Half-sister to Wise Dan sparkles in career debut

Enchanting Lisa, a half-sister to reigning Horse of the Year Wise Dan and to multiple graded stakes winner Successful Dan, was a dominant winner in her career debut Wednesday night at Presque Isle Downs.

Under jockey Pablo Morales, Enchanting Lisa stalked the leaders in fourth early, angled out four wide at the quarter pole to take command, and drew clear to win by seven lengths. She finished one mile and 70 yards on the Tapeta Footings all-weather track in 1:42.86 and earned a 74 Beyer Speed Figure.

Like her older half-siblings, the 3-year-old War Chant filly is trained by Charles LoPresti for owner-breeder Morton Fink. She is out of the winning Wolf Power mare Lisa Danielle, who was named Kentucky's Broodmare of the Year following a stellar 2012 campaign by Wise Dan. The Wiseman's Ferry gelding won five of his six starts last season, including a course record-setting triumph in the Breeders' Cup Mile, to earn Horse of the Year, champion older male, and champion turf male honors.

Wise Dan opened his 2013 campaign with back-to-back Grade 1 wins, capturing the Maker's 46 Mile Stakes at Keeneland and the Woodford Reserve Turf Classic Stakes at Churchill Downs. He has now won five consecutive Grade 1 events.

Successful Dan also opened his 2013 campaign in style, capturing the Grade 3 Ben Ali at Keeneland for his fourth career graded stakes triumph. The Successful Appeal gelding is part of a salty field for the Grade 1 Stephen Foster Saturday night at Churchill.

Lisa Danielle is now the dam of eight winners from nine starters, including another stakes winner in Our Royal Dancer.

The broodmare, a $29,000 purchase by Fink at the 1995 Keeneland September yearling sale, is out of the unraced Secretariat mare Askmysecretary, a half-sister to stakes placed Saquiace. Lisa Danielle is a half-sister to Grade 1-placed Carsona, dam of Grade 2 winner Siphon City and Grade 3-placed Bronx City Girl; to Sunup, dam of two champions and an additional stakes winner in Panama; and to Mephista, dam of stakes-placed Thisoneforyou.