Wise Dan breezes at Keeneland as he makes comeback from surgery

Less than two months after emergency colic surgery, reigning two-time Horse of the Year Wise Dan showed no ill effects when he resumed breezing Friday with an easy half-mile workout in 50.40 seconds on Keeneland’s turf course.

The work left his trainer, Charlie LoPresti, relieved regarding Wise Dan and his prospects going forward.

“I was nervous about this one,” he said.

Track clockers timed Wise Dan galloping out five-eighths in 1:02.40 and three-quarters in 1:17 under regular exercise rider Damien Rock.

“What I liked about the way he worked today is it wasn’t one of those speedy works,” said LoPresti. “It was slow starting out, then he really kicked it coming home.”

LoPresti noted the popular gelding completed the final quarter-mile in 24 seconds.

Voted Horse of the Year in 2012 and 2013 after winning the past two Breeders’ Cup Miles, Wise Dan won his first two starts this year in the Maker's 46 Mile and Woodford Reserve Turf Classic before having colic surgery May 16. The surgery went well, as did his recovery, and he resumed light training June 23.

Wise Dan leaves Sunday for Saratoga. Next month, provided all goes well, LoPresti plans to run him in either the Grade 2 Fourstardave on Aug. 9 or the Grade 2 Bernard Baruch on Aug. 30.

His tentative schedule thereafter is expected to mirror those from past years, with the Grade 1 Woodbine Mile on Sept. 14 and the Grade 1 Shadwell Turf Mile on Oct. 4 at Keeneland being potential spots. He won both races in 2012 and 2013 prior to winning the Breeders’ Cup Mile.

A 7-year-old bred and owned by Mort Fink, Wise Dan has won 21 of 29 races and more than $6.8 million.

A previous version of this article misstated one of Wise Dan's victories from earlier in the year. It was the Maker's 46 Mile, not the Shadwell Mile.