA-G1) after winning the Shadwell Turf Mile (USA-G1) at Keeneland. Unfortunately, he was diagnosed with a non-displaced condylar fracture eight days after his Keeneland triumph, ending his season. He was in training for a comeback try in 2015 when he suffered a tendon tear that led to his permanent retirement. He is currently enjoying a quiet retirement at his trainer's farm.
Race record
31 starts, 23 wins, 2 seconds, 0 thirds, US$7,552,920
2010:
2011:
2012:
2013:
2014:
Honors
Assessments
Rated at 121 pounds on the 2011 World's Best Racehorse Rankings, the sixth-highest rating given to a North American runner that year and tied for 38th overall.
Rated at 129 pounds on the 2012 World's Best Racehorse Rankings, making him the top North American runner of the year and fifth in the world standings.
Rated at 129 pounds on the 2013 World's Best Racehorse Rankings, making him the top North American runner of the year and third in the world standings.
Rated at 124 pounds on the 2014 World's Best Racehorse Rankings, tying him for second among North American runners of that year and for 11th among Thoroughbreds worldwide.
As an individual
A chestnut gelding, Wise Dan is a well-balanced animal with exceptionally powerful hindquarters. Those familiar with him state that he is highly intelligent and responsive to his handlers. He was an utterly determined competitor on the racetrack. He is one of the few racehorses to have won graded stakes races on dirt, turf and synthetic surfaces. According to Fink, Wise Dan was gelded primarily because of his plebeian pedigree, which led Fink to believe he would probably never be good enough to be considered a stallion prospect.
Connections
Wise Dan was bred and owned by Morton Fink, who had been actively involved in racing since 1971 but had never previously owned or bred a horse of such caliber. The gelding was trained by Charlie LoPresti. He was ridden in the 2012 Breeders' Cup Mile by John Velazquez and in the 2013 Breeders' Cup Mile by Jose Lezcano. He currently lives at LoPresti's Forest Lane Farm near Athens, Kentucky, where his pasture mate is his graded stakes-winning half brother, Successful Dan.
Pedigree notes
Wise Dan is inbred 5x3 to Secretariat, 5x4 to Round Table and 5x5 to Northern Dancer. He is a half brother to multiple Grade 2 winner Successful Dan (by Successful Appeal) and to stakes winner Our Royal Dancer (by Roy).
Wise Dan's dam, Lisa Danielle, scored her only win from seven tries in claiming company. The 2012 Kentucky Broodmare of the Year, she is a half sister to Sunup (by Grey Dawn II), dam of two-time Panamanian champion filly Amistad (by Screen King), who in turn produced 2007 Panamanian champion 3-year-old male Volveremos (by Proud Truth) and Panamanian stakes winner Margarita (by Slaughter Beach). She is also a half sister to Grade 1-placed Carsona (by Carson City), dam of Grade 2 winner Siphon City (by Siphon).
Lisa Danielle and her siblings are out of the unraced Secretariat mare Askmysecretary, whose half sister Laquifan (by Lear Fan) produced multiple Grade/Group 3 winner Tzar Rodney (by Assert). Askmysecretary is also a half sister to stakes-placed Saquiace (by Sagace), dam of 2007 Ceske Derby winner Medeo (by Monsun) and Italian stakes winner Sky Dancing (by Exit to Nowhere). Sky Dancing, in turn, is the dam of 2010 Preis von Europa (GER-G1) winner Scalo (by Lando) and French Group 3 winner Sexy Lady (by Danehill Dancer). The next dam in Wise Dan's tail-female lineage, French stakes winner Laquiola (by Lyphard) is a half sister to 1973 Prix du Jockey Club (French Derby, FR-G1) winner Roi Lear (by Reform) and to 1970 Prix Saint-Alary winner Lalika (by Le Fabuleux).
Books and media
Fun facts
Photo credit
Photo taken by Mike Sekulic at the 2013 Breeders' Cup Mile at Santa Anita. Used by permission.
