Preakness 2024: Seize the Grey wins, ending Mystik Dan’s Triple Crown bid

BALTIMORE (AP) — D. Wayne Lukas labored his method to Seize the Gray after his horse gained the Preakness Stakes and saved getting interrupted by well-wishers providing congratulations.

“I believe they’re attempting to eliminate me,” Lukas stated. “They in all probability need me to retire. I don’t suppose that’ll occur.”

Not when the 88-year-old Corridor of Fame coach retains profitable big-time races.

Seize the Gray ended Kentucky Derby winner Mystik Dan’s Triple Crown bid Saturday by going wire to wire to win the Preakness, giving Lukas his seventh victory within the race, one in need of the report held by good good friend Bob Baffert.

“I’m just one behind him — I warned him already,” Lukas stated. “It by no means will get previous at this stage, and I really like the competitors. I like to get in right here with the remainder of them.”

The strapping gray colt took benefit of the muddy observe simply as Lukas hoped he would, pulling off the upset in a second consecutive spectacular begin two weeks after romping in a race on the Derby undercard at Churchill Downs. Going off at 9-1 as one of many longest pictures on the board, Seize the Gray moved to the lead instantly out of the beginning gate and by no means seemed again, ending 2 1/4 lengths forward of Mystik Dan in 1:56.82.

“I assumed his motion down the bottom was lovely, and I knew that he was dealing with the observe,” Lukas stated. “I stated, ‘Be careful, he’s not going to give up.’”

Mystik Dan completed second within the discipline of eight horses working within the $2 million, 1 3/16-mile race. After falling in need of going again to again following his win by a nostril within the Kentucky Derby, it will be a shock if he runs within the Belmont Stakes on June 8 at Saratoga Race Course.

“My colt’s a improbable colt and pleased with him,” coach Kenny McPeek stated. “It simply wasn’t his day, however he’ll stay to race once more.”

Seize the Gray was a shock Preakness winner dealing with harder competitors than within the Pat Day Mile on Could 4. Although given the Lukas connection, it ought to by no means be a shock when certainly one of his horses is roofed in a blanket of Black-Eyed Susan flowers.

Nobody within the race’s 149-year historical past has saddled extra horses within the Preakness than Lukas with 48 since debuting in 1980 and profitable that one with Codex. He had two on this time, with Simply Metal ending fifth, however Seize the Gray — owned by 2,570 individuals concerned within the MyRacehorse group — delivered the victory.

“I simply couldn’t be happier for each single certainly one of them,” MyRacehorse founder and CEO Michael Behrens stated. “We had some large expectations, however this exceeds all these expectations.”

Seize the Gray paid $21.60 to win, $8.40 to put and $4.40 to indicate. Mystik Dan paid $4.20 and $2.80 after ending a head in entrance of third-place Catching Freedom, who paid $3.20 to indicate.

Baffert, who was on the lookout for a record-extending ninth Preakness victory, was alleged to have two horses within the discipline, however morning line favourite Muth was scratched earlier within the week due to a fever. Baffert’s Creativeness completed seventh.

“He’s nonetheless studying,” Baffert stated. “I believe we’re studying his fashion. I noticed loads in the present day that I can change going ahead. I don’t suppose he desires to run like that. We didn’t actually have a plan. We thought it will be Wayne or us.”

Muth’s absence made Mystik Dan the 2-1 favourite, however he and jockey Brian Hernandez Jr. couldn’t replicate their excellent Derby journey to win that race’s first three-way photograph end since 1947. As an alternative, Jaime Torres rode Seize the Gray to a win in his first Triple Crown race of any sort, simply two years after beginning to journey.

“I’ve no phrases,” stated Torres, a local of Puerto Rico who didn’t start racing till seeing it on TV in late 2019. “I’m very excited, very excited and really grateful to all of the individuals which were behind me, serving to me.”

This was the final Preakness held at Pimlico Race Course because it stands earlier than demolition begins on the historic however deteriorating observe, which is able to nonetheless maintain the a hundred and fiftieth working of it subsequent 12 months mid-construction.

That course of is already nicely underway at Belmont Park, which is why the ultimate leg of the Triple Crown is going on at Saratoga for the primary time and is being shortened to 1 1/4 miles due to the form of the course. Kentucky Derby second-place finisher Sierra Leone, a half step from profitable, is anticipated to headline that discipline, although Lukas stated he’d wait to see about Seize the Gray additionally working.

___

AP horse racing: