Breeders' Cup Mile: Wise Dan following same routine

Charlie LoPresti has no need to feel his way into the Breeders’ Cup Mile.

Wise Dan won the 2012 Mile here at Santa Anita after shipping from Kentucky the week of the race. The template for success already has been laid out. This week, LoPresti simply will follow established protocol.

Wise Dan arrived here Tuesday night from his home base, Keeneland. Just like last year, he stayed near the stables Wednesday morning, walking around a small dirt oval between barns used for saddling soon-to-exercise horses and cooling out those who already have trained. On Thursday, Wise Dan was to gallop on the Santa Anita grass course, just like last year. Since the Oct. 5 Shadwell Turf Mile, which Wise Dan won last season but lost this year to Silver Max, LoPresti has hewed precisely to the gelding’s 2012 training chart.

“I’ve done exactly the same thing,” LoPresti said Wednesday. “I won’t go into this race wondering if I’ve done things right because I already know it works.”

Wise Dan is a pleasant-tempered gelding, but he was not entirely pleased with LoPresti’s schedule Wednesday. His handlers had trouble keeping him on the ground, as Wise Dan raised a little hell, asking to do more than be walked around in ovals.

“He was bucking, running around, and kicking,” LoPresti said. “I haven’t seen him act like that for a long time.”

Damien Rock, Wise Dan’s exercise rider, smiled somewhat grimly thinking about what Thursday’s training session holds. Wise Dan already is fired up, and typically, the only time he goes on a grass course is to breeze or race.

“He’s going to be tough,” Rock said. “I’m going to have my hands full.”

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As far as the humans around the reigning Horse of the Year are concerned, the BC Mile opposition will have its hands full with Wise Dan, who is coming off his first loss in 16 months. His preparation has gone the same as in 2012, and his connections are expecting similarities to hold all the way through the actual race Saturday.