Unraced as a two-year-old, Wise Dan won the Phoenix Stakes in 2010 but was well beaten when taking on top-class opposition in the Breeders' Cup Sprint.

Returning to racing with a victory in the Grade II Bernard Baruch Handicap, he also won the Shadwell Turf Mile for a second time, after which he developed an ankle injury that sidelined him until the following year.

Wise Dan is a chestnut gelding with a narrow white blaze, bred in Kentucky by his owner Morton Fink, a Chicago-born businessman.

[2] Wise Dan's dam, Lisa Danielle, a daughter of the South African champion Wolf Power, was named after Fink's granddaughter.

After a break of five months, Wise Dan returned at Keeneland Race Course in October to win the Grade III Phoenix Stakes, beating the four-year-old Hollywood Hit by half a length.

In October, Wise Dan returned to Grade I class for the first time since the Breeders' Cup when he ran in the Shadwell Turf Mile Stakes at Keeneland and finished fourth to Gio Ponti.

In a rough finish, he overtook leader Nate's Mineshaft in the closing stages but was caught on the post and beaten a head by Ron the Greek.

[10] The unplaced horses in the Stephen Foster included Fort Larned, who subsequently won the important Whitney Handicap at Saratoga and the Breeders' Cup Classic at Santa Anita in November.

[15] On 3 November, Wise Dan contested the Breeders' Cup Mile against a field which included European milers Excelebration and Moonlight Cloud as well as the 2011 Kentucky Derby winner, Animal Kingdom.

In what The Washington Post described as "an unequivocal championship performance"[16] Wise Dan overtook the front-running gelding Obviously at the top of the stretch and won from Animal Kingdom with Excelebration in fourth.

[17] Wise Dan began his 2013 campaign in the Maker's 46 Mile Stakes at Keeneland on April 12 when he started the 2/5 favorite and won by a length from Data Link, the winner of the race in 2012.

[18] On May 4, at the Kentucky Derby meeting, Wise Dan started 3/5 favourite for the Woodford Reserve Turf Classic, after his main rival, Point of Entry, was scratched shortly before the race.

Ridden by Jose Lezcano (Velazquez had been committed to riding Point of Entry), the gelding coped well with the slick conditions, taking the lead in the straight and drawing away to win by four and three quarter lengths from Optimizer.

[19] On June 29, Wise Dan attempted to win the Firecracker Handicap for the second time, carrying 128 pounds in a race run in heavy rain.

"[21] On September 15, 2013, Wise Dan won his ninth consecutive race by taking the Grade I Woodbine Mile for the second time in succession, breaking the track record when he came home in 1:31.75.

The favourite produced his customary strong late run in the straight to take the lead well inside the final furlong and won by three quarters of a length from Za Approval.

[25] Wise Dan began his 2014 campaign by winning the Grade I Maker's 46 Mile Stakes at 2-5 odds over Kaigun on the turf at Keeneland on April 11, running from the #3 post position in a six-horse field with Velazquez back aboard.

[28] After repair of a piece of intestine that had "looped" over itself, a "best case scenario" for colic surgery, the horse was anticipated to be out for six to eight weeks of recovery time, but the issue was not career-ending.

[30] On 12 October, LoPresti noticed swelling in the horse's ankle and ordered an x-ray examination which revealed a "non-displaced fracture at the bottom of the cannon bone".

Discussing Wise Dan's future, Fink said, "Dr Bramlage recommends that we wait at least 30 days and assess his progress before we make any further decisions.