The past three months have been tough for the 3-year-old colt. Grasp the gray But three months do not make a year.
“Anytime you win a classic, I consider it a very good year,” said D. Wayne Lukas, the wise 89-year-old coach of Seize the Gray, who is inducted into the Hall of Fame.
Lukas makes a compelling case. Although Seize the Grey has not been ranked in his last two starts, he gave his 2,570 My RaceHorse microshare owners an unforgettable thrill on May 18 when he won the Preakness Stakes (G1) by 2 1/4 lengths from the lead.
Fate took a different turn for the promising stallion’s next two starts at Gainesway. The Pat Day Mile (G2) winner finished seventh in the Belmont Stakes (G1) at Saratoga Race Track and then, most recently, finished fourth, beaten a dozen lengths, in the July 27 Jim Dandy Stakes (G2), also at Spa.
This weekend, the winner of the middle jewel of the Triple Crown will have a chance to relive his glory at Pimlico Race Track as he attempts to regain his winning form on September 21 in the $1 million Pennsylvania Derby at Parx RacingThe last grade of the year on land reserved for 3 year olds.
“He trained very hard for the race and was coming into the race in top form. I don’t think we have any excuses,” said Lukas.
Lukas said a stomach bug may have hampered the son of Arrogate in the Jim Dandy, where the speedster never finished better than fourth at any call. He made no excuses for the Belmont, where Seize the Grey led in the early stages but faltered, except for a common factor.
“Maybe he’s not interested in Saratoga,” Lukas said. “I don’t like to make excuses, so I think it’s Saratoga, and we’ll run again and try to get back in shape at Parx.”
The main challenger for the classic winner on paper and in the shape of the race is expected to be Juddmonte Dragoon Guards also a foal by Arrogate and featured as Seize the Grey’s main rival in the front.
Dragoon Guard Wins West Virginia Derby in Mountaineer
Trained by Brad Cox, Dragoon Guard finished second in his career debut and then won four straight, ending with lead victories in the West Virginia Derby (G3) and Indiana Derby (G3).
“He’s a big horse, like his father. He was skinny at first, and he’s starting to fill out all of that,” said Garrett O’Rourke, general manager of Juddmonte USA, which races Arrogate, a horse that has earned $17.4 million. “I guess on Saturday we’ll see if he can be close to his father. This is a big step for him.”
Dragoon Guard won the West Virginia Derby on Aug. 4 by 2 3/4 lengths in the 1 1/8-mile Pennsylvania Derby. He had previously won the 1 1/16-mile Indiana Derby by 2 1/2 lengths over Santa Anita Derby (G1) winner and Pennsylvania Derby entrant Fortress .
Although Dragoon Guard has led in his last three starts, O’Rourke said with Seize the Grey’s speed breaking from 2nd, Dragoon Guard could be right behind in 7th.
Persistence played a large role in bringing Dragoon Guard to Parx. Aside from allowing him to slowly climb the class ladder, he was the product of a third mating between Arrogate and Mizzen mast Filimbi mare. The first two foals were born. Calloway Peak And Auden who have an overall finish of 2 out of 34 in their racing careers.
“We had bred that mare to Arrogate twice before, and the old masters will tell you that if you believe in a cross, you have to try it three times. By the time the first two ran, I was starting to lose faith until (Dragoon Guard) came along,” O’Rourke said.
Among the local teams in the field are 11-man Milam Racing Stable and LC Racing’s Graded Horse winner Uncle Heavy . Winner of the Withers Stakes (G3) at Aqueduct Racetrack for coach Butch Reid, Parx’s son Social integration finished fifth in the Wood Memorial (G2) after splitting 12th and sixth in the Preakness on a muddy track. He then finished fifth in the Ohio Derby (G3).
Back in his hometown of Parx, he was coming off a third-place finish in the Smarty Jones Stakes on August 24, when he finished third due to a slow pace early in the race.
“He’s coming along,” Reid said. “We’ve been disappointed recently, but he’s a big, strong horse. We realise he’s got to let things go his way, but he’ll be very competitive in this field. He’s got a good wind for this race and we’re really pleased with the way he’s going into it. It’ll be nice to come out of his stable and run a big race instead of having to go out and do it.”
Branjam Stable and Dave Clark Just step on it (Accelerate ), second in Smarty Jones for trainer Louis Linder, is also entered in Saturday’s race. As is Klaravich Stables’ Unparalleled Intelligence (Prince of Cairo ), Curlin Stakes winner for trainer Chad Brown, who suffered his only defeat in four career starts in the Travers Stakes (G1).
Entries: Pennsylvania Derby (G1)
Parx Racing, Saturday, September 21, 2024, Race 13
- Class I
- 1 1/8 minutes
- Dirt
- $1,000,000
- 3 years old
- 6:10 PM (local time)
