Woodward the Wise Choice

re: Woodward the Wise Choice

Freetex — Sun, 19 Aug 2012 19:48:36 GMT

Hope Wise Dan continues to do well. This year's Breeders Cup doesn't have any standout stars as of yet. Maybe Wise Dan will be the one.

re: Woodward the Wise Choice

Linda in Texas — Sun, 19 Aug 2012 18:05:15 GMT

Hail to Little Mike. What a huge

heart of desire in that fella.

That was just a treat to watch.

I thought he was going to be overtaken there at the end. But

he wouldn't hear of it. His ears

were flat on his head as he heard

hoof prints drawing nigh behind him.

How nice for The Vaccarezza's, his jockey and handlers and of course

Little Mike.

re: Woodward the Wise Choice

Mike Relva — Sat, 18 Aug 2012 17:09:25 GMT

Lunar Spook

Sounds like you're trying to channel Draynay.

re: Woodward the Wise Choice

duchess — Sat, 18 Aug 2012 05:44:46 GMT

I like both of the Dans, and when you look at their dam's pedigree you can see part of why both are such quality.

Lisa Danielle is by a Princequillo line stallion out of a Secretariat mare. So you have linebreeding to a high quality stallion who carried plenty of toughness and stamina.

I hope both of these grand geldings have long and productive careers!

re: Woodward the Wise Choice

:46 Breezing — Sat, 18 Aug 2012 03:37:53 GMT

Steve, your obviously a STANDOUT turf writer, but you didn't do your your usual due diligence. Yes, Wise Dan is a versatile and highly decorated horse..but the REAL STORY is trainer Charles LoPresti. He's the one fully deserving of your full literary talents. What a fantastic, UNDER THE RADAR trainer.

re: Woodward the Wise Choice

Tiz Herself — Sat, 18 Aug 2012 03:28:49 GMT

Wish Union Rags the best at stud - he'll be happy and well cared for at Lane's End and when I return to Kentucky hope to see him, Curlin, Quality Road, A.P. Indy, After Market, Courageous Cat, the giant Rock Hard Ten and the other Lane's End boys!

Get better Bode! Speedy recovery!

re: Woodward the Wise Choice

Tiz Herself — Sat, 18 Aug 2012 03:25:15 GMT

I love Wise Dan - have for a long time. Like both 'Dans' actually... Successful Dan as well (saw him win at Keeneland in October 2010 - will treasure that forever). Can't imagine having Wise Dan, Successful Dan and Turallure in the same barn.

Steve - what'd you think of Kauai Katie? Love Katie already - the Adirondack never fails for me to find a filly to fall in love with - as other favorites My Miss Aurelia, Position Limit, Octave, Folklore, You, and Sky Beauty...

Stonestreet's got some talented ladies, what with Katie, Teen Pauline, Dreaming of Julia and My Miss Aurelia - am loving it!

Would love to see both Dans at the BC.

re: Woodward the Wise Choice

Lammtarra's Arc — Fri, 17 Aug 2012 20:14:12 GMT

Josh- Mucho Macho man has beaten some VERY good GR1 horses(ron the GReek included), he has 2 GR2's, and a GR3. One GR1 and he shoots up the rankings for the HOTY honors. The East coast is loaded with older horses, and that leaves it wide open for horses like GOD, and Acclamation to win easy GR1's out west, and that keeps their names in the mix. The Classic will probably decide HOTY.

re: Woodward the Wise Choice

lunar spook — Fri, 17 Aug 2012 12:31:01 GMT

MIKE RELVA- sure hope your not betting on wise dan , most over rated horse to come down the pike since STAY THIRSTY (and yes i will talk trash when i know im right) according to my very reliable O.M.O.C. INDEX wise dan will finish out of the money!

re: Woodward the Wise Choice

Alex'sBigFan — Fri, 17 Aug 2012 04:50:02 GMT

I don't know much about Wise Dan or his keister, but Hansen was last seen soaking his tail in blue sudsy water somewhere in West Virginia, and in the voice of Mr. Ed turned to his owner and said, "Look, Doc, this is the last time we are going through this!"

These Beaver episodes are a trip!

It amazed me that at 7AM June was dressed, in makeup and pearls and heels, and getting the boys up for school and not a hair out of place.

Anyway nice info on Wise Dan, Steve. Looks like a BC Classic of older guys, a Dude, a Dan, and a very Macho Man vs. what is left of the 3 yr. olds Paynter, maybe Hansen and hopefully Bode is out of the hospital if they figure out what is wrong. Get well Bode we need you. Who is left for the Travers? Dullahan and Stealcase?

re: Woodward the Wise Choice

Mike Relva — Fri, 17 Aug 2012 01:36:53 GMT

Lunar Spook

He won't get "his keister handed to him". Talking a little trash, aren't we?

re: Woodward the Wise Choice

Dr Drunkinbum — Fri, 17 Aug 2012 00:59:41 GMT

Bob from Boston

That is the prevailing theory but I think the greatest line is in the episode of Beaver entitled "Eddie's Girl." Wally, Beaver, and Eddie are up in the boy's room talking about what they're going to do that day. Eddie says he might go over and see his girl- Carolyn Cunningham and asks Wally if he wants to go too. Wally says that he doesn't know if he wants to go because he doesn't even know her. Eddie says, "Ah, I bet you're scared of girls." Beaver, outraged, and in an emphatic loud voice defends his brother, "He is not !!!! I bet Wally could lick any girl in the high school !!!"

re: Woodward the Wise Choice

Runfast159 — Fri, 17 Aug 2012 00:05:28 GMT

I for one am a lover of the handicap division. I relish the end of the Triple Crown season when we spend so many hours drooling over potential superstars only to have them fall by the wayside, one by one.

