D. Wayne Lukas continued his profitable coaching profession on the age of 88, successful his seventh Preakness Stakes with Seize the Gray, who upset Kentucky Derby winner Mystik Dan to finish his Triple Crown bid. Lukas, recognized for his aggressive spirit, relished the victory and hinted at surpassing his pal Bob Baffert’s file of eight Preakness wins. Seize the Gray capitalized on the muddy observe to safe a powerful wire-to-wire victory, with Mystik Dan ending second within the subject of eight horses. Regardless of falling brief within the Preakness, coach Kenny McPeek expressed delight in his colt and hinted at future races for the horse.
Seize the Gray’s victory was sudden given the harder competitors within the Preakness in comparison with his earlier race within the Pat Day Mile. Nevertheless, with the Lukas connection, it mustn’t come as a shock when one among his horses emerges victorious. Lukas, with 48 Preakness starters since 1980, has an extended historical past with the race, relationship again to his debut win with Codex. This yr, Seize the Gray, owned by the MyRacehorse group, delivered an exhilarating victory, exceeding all expectations for the homeowners and followers. The success of Seize the Gray was celebrated with the horse paying $21.60 to win, after being one of many longest photographs on the betting board.
Coach Bob Baffert, who was aiming for a record-extending ninth Preakness win, noticed his possibilities diminish when one among his horses, Muth, was scratched as a consequence of sickness earlier within the week. Baffert’s different entry, Creativeness, completed seventh within the race, leaving Mystik Dan as the favourite. Sadly, Mystik Dan and jockey Brian Hernandez Jr. couldn’t replicate their Derby success, ending behind Seize the Gray in a three-way photograph end on the Preakness. Seize the Gray’s jockey, Jaime Torres, expressed pleasure and gratitude for the chance to journey the horse to victory in his first Triple Crown race.
The Preakness Stakes at Pimlico Race Course marked the tip of an period for the historic observe, which is about for demolition and reconstruction sooner or later. The one hundred and fiftieth working of the Preakness will happen at Pimlico subsequent yr amidst ongoing development. The adjustments within the racing panorama additionally embrace Belmont Park, the place the Triple Crown’s closing leg will probably be held at Saratoga for the primary time. The race will probably be shortened to 1 1/4 miles as a result of observe’s configuration, with Sierra Leone anticipated to headline the sector of contenders. Coach D. Wayne Lukas indicated he would think about working Seize the Gray within the race, including to the anticipation for future Triple Crown occasions.