Saratoga: Whitney remains one option for Wise Dan

Wise Dan, the reigning Horse of the Year, arrived at Saratoga at 6:30 a.m. Wednesday after a van ride from Kentucky.

Charles LoPresti, the trainer of Wise Dan, said while he is leaning toward running the gelding in the Grade 2, $500,000 Fourstardave – a race Wise Dan won last year – LoPresti did not rule out running him in the Grade 1 Whitney on the dirt on Aug. 3.

“I’ll watch him this week and see how he trains. Maybe I’ll work him a half-mile on the dirt,” said LoPresti, who added that the ultimate decision on where to run will be made by owner Morton Fink.

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LoPresti said that Successful Dan could run in the Whitney. Successful Dan, who began the year with a victory in the Ben Ali at Keeneland, finished fourth in the Grade 1 Stephen Foster.

“I don’t really know what happened that night,” LoPresti said. “He has never been beaten at Churchill. Julien [Leparoux] said he didn’t handle the track. [Successful Dan] was mad when he got back to the barn.”

LoPresti said he sent Successful Dan to Dr. Larry Bramlage at Rood and Riddle to be examined and the gelding was deemed to be 100-percent sound.