Last updated: April 22, 2023
After winning his first two outings of 2014, both Grade 1 races, Wise Dan underwent emergency colic surgery in May. He came back at the Saratoga meeting in August, winning the Bernard Baruch Handicap (USA-G2), and appeared to be on target to win his third consecutive Breeders' Cup Mile (USA-G1) after winning the Shadwell Turf Mile (USA-G1) at Keeneland. Unfortunately, he was diagnosed with a non-displaced condylar fracture eight days after his Keeneland triumph, ending his season. He was in training for a comeback try in 2015 when he suffered a tendon tear that led to his permanent retirement. He is currently enjoying a quiet retirement at his trainer's farm.
Race record
31 starts, 23 wins, 2 seconds, 0 thirds, US$7,552,920
2010:
- Won Phoenix Stakes (USA-G3, 6FD, Keeneland)
2011:
- Won Clark Handicap (USA-G1, 9FD, Churchill Downs)
- Won Fayette Stakes (USA-G2, 9FA, Keeneland)
- Won Firecracker Handicap (USA-G2, 8FT, Churchill Downs)
- Won Presque Isle Mile Stakes (USA-L, 8FA, Presque Isle)
2012:
- Won Breeders' Cup Mile (USA-G1, 8FT, Santa Anita; new course record 1:31.78)
- Won Ricoh Woodbine Mile Stakes (CAN-G1, 8FT, Woodbine)
- Won Shadwell Turf Mile Stakes (USA-G1, 8FT, Keeneland)
- Won Fourstardave Handicap (USA-G2, 8FT, Saratoga)
- Won Ben Ali Stakes (USA-G3, 9FA, Keeneland; new track record 1:46.63)
- 2nd Stephen Foster Handicap (USA-G1, 9FD, Churchill Downs)
2013:
- Won Breeders' Cup Mile (USA-G1, 8FT, Santa Anita; new course record 1:31.78)
- Won Ricoh Woodbine Mile Stakes (CAN-G1, 8FT, Woodbine)
- Won Woodford Reserve Turf Classic Stakes (USA-G1, 9FT, Churchill Downs)
- Won Maker's 46 Mile Stakes (USA-G1, 8FT, Keeneland)
- Won Fourstardave Handicap (USA-G2, 8FT, Saratoga)
- Won Firecracker Handicap (USA-G2, 8FT, Churchill Downs)
- 2nd Shadwell Turf Mile Stakes (USA-G1, 8.5FA, Keeneland)
2014:
- Won Shadwell Turf Mile Stakes (USA-G1, 8FT, Keeneland)
- Won Woodford Reserve Turf Classic Stakes (USA-G1, 9FT, Churchill Downs)
- Won Maker's 46 Mile Stakes (USA-G1, 8FT, Keeneland)
- Won Bernard Baruch Handicap (USA-G2, 8.5FT, Saratoga)
Honors
- National Museum of Racing Hall of Fame (elected in 2020)
- Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame (inducted in 2016)
- Eclipse Award, American Horse of the Year (2012, 2013)
- Eclipse Award, American champion older male (2012, 2013)
- Eclipse Award, American champion turf male (2012, 2013)
Assessments
Rated at 121 pounds on the 2011 World's Best Racehorse Rankings, the sixth-highest rating given to a North American runner that year and tied for 38th overall.
Rated at 129 pounds on the 2012 World's Best Racehorse Rankings, making him the top North American runner of the year and fifth in the world standings.
Rated at 129 pounds on the 2013 World's Best Racehorse Rankings, making him the top North American runner of the year and third in the world standings.
Rated at 124 pounds on the 2014 World's Best Racehorse Rankings, tying him for second among North American runners of that year and for 11th among Thoroughbreds worldwide.
As an individual
A chestnut gelding, Wise Dan is a well-balanced animal with exceptionally powerful hindquarters. Those familiar with him state that he is highly intelligent and responsive to his handlers. He was an utterly determined competitor on the racetrack. He is one of the few racehorses to have won graded stakes races on dirt, turf and synthetic surfaces. According to Fink, Wise Dan was gelded primarily because of his plebeian pedigree, which led Fink to believe he would probably never be good enough to be considered a stallion prospect.
Connections
Wise Dan was bred and owned by Morton Fink, who had been actively involved in racing since 1971 but had never previously owned or bred a horse of such caliber. The gelding was trained by Charlie LoPresti. He was ridden in the 2012 Breeders' Cup Mile by John Velazquez and in the 2013 Breeders' Cup Mile by Jose Lezcano. He currently lives at LoPresti's Forest Lane Farm near Athens, Kentucky, where his pasture mate is his graded stakes-winning half brother, Successful Dan.
