WISE DAN
Just being
a horse…but, oh my, what a horse!
Amy was in the barn awaiting our arrival, she
and Charlie up now for goodness knows how long, certainly well before the
winter sun’s first rays cohered to kindle a blush in the eastern horizon and
thaw the chill from this early February morning. We entered the barn and were led to the stall
to greet the great one. The converted
old tobacco structure, while highly functional and meticulously maintained,
from the outside gave little clue to being the winter domain of equine
royalty. Having visited him countless
times during the dawning of a Keeneland morning, I have been unfailingly awed
by his power, grace and majesty under tack and, along with the entire racing
world, have repeatedly borne witness to his racing supremacy over these past
five years, a career of such pre-eminence that he now unquestionably belongs to the pantheon
of the racing immortals. It was, thus,
with no little excitement that I anticipated this visit. With the sliding of the stall door, the big
chestnut gelding, warmed by the cloak of a winter blanket, looked with reserved
interest at his visitors, offered no
resistance as Amy snapped a rope lead-shank onto his halter, and walked quietly
and willingly from his evening abode.
There was no rearing, biting, or similar
worrisome mischief, no fighting or tugging necessitating forced restraint, no
anxious moment of misbehavior. This was
Amy Lopresti with Wise Dan, she fully relaxed and confident in her champion, he
totally at ease in his role, a palpable bond of great affection and respect
quietly displayed for all to see.
Standing off to one side and carefully scrutinizing his famous charge
stood Charlie Lopresti, trainer and principle custodian of this near national
treasure, his eyes knowingly surveying the entirety of the big gelding then carefully
fixating upon his fetlocks, here seeking any evidence which might prove a
harbinger of some unwelcome complication with Dan’s convalescence from his now
well-publicized non-displaced condylar fracture. A knowing hand palpated for any suspicion of
heat or effusion that might indicate any regression from Dan’s thus far
excellent and uncomplicated recovery, but here a quick grin and knowing
head-nod indicated his satisfaction. Still
being led by Amy, Dan reached to the ground and grabbed a mouthful of winter
grass while Charlie analyzed his walk, again seeking any tell-tale sign of
unsoundness. Happily finding none, Amy unsnapped the lead-rope from Dan’s
halter and turned him loose.
Experiencing the anxiety of the
uninitiated, I here feared that upon release he might at this point suddenly explode
in the air then, crashing to the earth, wheel and race across his 17 acre field,
in so doing jeopardizing his fragile limb.
My concerns were quickly laid to rest.
Perhaps it is just his nature, or maybe he’s simply that smart, but Dan
seems to look after Dan. He immediately
dropped his head for another mouthful of winter forage, then again looked up
and turned to stare at his visitors. In
the adjacent field grazed his eminently talented but star-crossed older half-sibling,
Successful Dan, and periodically Wise Dan would gaze over at his brother who
was quietly enjoying the company of two fine fillies. Now both these lads are geldings, so romance
was certainly not his issue of interest. Perhaps Wise Dan was anticipating that
time in the near future when he will share a field with his brother, the two of
them surrounded by an adoring equine audience, they awestruck while the two Dans
swap racing stories which, if the mood is quite right, they just might choose
to embellish here and there! Now the
record books would suggest quite an advantage to the tales of Wise Dan, for few
horses have been as accomplished as this fellow. Those who knew Successful Dan, however, who
really understood how very good he was, will tell you that on his best day on
dirt, if free from his myriad of plaguing injuries, Successful Dan would push
Wise Dan to his very limit. Horses seem
to have an implicit understanding about such things, of true talent, so the
interchange between these two could be quite interesting!
For now, however, Wise Dan seemed most
content in hanging around Charlie and Amy and their guests, wandering over to find
out what all the discussion was about, seeming here to be looking for a little
attention, apparently well aware that he is the main attraction here just as he
is everywhere else in the racing world.
Donning no shining, sleek summer coat crying racing fitness, he now
sported a long winter shag, soft and almost fuzzy to the touch, evidence that
he is allowed to be “just a horse” in this off season, tucked away at night and
constantly monitored to be sure, but allowed full exposure to the winter elements
during the daylight hours and treated in most ways like all the horses on this
picturesque and beautifully maintained farm.
Encouraged by Charlie and Amy to approach
Dan, I must admit to a special thrill as the greatest horse I have ever known
allowed me to wrap my old arm affectionately around his gallant neck and give
him a kiss on his velvety muzzle. I
stood in awe and wonder that this so very kind, gentle, and seemingly affectionate
horse is the same majestic beast I have cheered on so many times, the same
horse that Johhny Velazquez struggles mightily to restrain in the early goings
of each race, the same red blur that charges down the stretch with wild abandon,
forging between foes and making holes where none exist, bouncing off hedges and
squeezing through invisible openings, ears pinned in fury, red fire blowing
from flaring nostrils, the same grand champion who refuses…absolutely
refuses…to be defeated! But it is he,
the truly great Wise Dan, just being a horse…but, oh my, what a horse is he!
We clearly cannot know what the future
will hold for Dan. We can wish and hope,
and each of us here has perhaps a different dream, but paramount for all is his
well-being, his safety. He has nothing
more to prove on the track and anything more, particularly at his age, would be
almost inconceivable…but, then again, he is Wise Dan! Thus far his convalescence is said to be
progressing well, his fracture healing with no evidence of any untoward happenings. Hopefully it will continue thus and, if so,
it is indeed possible that we might once again be graced by his presence upon
the race course. We must not lose sight of
the fact however that, even without this injury to overcome, Wise Dan is now eight
years of age, an age at which very few horses, even truly great horses such as
he, have been able to successfully compete at the very highest level of
competition. There comes to all living
things that ill-defined moment in time when the most subtle changes occur, initially
undetectable and unmeasurable, but changes nonetheless that ultimately define
the difference between victory by a forging head…or defeat by a quivering nostril. Nobody understands this better than Charlie
Lopresti and he is ever diligent in his responsibility to his noble
warrior. If there is any doubt about the
adequacy of fracture healing, any concern about his capability to perform at his
previous level, any lingering questions about his physical fitness or mental enthusiasm,
then Wise Dan will race no more. The
concern, clearly, is that the aforementioned subtle changes might not be recognized
until his decline is present for all to witness. Charlie understands only too well Dan’s place
in the annals of American racing, his yoke of responsibility to his famous
charge borne with dignity and great awareness of duty, and he will knowingly do
nothing to prejudice Wise Dan’s esteemed position in racing history. The tears in Amy Lopresti’s eyes as she
reminisces about what he has meant to them and the quiver in Charlie’s voice as
he speaks of Dan’s courage and his ability to overcome the setbacks, both known
and unknown to the public, speak volumes about the love these two special
people feel for this equally special horse.
He has become part of their family and will remain so throughout all
their lives.
That Wise Dan is in the very best of hands
is an absolute truth. His legion of fans
should take comfort in this fact and understand that whatever may come,
regardless of whether or not he ever races again, tremendous thought and
consideration has been put forth into any determination pertaining to Wise Dan…
and then it is in the hands of the racing gods.
We pray they are as generous to Wise Dan as he has been to the world of
racing.
Murray D.
West
Paris,
Kentucky
2-18-2015
