Keeneland: Wise Dan will start from post 3 in seven-horse Maker's 46 Mile

LEXINGTON, Ky. – Wise Dan was assigned post 3 and will face six other older horses when the reigning two-time Horse of the Year makes his eagerly awaited seasonal debut Friday in the Grade 1 Maker’s 46 Mile on the Keeneland turf.

John Velazquez has the mount on Wise Dan, a 7-year-old gelding making his first start since a victory in the Nov. 2 Breeders’ Cup Mile clinched his second straight Horse of the Year title.

“We’re ready,” said trainer Charlie LoPresti, who trains Wise Dan for owner-breeder Morton Fink of Chicago. “We got a little behind on our training because of the weather this winter, but we’re fine now.”

From the hedge, and with jockeys, this is the field for the 26th Maker’s 46 Mile: Za Approval (Julien Leparoux), Alakazan Alakazan (Jose Lezcano), Wise Dan (Velazquez), Gentleman’s Kitten (Rosie Napravnik), Reload (Javier Castellano), Lochte (Orlando Bocachica), and Kaigun (Alan Garcia).

Wise Dan had his final breeze for the Maker’s 46 Mile when blowing out three furlongs Tuesday over the Keeneland Polytrack. Clockers caught him from the quarter pole to the wire in 22.80 seconds and another furlong past the wire for a three-furlong time of 35 seconds. It was his seventh recorded workout since late February.

“We just let him roll down the lane like we usually do a few days before a race, kind of sharpen him up,” LoPresti said.

The Maker’s 46 Mile goes as the ninth of 10 Friday races, with post time set for 5:13 p.m. Eastern. TVG will have extensive coverage throughout the day.

Wise Dan started his 2013 campaign by winning the Maker’s 46 Mile as a 2-5 favorite with Lezcano aboard. He starts this year with career earnings of $6,293,610, which ranks him No. 22 on the all-time list.