USA Horse Of The Year Wise Dan
Two-time USA Horse of the Year Wise Dan was taken today to Rood & Riddle Equine Hospital near Lexington for emergency colic surgery, according to trainer Charlie LoPresti.
The six-time Eclipse Award winner began to show signs of colic after a routine gallop at Keeneland the morning of May 16, and was transported to Rood & Riddle shortly therafter.
“He had a routine gallop, trained great this morning, and about an hour after training he started acting like he was uncomfortable in the stall,” LoPresti said. “We medicated him and he didn’t respond. Once we got him over to Rood & Riddle, they ultrasounded him and the vet saw a piece of small intestine he didn’t like.”
The 7-year-old Wiseman’s Ferry gelding did not respond to attempts to ease the issue naturally.
“We got him out on the lunge rein and tried to jog him around and he didn’t work out of it,” said LoPresti, who expected surgery at the Kentucky clinic to take an hour or more.
Wise Dan, bred by owner Morton Fink out of the Wolf Power mare Lisa Danielle, has won 10 grade I races including the past two editions of the Breeders’ Cup Mile (gr. IT) and his most recent score, a repeat in the May 3 Woodford Reserve Turf Classic (gr. IT) at Churchill Downs. He has earnings of $6,802,920 with 21 wins and 2 seconds from 29 starts.
www.bloodhorse.com
