Wise Dan is Stephen Foster Handicap favorite at Churchill Downs [View all]

[twogunsid]

http://www.courier-journal.com/article/20120615/SPORTS08/306150115/Wise-Dan-Stephen-Foster-Handicap-favorite-Churchill-Downs?nclick_check=1

Alternation is the nation’s top-ranked horse heading into the first Stephen Foster Handicap held under Churchill Downs’ lights Saturday night.

But the strong favorite in the $400,000 Foster’s stellar field of older horses is the versatile 5-year-old gelding Wise Dan, who won Churchill’s Grade I Clark Handicap last fall and in his only prior start this year set a Keeneland track record in taking the Ben Ali by 10½ lengths with no urging from jockey John Velazquez. Wise Dan’s 117 Beyer speed figure that day is the highest by any horse this year and the highest ever on a synthetic surface.

“I don’t see anything I could do any differently,” said trainer Charlie Lopresti. “We didn’t run him back real quick. He’s had time to freshen. It’s just up to him. ... I think this race is going to tell us how good our horse really is, but it’s still a long year.”

Wise Dan is coupled in the betting with his equally talented stablemate and half brother Successful Dan, winner of Churchill’s Alysheba over Foster contender Fort Larned. But the Keeneland-based Lopresti said Successful Dan was only entered in the Grade I race as a precaution in case something were to happen to Wise Dan.

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