Seize the Gray seized his second Could 18 within the $2 million Preakness Stakes below younger jockey Jaime Torres at Pimlico Race Course, taking cost early, controlling the tempo, and outrunning Kentucky Derby Introduced by Woodford Reserve winner Mystik Dan by 2 ¼ lengths to seize the second jewel of the Triple Crown.
MyRacehorse’s Seize the Gray gave 88-year-old coach D. Wayne Lukas a seventh Preakness win within the Corridor of Famer’s legendary profession.
Seize the Gray, a 3-year-old grey or roan son of the late Arrogate, raced 1 3/16 miles in 1:56.82 over a muddy monitor and received because the 9.80-1 sixth betting selection in an eight-horse discipline. Like runner-up Mystik Dan and third-place Catching Freedom, Seize the Gray entered the Preakness off of a fast two-week turnaround, however whereas these runners exited the Kentucky Derby, Seize the Gray prepped by successful the Pat Day Stakes Introduced by SAP on the Kentucky Derby undercard.
Mystik Dan, who tracked the tempo in fourth early, bid exterior the winner coming into the stretch however the 2.40-1 favourite couldn’t shut the required hole. He managed to outlast Catching Freedom, who was fourth within the Kentucky Derby, by a head in an in depth place photograph.
Tuscan Gold ran fourth behind present finisher Catching Freedom. Lukas’ different starter, Simply Metal, was fifth.
For Mystik Dan’s coach Ken McPeek, there was disappointment after the runner-up end ended the Triple Crown hopes for the Goldencents colt owned by Lance Gasaway, Daniel Hamby III, 4 G Racing, and Valley View Farm. But he was additionally happy with the hassle turned in by Mystik Dan.
“I’m happy with him. It wasn’t his day. I believed we might run down Seize the Gray with the fractions, however he didn’t again up,” stated McPeek. “I feel (jockey Brian Hernandez Jr.) was proper, if we chased him it will have taken (Mystik Dan) out of his recreation. That’s horse racing. The rider did an ideal job on Wayne’s horse and Wayne is a legend for a purpose.”
“Individuals all the time ask which Preakness win is the most effective and the final one is the sweetest,” Lukas stated after his seventh Preakness victory and 15th Triple Crown win. “What was vital to me, and perhaps as a result of I get older, is that as I walked throughout the racetrack (after the race) each a type of (trainers) within the race gave me a handshake. That meant extra to be than any single factor. (Bob) Baffert, Kenny McPeek, proper on down the road.”
Fellow Corridor of Fame coach Bob Baffert has been a longtime admirer of Lukas and after the octogenarian got here one win nearer to matching his document eight Preakness wins, Baffert spoke in revered phrases concerning the residing legend often known as “The Coach.”
“He’s creeping up on me. I’ll have to remain in for one more 10 years,” stated Baffert, who despatched out 4.20-1 shot Creativeness to a seventh-place end. “Wayne has all the time been an ideal horseman. I’ve all the time revered him. He’s all the time been the bar. It was (Charlie) Whittingham after which Wayne. It’s an excellent feeling. If you will get beat, you wish to see Wayne win. He nonetheless has it. He’s nonetheless an ideal coach.”
The Preakness was the fourth victory for Seize the Gray in 10 begins and lifted his earnings to $1,819,938. Bred in Kentucky by Jamm, Seize the Gray is out of the Good Strike mare Good Procuring. He was a $300,000 buy by MyRacehorse from the Mill Ridge Gross sales consignment to the 2022 The Saratoga Sale, Fasig-Tipton’s chosen yearling sale.
Lukas stated he needed to provide Seize the Gray time earlier than deciding on whether or not to ship him to the June 8 Belmont Stakes Introduced by NYRA Bets at Saratoga Race Course, which can host the traditional for the primary time whereas building continues at Belmont Park. However he definitely didn’t dismiss the concept.
“If they’re going to beat him, they might wish to prolong it again to a mile and a half,” Lukas stated in reference to the Belmont Stakes being a mile-and-a-quarter race at Saratoga. “If we go (to the Belmont), he’ll be powerful. He can get a mile and 1 / 4. He would have gotten a mile and 1 / 4 at present.”
