February 20 - Wise Dan

This Horse of the Year is that rare turf horse to win the top honor. For two years, this horse was practically unbeatable.

I was able to meet and speak with Mort Fink, his breeders and owner at the Eclipse Awards in Miami. Mort was well into his 80s and then some but he smiled really big and said, "When you have a horse like Wise Dan in the barn, it gives you a reason to get out of bed every day." Mort passed away a few years later, but it wasn't until Wise Dan had retired from racing.

I'm always so blessed to talk with people about their horses and hear their deepest sincere thoughts, but when you see their faces light up and twinkle pop into their eyes, well, that's about as good as it gets.