Pedigree notes
Wise Dan is inbred 5x3 to Secretariat, 5x4 to Round Table and 5x5 to Northern Dancer. He is a half brother to multiple Grade 2 winner Successful Dan (by Successful Appeal) and to stakes winner Our Royal Dancer (by Roy).
Wise Dan's dam, Lisa Danielle, scored her only win from seven tries in claiming company. The 2012 Kentucky Broodmare of the Year, she is a half sister to Sunup (by Grey Dawn II), dam of two-time Panamanian champion filly Amistad (by Screen King), who in turn produced 2007 Panamanian champion 3-year-old male Volveremos (by Proud Truth) and Panamanian stakes winner Margarita (by Slaughter Beach). She is also a half sister to Grade 1-placed Carsona (by Carson City), dam of Grade 2 winner Siphon City (by Siphon).
Lisa Danielle and her siblings are out of the unraced Secretariat mare Askmysecretary, whose half sister Laquifan (by Lear Fan) produced multiple Grade/Group 3 winner Tzar Rodney (by Assert). Askmysecretary is also a half sister to stakes-placed Saquiace (by Sagace), dam of 2007 Ceske Derby winner Medeo (by Monsun) and Italian stakes winner Sky Dancing (by Exit to Nowhere). Sky Dancing, in turn, is the dam of 2010 Preis von Europa (GER-G1) winner Scalo (by Lando) and French Group 3 winner Sexy Lady (by Danehill Dancer). The next dam in Wise Dan's tail-female lineage, French stakes winner Laquiola (by Lyphard) is a half sister to 1973 Prix du Jockey Club (French Derby, FR-G1) winner Roi Lear (by Reform) and to 1970 Prix Saint-Alary winner Lalika (by Le Fabuleux).
Books and media
- Wise Dan's page at the Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame (https://www.canadianhorseracinghalloffame.com/2016/05/14/wise-dan/) includes a video highlighting his achievements.
- The Breeders' Cup's footage of Wise Dan's win in the 2013 Breeders' Cup Mile can be viewed at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YWlVXT216io.
- The New York Racing Association's footage of Wise Dan's comeback race in the 2014 Bernard Baruch Handicap can be viewed at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=231PCUip4gs.
Fun facts
- Wise Dan is the first horse to have won the Eclipse Awards for American champion older male, American champion turf male and American Horse of the Year since John Henry did so in 1981. He Is also the first gelding to have been named American Horse of the Year since John Henry's second such title in 1984.
- Wise Dan is the first horse to have won three Eclipse Awards in each of two consecutive years, winning back-to-back titles as American champion older male, American champion turf male and American Horse of the Year.
- Wise Dan holds the record for the most career graded stakes wins at Keeneland with seven.
- On January 5, 2016, Churchill Downs announced that it was renaming its Firecracker Handicap (USA-G2) in honor of Wise Dan, who made the Firecracker his first stakes win on turf in 2011. The inaugural Wise Dan Handicap was carded for 8½ furlongs on turf and was part of the undercard for the Stephen Foster Handicap (USA-G1) on June 18, 2016.
- Although Wise Dan never won the Secretariat Vox Populi Award, he was nominated for it in three consecutive seasons (2012-2014).
- Wise Dan received the inaugural Rood & Riddle Comeback Award on July 30, 2016, as part of the festivities surrounding Hats Off to Kentucky's Horse Industry Day at the Kentucky Horse Park. Sponsored by Rood & Riddle Equine Hospital, the Comeback Award honors an equine athlete who makes a successful return to elite competition following a major health complication.
- Both the sire and dam of Wise Dan had sentimental connections to Morton Fink. Fink had been the managing partner of the ownership group that had owned Wiseman's Ferry and had retained a share in the horse when he went to stud. As for Lisa Danielle, she had raced in Fink's colors and was named for his granddaughter, a circumstance that led to her retention when Fink sold the rest of his broodmare band.
- Wiseman's Ferry stood for just US$1,000 in the year that Wise Dan was conceived.
Photo credit
Photo taken by Mike Sekulic at the 2013 Breeders' Cup Mile at Santa Anita. Used by permission.
Last updated: April 22, 2023