Charlie LoPresti, renowned trainer of two-time Horse of the Year Wise Dan, has officially retired from horse racing at the age of 63. While he ceased active training several months ago, LoPresti remains deeply involved in the equestrian world through his farm and other personal interests. The decision to retire was a quiet one, as LoPresti preferred not to make a grand announcement.
LoPresti, a native of New York, began his training career in 1993 and officially disbanded his stable at the end of 2020. His final race as a trainer was in October at Indiana Grand Racing & Casino. His last victory occurred in May at Churchill Downs with Lessons From Avery in an allowance optional claiming race on the turf. The horses remaining under his care were transferred to his nephew, Reeve McGaughey, who launched his own stable in 2020.
Over his career, LoPresti achieved 310 wins from 2,205 starts, accumulating over $20 million in earnings. A significant portion of this success, 23 wins and nearly half of the earnings, came from Wise Dan. This remarkable gelding, campaigned by the late Morton Fink, captured the hearts of racing fans from 2010 to 2014 with his exceptional performances.
Wise Dan’s illustrious career included a Grade 1 victory in the Clark Handicap at Churchill Downs as a four-year-old. The following year, he transitioned to turf racing and secured back-to-back Grade 1 wins in the Ricoh Woodbine Mile and the Breeders’ Cup Mile in both 2012 and 2013. He continued his dominance in 2013 and 2014 with consecutive victories in the Maker’s 46 Mile and the Woodford Reserve Turf Classic, alongside non-consecutive wins in the Shadwell Turf Mile. Wise Dan retired with an impressive record of 23 wins, 2 second-place finishes, and 0 third-place finishes from 31 starts, earning $7,552,920. Now 14 years old, Wise Dan, along with his Grade 2-winning half-brother Successful Dan, resides at LoPresti’s Forest Lane Farm in Athens, Kentucky.
Wise Dan’s exceptional achievements earned him the titles of champion grass horse and champion older horse in 2012 and 2013, the same years he was crowned Horse of the Year. His contributions to the sport were further recognized with his induction into the Hall of Fame in 2020.
Despite retiring from the racetrack, LoPresti’s passion for horses remains undimmed. He and his wife, Amy, are actively involved in breaking and training young horses at their farm for long-standing clients. LoPresti expressed satisfaction in his continued involvement, enjoying the opportunity to watch horses he started begin their racing careers.
“I’m still very much involved in the business. We have our farm, and I still break yearlings for a lot of people,” LoPresti shared. “This morning I went to Keeneland and watched my nephew train some of the old ones that I had and the new ones he has. Some of the 2-year-olds that I broke for people were out training, so I was able to talk to people about them, and I get a lot of pleasure from that.”
LoPresti acknowledged that while he may not encounter another horse like Wise Dan, he feels fortunate for the experiences and relationships the sport has provided. He also expressed a desire for a less demanding pace of life.
“I’m not a great big operation but we break yearlings for clients we’ve had a long time. But there are other things I want to do. I want to spend more time with my bird dogs, and I have a registered herd of Angus cattle and I have some Quarter Horses that I like to rope on. I’m 63 years old and will I ever find another Wise Dan? Probably not. I was lucky to have a horse like that. I’ve been very fortunate in the business. But the racetrack takes up a lot of your time, and I have other things I want to do. That is really what made me make the decision.”
For LoPresti, the greatest reward from his nearly 30 years in racing has been the horses themselves and the enduring connections forged within the industry. He emphasized the importance of ensuring horses receive a good life and a comfortable retirement, highlighting that the value extends beyond financial gain.
“It’s not only Wise Dan. I could talk about a lot of horses we broke on our farm that went on to be Kentucky Derby (G1) winners,” LoPresti reflected. “It’s just neat to be able to slow down a little now. It’s good for people to see that horses like him mean something, and that they have a good life and a good retirement. It’s not just about the money; it’s about what horses like him did for their owners and for me. I’ve met so many people through these horses … I could go on and on about the people in this business that I became friends with. The horses are the ones that did it for us.”
LoPresti views his retirement not as an end, but as the beginning of a new chapter. “Racing is a wonderful thing and horses are a wonderful thing. I’m not walking away from this; it’s just time to say that that chapter of my life is over and I’m ready to start a new chapter—but I’m not closing the book on it either,” he stated. “When a horse we break here at the farm and give early training to goes on to win a big stakes race, I feel like I’m part of that, too. I’m a little bit slower than I used to be, but I’m still alive and kicking.”
