There were 9 races on Day 2 of the 2013 Breeders' Cup World Championships. Of these, one of the more highly anticipated was the $2 million Breeders' Cup Mile (G1) for older horses going 1 mile on the turf. Defending champion and 2012 Horse of the Year Wise Dan was sent off as the 4-5 choice in the field of 10, exiting his disappointing off-the-turf 2nd in the Shadwell Mile (G1) after his course record performance in the Woodbine Mile (G1). Queen Elizabeth II (G1) winner Olympic Glory was the 9-2 second choice, over 9-1 No Jet Lag, winner of the City of Hope Mile (G2).
Wise Dan takes the leads on the outside in the stretch with Za Approval and Silentio inside.
Wise Dan's regular jockey John Velazquez was injured earlier in the day in a spill when Secret Compass broke down in the Juvenile Fillies, and he was replaced by Jose Lezcano who has ridden Wise Dan a few times in the past. Velasquez had to have surgery to remove his spleen due to internal bleeding, but is said to be recovering well now.
Jockey Joe Talamo sent 13-1 Obviously to the lead through fractions of 21.94, 44.47, and 1:08.55 while stalked by 10-1 Silver Max. Entering the stretch, 18-1 Za Approval, 6th early, moved up to gain a 1 1/2 lead through 7/8 in 1:20.48. However, Wise Dan, 7th early under replacement rider Jose Lezcano, came out four wide and easily got ahead to win by 3/4 length in 1:32.47. It was another 3/4 length back to 31-1 Silentio third.
Wise Dan wins the Mile
Pgm Horse Jockey Win Place Show
8 Wise Dan Lezcano 3.60 2.80 2.20
10 Za Approval Rosario 8.40 5.80
2 Silentio Bejarano 9.00
Winning Time: 1:32.47
$1 Exacta 8-10 16.80
$1 Trifecta 8-10-2 210.10
$1 Superfecta 8-10-2-3 1,446.60
Left: Wise Dan in the winner's circle. Winning trainer Charlie LoPresti said, "I didn't realize he stumbled so badly leaving the gate. I just didn't watch the break so close. I was more concerned where front runners were going to be and how the race was going to set up. I was just worried that he wouldn't run over top of horses and clip heels. But he got him to settle. If you can get him in behind horses, he's a little bit strong. But if you can get him in behind there, he'll switch off, and did he that on the back side. He was further back than I've ever seen him, but that's not a bad thing because of the pace up front. I wasn't sure he was going to get there, but I knew he was rolling around the turn. I knew the front runners were getting slower."
Right: The trophy presentation with owners Mr. and Mrs. Morton Fink on the left and trainer Charles Lopresti, Santa Anita owner Frank Stronach, and jockey Jose Lezcano on the right. Owner-breeder Morton Fink said, "I don't think you can come up with the right words on how proud I am of him. But I can tell you that I got my birthday party, which is one month from now, a little early this year, and he keeps me going. As long as the horse is sound and close to being just like he is now, he runs (next year). If he's over the hill, he's done more than enough for us, and he won't."
Left: Wise Dan in the paddock before the race. Jockey Jose Lezcano said, "Well, he stumbled out of the gate really bad. He tried to break so fast that he just lost his balance. I had to let him go. We tried to go to plan B, you know, waiting, and he gave me a good run and win the race."
Right: Wise Dan in the post parade. Charlie LoPresti added, "I think a lot of people lost some faith in him. I never lost any faith in the horse. I don't think that the weather conditions and the track conditions (at Keeneland) helped us. I blame myself a little bit for it because he ran such a great race at Woodbine, and I didn't breeze this horse in between. I thought that he got so much out of that race and he was so great that maybe that was the wrong thing to do to breeze him, and I don't know that it got him beat."
Left: Second place finisher Za Approval after the race with jockey Joel Rosario and trainer Christophe Clement on the right. Rosario said, "Had a perfect trip. When he made the lead I thought maybe he was going to get there. I knew somebody was coming and when I heard Wise Dan I said 'Oh, no!' My horse ran his best. Wise Dan is just too good." Clement added, "It was a very fast-run race. I thought maybe he was moving a touch too early and I was wrong. He went very well. It took the Horse of the Year to beat him. It's annoying. I've finished second a few times in that race. But that's OK. We'll keep trying."
Right: Third place finisher Silentio in the post parade. Trainer Gary Mandella said, "He runs better fresh. I trained his father (Silent Name) and he was the same way. It was a perfect trip. He took advantage of his post and saved all the ground. This race set up for him. He doesn't want to be on the lead trying to steal the race. He wants to be on a loose rein and comfortable."
