Seize the Grey wins the Preakness for D. Wayne Lukas and ends Mystik Dan’s Triple Crown bid (2024)

BALTIMORE — (AP) — D. Wayne Lukas worked his way to Seize the Grey after his horse won the Preakness Stakes and kept getting interrupted by well-wishers offering congratulations.

“I think they’re trying to get rid of me,” Lukas said. “They probably want me to retire. I don’t think that’ll happen.”

Not when the 88-year-old Hall of Fame trainer keeps winning big-time races.

Seize the Grey 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 in the race, one short of the record held by good friend Bob Baffert.

“I’m only one behind him — I warned him already,” Lukas said. “It never gets old at this level, and I love the competition. I love to get in here with the rest of them.”

The strapping grey colt took advantage of the muddy track just as Lukas hoped he would, pulling off the upset in a second consecutive impressive start two weeks after romping in a race on the Derby undercard at Churchill Downs. Going off at 9-1 as one of the longest shots on the board, Seize the Grey moved to the lead immediately out of the starting gate and never looked back, finishing 2 1/4 lengths ahead of Mystik Dan in 1:56.82.

“I thought his action down the backside was beautiful, and I knew that he was handling the track,” Lukas said. “I said, ‘Watch out, he’s not going to quit.'"

Mystik Dan finished second in the field of eight horses running in the $2 million, 1 3/16-mile race. After falling short of going back to back following his win by a nose in the Kentucky Derby, it would be a surprise if he runs in the Belmont Stakes on June 8 at Saratoga Race Course.

“My colt’s a fantastic colt and proud of him,” trainer Kenny McPeek said. “It just wasn’t his day, but he’ll live to race again.”

Seize the Grey was a surprise Preakness winner facing tougher competition than in the Pat Day Mile on May 4. Though given the Lukas connection, it should never be a surprise when one of his horses is covered in a blanket of Black-Eyed Susan flowers.

No one in the race’s 149-year history has saddled more horses in the Preakness than Lukas with 48 since debuting in 1980 and winning that one with Codex. He had two in this time, with Just Steel finishing fifth, but Seize the Grey — owned by 2,570 people involved in the MyRacehorse group — delivered the victory.

“I just couldn’t be happier for every single one of them,” MyRacehorse founder and CEO Michael Behrens said. “We had some big expectations, but this exceeds all those expectations."

Seize the Grey paid $21.60 to win, $8.40 to place and $4.40 to show. Mystik Dan paid $4.20 and $2.80 after finishing a head in front of third-place Catching Freedom, who paid $3.20 to show.

Baffert, who was looking for a record-extending ninth Preakness victory, was supposed to have two horses in the field, but morning line favorite Muth was scratched earlier in the week because of a fever. Baffert's Imagination finished seventh.

“He is still learning,” Baffert said. “I think we are learning his style. I saw a lot today that I can change going forward. I don’t think he wants to run like that. We didn’t really have a plan. We thought it would be Wayne or us.”

Muth’s absence made Mystik Dan the 2-1 favorite, but he and jockey Brian Hernandez Jr. could not replicate their perfect Derby trip to win that race’s first three-way photo finish since 1947. Instead, Jaime Torres rode Seize the Grey to a win in his first Triple Crown race of any kind, just two years after starting to ride.

"I have no words," said Torres, a native of Puerto Rico who did not begin racing until seeing it on TV in late 2019. “I’m very excited, very excited and very thankful to all the people that have been behind me, helping me.”

This was the last Preakness held at Pimlico Race Course as it stands before demolition begins on the historic but deteriorating track, which will still hold the 150th running of it next year mid-construction.

That process is already well underway at Belmont Park, which is why the final leg of the Triple Crown is happening at Saratoga for the first time and is being shortened to 1 1/4 miles because of the shape of the course. Kentucky Derby second-place finisher Sierra Leone, a half step from winning, is expected to headline that field, though Lukas said he'd wait to see about Seize the Grey also running.

___

AP horse racing: https://apnews.com/hub/horse-racing

Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.

Seize the Grey wins the Preakness for D. Wayne Lukas and ends Mystik Dan’s Triple Crown bid (2024)

FAQs

What was the last horse to win the Triple Crown in the 20th century? ›

The longest drought between wins was after Affirmed was the last Triple Crown winner of the 20th Century (1978). It wasn't won again until American Pharaoh took the title in 2015.

