Peeping Dan

Morton Fink's homebred Wise Dan -- U.S. Horse of the Year, champion older male, and champion turf male of 2012 and 2013 and the winner of 11 Grade 1 races throughout 2011, 2012, 2013, and 2014 -- has been back in very light training (i.e. jogging) since the final week of April, and he is due to be re-evaluated by Dr. Larry Bramlage of Lexington's Rood and Riddle Equine Hospital on May 26th. It is yet to be determined if the eight-year-old Wiseman's Ferry gelding out of Lisa Danielle, diagnosed with a non-displaced fracture of his right front cannon bone in October, will return to the races.

Here is Wise Dan today, his last day of jogging before the re-evaluation, at trainer Charlie LoPresti's Keeneland base. The hugely popular chestnut has won 23-of-31 starts and $7,552,920. Wise Dan has not been worse than second in his 19 latest outings, dating back to the autumn of 2011, and was undefeated in 2014.

Wise Dan's stablemate/graded stakes-placed five-year-old half-sister Enchanting Lisa (by War Chant) runs in the Grade 3 Winning Colors Stakes at Churchill Downs this afternoon. She's looking for her first stakes win. Go, Lisa!

Taking in some round pen time, feeling the sun on his back, before going to the track.

Wise Dan, Kelly Wheeler up.

Amy LoPresti and pony accompanied Wheeler and Wise Dan to the track.

Back at the barn, trainer Charlie LoPresti feels the gelding's legs post-jog.

The Markeys and Alydar at Keeneland

I stumbled upon the gravesite of Admiral Gene and Mrs. Lucille (Wright) Markey today while wandering around the beautiful Lexington Cemetery with a friend -- never mind that we were on an mission to get a look at Henry Clay’s grave marker, which we managed not to find despite its being 120 feet high and visible from the road -- and was reminded of the touching video from their beloved Alydar’s 1978 Keeneland Blue Grass Stakes win, under Jorge Velasquez, below. Narrated by Jim McKay.

Sights from the Spring Meet at Keeneland

2012 Blue Grass Stakes winner Dullahan.

Trainer Peter Eurton places a reassuring hand on She's Cheeky before the mare ran second in the Grade 1 Vinery Madison Stakes on April 12.

Trainer Andrew McKeever oversees his charges paddock schooling two days before their April 14 races: Daisy Devine, who won the Grade 1 Jenny Wiley...

...and Street Serenade, a three-year-old Street Sense colt who won a maiden special weight.

Last season's two-year-old champion Hansen, prior to the April 14 Blue Grass which was won by...

Dullahan, seen here in the saddling enclosure with his game face on for trainer Dale Romans.

Jockey Kent Desormeaux splashes water on the Blue Grass winner.

Reigning Horse of the Year Havre de Grace parading in the paddock on April 15.

Dayatthespa, prior to winning the April 19, Grade 3 Appalachian Stakes -- the filly's third consecutive stakes win for trainer Chad Brown.

Somali Lemonade, a Grade 3 winner at Keeneland last fall for Michael Matz, about to run second in the Appalachian, her season debut.

Kentucky Derby hopeful Went the Day Well gallops on April 20, the day before breezing at Keeneland for trainer Graham Motion.

This colt threw his rider and went for a solo spin as Went the Day Well was just finishing up on the track.

Grade 2 stakes winner Air Support breezing a half-mile for trainer Shug McGaughey in :48.00 on April 20.

Pachattack was brimming with her sire Pulpit's hot blood in the paddock prior to winning the April 20 Hillard Lyons Doubledogdare Stakes-G3...

...and was even more of a handful for jockey Rajiv Maragh and Graham Motion's assistant David Rock on her way to the track...

Union Rags Breezes at Keeneland

Chadds Ford Stable’s Union Rags breezed a half-mile in :47 2/5 at Keeneland today, galloping out 5/8s in a minute. Under regular morning rider Peter Brette, the Michael Matz colt looked good over the Polytrack in what is expected to be his penultimate pre-Kentucky Derby breeze.

Union Rags and Peter Brette before their work.

Galloping in front of the grandstand before beginning the breeze.

The second time around, working against the clock.

Brette and Union Rags, accompanied by Michael Matz and Messaging, head back to the barn after the work.

Royal Delta at Keeneland

Breeders’ Cup Ladies Classic winner Royal Delta sold through Chanteclair Farm for $8,500,000 to Ben Leon’s Besilu Stables at Keeneland this afternoon. Besilu has horses with Todd Pletcher, so there’s speculation that she may be transferred from trainer Bill Mott’s barn to Pletcher to continue her racing career. For owner/breeder Palides Investments N.V., Inc. and Mott, the four-year-old daughter of Empire Maker and Delta Princess also won the TVG Alabama S.-G1, Black-Eyed Susan-G2, was second in the Beldame Invitational S.-G1, and third in the TVG Coaching Club American Oaks-G1.