From The TDN Look: Wise and Successful, A Tale of Two Dans

If you drive down Athens-Boonesboro Road at the right time of day, you might be lucky enough to catch a glimpse of a hulking chestnut horse and his equally imposing bay brother romping through their field. With the residents of the adjacent paddocks at Forest Lane Farm being Angus cows and Quarter Horses, it would not be surprising for a passerby to think the playful geldings were just a pair of pleasure horses. However, educated horse racing fans would recognize that they were in fact looking at a six-time Eclipse winner and his near millionaire half-brother as Forest Lane Farm belongs to trainer Charlie LoPresti and his wife Amy, the longtime caretakers of Wise Dan (Wiseman's Ferry) and Successful Dan (Successful Appeal).

Being the older brother by a year, Successful Dan came onto the scene before Wise Dan, becoming LoPresti's first graded winner with his score in the 2009 GIII Northern Dancer S., which was the third straight victory of the gelding's career. He would go on to win five more races, three of which were graded, and place in several Grade Is for earnings of $998,154.

Successful Dan's career was interrupted by multiple injuries, including one which caused him to miss the entire 2011 season, but the hard-knocking bay continuously made his way back, not only to the track, but to the winner's circle. However, in the fall of 2013, an issue with his XYZ ligament caused the LoPrestis and owner/breeder Mort Fink to retire their first star pupil at age seven. To read the rest of the two Dans' story, click here.