How many horses have won the Triple Crown twice? ›

Of these, 292 horses have won a single leg of the Triple Crown, 52 horses have won two of the races (23 the Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes, 18 the Preakness Stakes and Belmont Stakes, and 11 the Kentucky Derby and Belmont Stakes), and 13 horses have won all three races.

Who was the last Triple Crown winner? ›

Justify is the last horse to win the Triple Crown.

Who holds the record for the Preakness? ›

No one in the race's 149-year history has saddled more horses in the Preakness than Lukas, with 48 since debuting in 1980 and winning that one with Codex. He had two in this time, with Just Steel finishing fifth, but Seize the Grey — owned by 2,570 people involved in the MyRacehorse group — delivered the victory.

Who is the fastest horse in history? ›

1. Winning Brew - The Speed Queen. Born in the world of horse racing, Winning Brew earned her name, setting a Guinness World Record for the fastest speed ever achieved by a racehorse. This Pennsylvania-bred Thoroughbred reached an incredible speed of 43.97 mph in 2008.

Has a filly ever won the Triple Crown? ›

No filly has ever won the Triple Crown.

(In fact, only 22 fillies have ever competed in the event.) Three fillies have won the Kentucky Derby, and five, the most recent being Rachel Alexandra in 2009, have won the Preakness.

Was Seabiscuit a Triple Crown winner? ›

Seabiscuit was a West Coast-based horse and didn't find his best stride until after his 3-year-old season, so he didn't run the Triple Crown.

Has a gelding ever won the Triple Crown? ›

No gelding has ever challenged for the Triple Crown, and if he comes through, an expected record crowd that could reach 120,000 will turn Belmont Park into a love-fest to celebrate the 12th Triple Crown winner and first since Affirmed in 1978.

What was Secretariat's nickname? ›

Eddie Sweat was the Groom that looked after Secretariat's daily needs and Jim Gaffney and Charlie Davis were Secretariat's exercise riders. It was Jim Gaffney that nicknamed Secretariat, "Big Red".

Who is the greatest Triple Crown winner of all time? ›

At age three, Secretariat not only won the Triple Crown, but he also set speed records in all three races. His time in the Kentucky Derby still stands as the Churchill Downs track record for 11⁄4 miles, and his time in the Belmont Stakes stands as the American record for 11⁄2 miles on the dirt.

How old was Secretariat when he died? ›

After his racing career, Secretariat stood at stud at Claiborne until he passed away at 19 years of age. Secretariat's grave is located in an understated horse cemetery, past two brick pillars with granite roosters atop them, behind Claiborne's main office.

Who was faster SeaBiscuit or Secretariat? ›

That would be horse racing legend Secretariat, who earned the three-race title in 1973 and holds the fastest combined time for each of the three races. Secretariat still holds the record for the fastest Kentucky Derby-winning time.

Which horse won 2024 Preakness? ›

Seize the Grey won the 2024 Preakness Stakes to deny Mystik Dan the chance to win the Triple Crown, and the owners of the winner will share a hefty prize as a result. The purse for this year's race was $2 million, the highest in Preakness history.

Who owns Seize the Grey? ›

Seize the Grey is owned by the MyRacehorse microsyndicate founded by Michael Behrens. The syndicate has 2,570 different owners who bought up 5,000 shares of the colt at US$127 a share.His name was submitted in a contest administered by MyRacehorse and chosen by his shareholders.

What horses came close to winning the Triple Crown? ›

YearDerby/Preakness winnerBelmont winner
1979Spectacular BidCoastal
1971Canonero IIPass Catcher
1969Majestic PrinceArts and Letters
1968Forward Pass*Stage Door Johnny
19 more rows

Why was Secretariat euthanized? ›

Secretariat was put down on October 4, 1989 at Claiborne Farm, after suffering from the painful hoof condition laminitis. He was 19.

Did Seabiscuit win the Triple Crown? ›

Seabiscuit was a West Coast-based horse and didn't find his best stride until after his 3-year-old season, so he didn't run the Triple Crown.

What was Secretariat's stud fee? ›

According to reports, Secretariat commanded a stud fee of $6 million in 1989, which was a record at the time for a thoroughbred stallion. He sired many successful racehorses during his career as a stallion, and his offspring continue to be in high demand for breeding purposes.

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