Wise Dan Faces Seven Rivals in $1 million Shadwell Mile

Despite undergoing surgery after a potentially fatal bout of colic in May, Wise Dan made a resilient return to the races August 30 winning the Grade 2 Bernard Baruch at Saratoga and earning a 104 Beyer Speed Figure in the process.  Stabled at Keeneland, Wise Dan has been working brilliantly at his home track including a sparking bullet work (59 seconds flat) September 13 – the fastest of 21 works that day at the five furlong distance.  Wise Dan won the Shadwell Turf Mile in 2012 and suffered at upset loss in 2013 to Silver Max who he will face again this year.  Last year’s race was rained off the turf and run on Polytrack where Wise Dan managed to run second in his only blemish of the year. 

Wise Dan faces familiar foes 

Many of Wise Dan’s seven rivals are familiar ones - including Sliver Max (9/2) and Optimizer (12/1).  The former, trained by Dale Romans, has been defeated thrice in his career by Wise Dan and will try to rebound after a sixth place finish in the Fourstardave.  Optimizer ran the best race of his career last out falling to Wise Dan by just a neck, and could be ready for a repeat of that effort making his second start off the layoff.

Kaigun could run big at a price 

Kaigun (10/1) is a potential player at a generous price after finishing second in the Grade 1 Woodbine Mile in his last start.