Breeders' Cup Saturday Results - There were 9 races Saturday highlighted by the $5 million Classic where American Pharoah was an impressive winner in his final start before retiring to stud. Also on the card, Found won the Turf, Nyquist won the Juvenile, and Tepin won the Mile. Get the results, charts, and photos for all 9 races here. Get more photos and comments for each race here.
Breeders' Cup Friday Results - There were 4 races Friday highlighted by the Distaff where Stopchargingmaria won by a neck over Stellar Wind and the Dirt Mile won by Liam's Map. Get the results, charts, and photos for all 4 races here.
Thursday Breeders' Cup Photos - Photos and comments for 38 horses out on Thursday morning at Keeneland on both the main and training tracks, including American Pharoah. Beholder was also out, but was found to have bled when scoped and is scratched from the Classic.
Wednesday Breeders' Cup Photos - Photos and comments for 46 horses out on a very rainy Wednesday morning at Keeneland on both the main and training tracks, including Keen Ice, Frosted, and Golden Horn. No American Pharoah yet, hopefully he comes out tomorrow.
2015 Breeders' Cup Entries - Check out the entries, post postitions, and morning line odds for the 13 Breeders' Cup World Championship races to be held at Keeneland on October 30 and 31.
Tuesday Breeders' Cup Photos - Photos and comments for 31 horses out on a rainy Tuesday morning at Keeneland including Stephanie's Kitten, Grand Arch, and Private Zone.
Monday Breeders' Cup Photos - Photos and comments for 28 horses out Monday morning at Keeneland including Rachel's Valentina and a timed work by Beholder.
Sunday Breeders' Cup Photos - Photos and comments for 10 horses out Sunday morning at Keeneland including Liam's Map and Lea
Breeders' Cup Weather - Check out the latest weather forecasts for the Breeders' Cup at Keeneland
Review: Crushing the Cup 2015 - by Jim Mazur and Peter Mallett. An invaluable tool for trying to unlock the mysteries of handicapping the Breeders' Cup races at Keeneland updated for 2015.
2014 Breeders' Cup Saturday Results - The feature race was the $5 million Breeders' Cup Classic won by Bayern. Get the results, charts, and photos for all 9 races here.
2014 Breeders' Cup Friday Results - Friday was headlined by the $2 million Ladies Classic won by Untapable. Get the results, charts, and photos for all 4 races here.
Breeders' Cup History - Historical info, past results, and photos from previous runnings
The Breeders' Cup Championship Day - The official page for the Breeders' Cup championship races. Just about anything you need to know about it: results, video clips, and race calls for past years, and eventually nominations, entries, and results.
Free Prep Replays - for major prep races in the Breeders' Cup Challenge. The ones with camera logos have video available.
Blazing Silks, Breeders' Cup Edition- an interactive social network game that allows horse racing fans and social gamers to train and care for Thoroughbred horses.
TV Schedule - for all the preps and other programming leading up to the big day
Breeders' Cup Postcards - Breeders' Cup theme virtual postcards to send your friends including many past winners
Breeders' Cup Supplemental Entries - The old official policy on supplemental entries plus all the supplemental entries and how they fared, mostly it was a losing proposition. There are no more supplements now, only late nominations making it impossible to track now.
Left: Wise Dan in the winner's circle. Winning trainer Charlie LoPresti said, "I didn't realize he stumbled so badly leaving the gate. I just didn't watch the break so close. I was more concerned where front runners were going to be and how the race was going to set up. I was just worried that he wouldn't run over top of horses and clip heels. But he got him to settle. If you can get him in behind horses, he's a little bit strong. But if you can get him in behind there, he'll switch off, and did he that on the back side. He was further back than I've ever seen him, but that's not a bad thing because of the pace up front. I wasn't sure he was going to get there, but I knew he was rolling around the turn. I knew the front runners were getting slower."
Left: Wise Dan in the paddock before the race. Jockey Jose Lezcano said, "Well, he stumbled out of the gate really bad. He tried to break so fast that he just lost his balance. I had to let him go. We tried to go to plan B, you know, waiting, and he gave me a good run and win the race."
Left: Second place finisher Za Approval after the race with jockey Joel Rosario and trainer Christophe Clement on the right. Rosario said, "Had a perfect trip. When he made the lead I thought maybe he was going to get there. I knew somebody was coming and when I heard Wise Dan I said 'Oh, no!' My horse ran his best. Wise Dan is just too good." Clement added, "It was a very fast-run race. I thought maybe he was moving a touch too early and I was wrong. He went very well. It took the Horse of the Year to beat him. It's annoying. I've finished second a few times in that race. But that's OK. We'll keep trying."
