November 20, 2024

Successful Dan, Pool Play on track for Stephen Foster

Last updated: 5/27/13 2:09 PM


Successful Dan, who is stabled at Keeneland for trainer Charlie LoPresti,
could ship to Churchill Downs to work Saturday in preparation for the Grade 1,
$500,000 Stephen Foster Handicap on June 15.

“He hasn’t run since (winning) the Ben Ali and I’m thinking I may want to
bring him over here and give him an easy five-eighths breeze,” LoPresti said.
“I’m just thinking about it, but I think it would be smart.”

Should LoPresti decide to bring Successful Dan to Churchill Downs this
weekend, he would likely bring him to Louisville on Friday night and breeze him
Saturday morning.

“I’d breeze him Saturday and keep him here to school in the paddock that
afternoon and then take him home,” LoPresti said. “He’s doing really, really
well.”

Successful Dan most recently worked at Keeneland on May 25 and breezed six
furlongs in 1:12.

LoPresti’s other stable star, Horse of the Year Wise Dan, will not take on
his older half-brother in the Stephen Foster.

“We toyed with the idea, but if he runs anywhere (at the spring meet) he’ll
run in the Firecracker.”

The Firecracker Handicap, at one mile on the Matt Winn turf course, will be
run on June 29. Wise Dan won the Firecracker in 2011 in his first start on turf.

Pool Play scored a 36-1 upset victory in the 2011 Stephen Foster and now he
will attempt to join Vodika Collins and Recoup the Cash as two-time winners of
the race.

“We know he likes the distance and he likes Churchill,” trainer Mark Casse
said. “We also want to keep him safe. That’s our number one concern. We pick our
spots with him. He’s our old guy in the barn.”

Pool Play, an eight-year-old, will enter the Stephen Foster off a sixth-place
finish in the Elkhorn at Keeneland, the same race he used to prep for the
Stephen Foster in 2011.

“His recent form hasn’t been great, but we’re going to give it a shot,” Casse
said. “We know we’ll be a longshot again, but with the perfect storm and perfect
trip, we may have a chance.”

In preparation for the Stephen Foster, Pool Play worked five furlongs in 1:01
1/5 at Churchill  on May 25 under Miguel Mena, who was aboard for Pool
Play’s 2011 Stephen Foster triumph and will have the call again on June 15.

Other Stephen Foster possible starters include Take Charge Indy, Cyber
Secret, Golden Ticket and Fort Larned.



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