Give me the Wise and Successful Dan's, the Jackson Bends, the Mucho Macho Mans and the Dudes. The Acclamations, Fort Larneds, Richard Kids...you get the picture. I love handicap horses, the tried and the true. We need to spend more time exalting their virtues!

Thanks for the focus on Wise Dan, and recently Winter Memories who was one of my favorites. So disappointing to lose her and Awesome Maria this year to retirement. The female division has definately had some setbacks...

re: Woodward the Wise Choice

lunar spook — Thu, 16 Aug 2012 18:46:46 GMT

my O.M.O.C.INDEX shows this horse will run very poorly in the woodward!

re: Woodward the Wise Choice

lunar spook — Thu, 16 Aug 2012 17:07:56 GMT

my O.M.O.C. figures show that fort larned should win the woodward hands down!

re: Woodward the Wise Choice

josh — Thu, 16 Aug 2012 16:40:12 GMT

I'm sorry but Wise Dan looks to only have 2 chances to win a G.I this year. Woodward/Woodbine Mile and a Breeders' Cup race. At best he wins 2 G.I's. Compared to Ron the Greek (2) I'll Have Another (3) and Game on Dude (1), Fort Larned (1), Bodemeister (1), Paynter (1), and Acclamation (2). Wise Dan has some work to do, especially with I'll Have Another having 3 G.I wins. Mucho Macho Man, who has no G.I wins is ahead of Wise Dan. SO this HOY talk needs to stop until he wins a G.I.

re: Woodward the Wise Choice

Will — Thu, 16 Aug 2012 16:18:31 GMT

Agreed. The Woodward is the best choice for the versatile Wise Dan to market his talents and gain acclaim. Next column.

re: Woodward the Wise Choice

Pedigree Ann — Thu, 16 Aug 2012 16:11:13 GMT

There is no one horse in the country who is undeniably the best older horse, but Ron the Greek has the best credentials so far. G1 wins in the Santa Anita H and Stephen Foster, an honorable second in the Whitney, giving weight and a pace advantage to the the winner. Moreover, he has a win in a G1 at 10f.

However, Wise Dan was beaten only a nose in Foster, giving several pounds, so was the moral winner. 9f may be his limit, for RtG mowed him down late, but with the Woodward only 9f as well...,

What has Mucho Macho Man won? Two races with old G1 names that are debased by the fact that they are now at the wrong distances - a one-turn mile and a one-turn 9f, and both G2. And a lot of the horses he beat in the Pseudo-Suburban were also behind Alternation in the Pimlico Special.

Like Black Tie Affair before him, Alternation has connections who prefer to campaign him in the Midwest. He has won 5 of 6 and beat RtG and many of the other usual suspects (Hymnbook, Yawanna Twist, Nehro) in the Oaklawn H to go with his win in the Special. His Foster run (5th) was below par, but his recent laugher shows he is fine physically. Wins in the Hawthorne Gold Cup and the BC Classic could land him a championship.

Racing at 9f all year, then trying to win over horses proven at 10f or more in the BC Classic has proven to be a difficult way to win the big prize. Why the major tracks in the East stopped running their G1 10f handicaps is a mystery to me.

re: Woodward the Wise Choice

lunar spook — Thu, 16 Aug 2012 16:04:39 GMT

we will see if wise dan is horse of the year after he gets his keister handed to him by fort larned and to honor and serve !

re: Woodward the Wise Choice

Love 'em all — Thu, 16 Aug 2012 14:14:07 GMT

Wise Dan was my fav for last weekend's Fourstardave, and did he ever deliver! Wow! Five lengths ahead of the others ... with the greatest of ease.

WD's trainer is so proud of him, as he should be, and his comments were a delight to read. Love knowing a horse loves to run ... and will run on anything. You can't beat that!

Go get 'em, Wise Dan!

re: Woodward the Wise Choice

Bill Two — Thu, 16 Aug 2012 14:06:25 GMT

No question that dirt is Wise Dan's least favorite surface meaning that if he enters and convincingly wins the Woodward his stock will definitely go off the charts. You have to love a horse like this. I hadn't thought of it, but the Round Table connection makes a lot of sense.

re: Woodward the Wise Choice

CHIEF PICAWINNA — Thu, 16 Aug 2012 13:07:29 GMT

Wise Dan has done well so far,I hope he runs in the mile and a quarter classic. He has earned the role of favorite for the race at least for horses out of the US.

re: Woodward the Wise Choice

Bunny3 — Thu, 16 Aug 2012 03:46:15 GMT

wise dan - what a lad

I enjoyed watching him at Keeneland - you know - the paddock is so fantastic there. Poly or whatever he will be impressive.

Also wondering about Archwarrior - 2 yo scratched last wk at saratoga - mud i think was the decisive factor. anyone have any idea about what is going on with him? His workouts are impressive and maybe is one of Pletcher's secret weapons - was disappointed to not see him run - read he hung in there with workout with stay thirsty

re: Woodward the Wise Choice

Bunny3 — Thu, 16 Aug 2012 02:22:33 GMT

Wise Dan was a wonderful lad to watch at Keeneland I wish him all the luck, poly or no, he will be impressive - I am sure of it.

re: Woodward the Wise Choice

Paula Higgins — Thu, 16 Aug 2012 01:47:27 GMT

Ranagulzion ITA with your top 3 picks. Also, would add Acclamation in there too. Yes, Bob from Boston, one of the greatest lines ever on t.v. I have a soft spot for MMM.