Early Sunday morning, 11 hours after Seize the Grey delivered his Hall of Fame trainer his seventh victory in the Preakness Stakes (G1), age-defying D. Wayne Lukas, 88, was, per usual, looking ahead.

Lukas said that it was likely that the colt with 2,750 owners in the MyRacehorse partnership, would run in the Belmont Stakes (G1) June 8 at Saratoga Race Course. After talking about how Seize the Grey, under jockey Jaime Torres, led the $2 million Middle Jewel of the Triple Crown from gate to wire over the muddy track at Pimlico to beat Kentucky Derby (G1) winner Mystik Dan by 2 ¼, lengths, Lukas was touting his group of 2-year-olds. He said the crop of talent included about nine from top sires, Justify, Into Mischief and Gun Runner.

One of Lukas’ early morning visitors promptly asked him if he expected to be sitting in the same place, at the end of the stakes barn, next year, reflecting on another Preakness score. 

“You’re damn right,” Lukas said. “If not, they need to fire me. I’ve got plenty to work with.”

Five years ago, it looked like Lukas’ record-breaking career was in a quiet fade. His stable won 15 races that season. In 2019, its earnings barely exceeded $1 million. Always the optimist and salesman, Lukas found new owners to invest in a legend. His comeback to prominence began in 2022 and with plenty of high-price talent in his program he is aiming at more victories in major races.

Seize the Grey’s victory was his first Preakness win since his score with Calumet Farm’s Oxbow in 2013 and his second Triple Crown series victory since Commendable won the 2000 Belmont Stakes. He won his first of 15 Triple Crown races beginning with Codex in the 1980 Preakness in the 20^th century.  Lukas is tied with 19^th century horseman Robert Wyndham Walden in Preakness wins, one behind Bob Baffert.

Lukas chuckled as he discussed the addition of a 15^th Triple Crown race win, second only to Baffert’s 17, to his resume. 

“I needed to bounce back and get another one. One of the things that surprised me is they told me it was 10 or 11 years since Oxbow. I didn’t think it was that long. Doesn’t seem that long.”

Seize the Grey completed the 1 3/16 miles in 1:56.82 and paid $21.60.

While Seize the Grey probably will continue on to the Belmont Stakes, Lukas’ other Preakness starter, Just Steel, is headed to surgery in Kentucky to repair a condylar fracture of his right foreleg.

“We’ve got to put a pin in it,” Lukas said. “He’ll be all right.”

After the extent of the injury was diagnosed, Lukas changed plans to ship his seven runners back to Kentucky on Sunday morning.

Lukas speculated that the injury might have taken place as the field was turning for home.  Lukas figured that Just Steel, running fourth under Joel Rosario, was in position to challenge his stablemate.

“He was perfectly placed,” Lukas said. “There was a point there in the race that I thought we would be 1-2. I really thought that Just Steel was going to run at this horse and make it interesting. Obviously, that hampered any strong finish. But he was right there and Joel came off that turn and I said, ‘Whoa, we’re going, to get a lot of this. I really felt like we’d be 1-2 at that point.”

Lukas said Seize the Grey looked and acted well Sunday morning.

“When he came out of the stall and went around here he never walked,” Lukas said.  “He was pretty proud of himself.”

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