To win the Preakness Stakes on Saturday, 88-year-old Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lucas ended Mystic Dawn's Triple Crown quest with his seventh win.
Two weeks after racing on the Derby undercard at Churchill Downs, the gray colt took to the muddy track just as Lucas had hoped. Cheese the Gray went out 9-1, one of the longest shots on the board, moved into the lead and never looked back.
« I thought his move on the back was beautiful and I knew he was handling the track, » Lucas said. I said, 'Watch out, he won't come soon.
Mystic Dawn finished second in a field of eight horses in the $2 million, 1 3/16-mile race. It would be a surprise if he runs in the Belmont Stakes at Saratoga Race Course on June 8, after failing to go back to back after winning the Kentucky Derby by a nose.
« My colt is a fantastic colt and proud of him, » said trainer Kenny McPeake. « It wasn't his day but he'll live to race again. »
Preakness winner Size the Gray was a surprise, facing stiffer competition than in the Pot Day Mile on May 4. Given the Lucas connection, one shouldn't be surprised when one of his horses is covered in a blanket of black-eyed Susan flowers.
In the race's 149-year history, no one has saddled more horses in the Preakness than Lucas, 48 since its debut in 1980. This time he had two, Just Steel took fifth place, but Cheese the Gray – owned by thousands of investors involved. MyRacehorse Team – Delivered the win.
« Can you imagine how many people are going to enjoy and enjoy this? » Lucas said. “I don't even know how many people this horse belongs to. I do not know. That's a lot of people, I know that.
Lucas has now won the Preakness seven times, one short of the record of two-time Triple Crown-winning trainer and close friend Bob Baffert, whose fantasy finish was seventh. Baffert should have two horses in the field and arguably the best, but morning line favorite Muth was scratched earlier in the week due to a fever.
« I think they're trying to get rid of me, » Lucas said. “They would like me to retire. I don't think that will happen. It never gets old at this level and I love competition. I like coming here with other people. »
Muth's absence made Mystic Don the 2-1 favorite, but he and jockey Brian Hernandez Jr. could not duplicate their perfect Derby outing to make that race's first three-way photo win since 1947. Instead, Jaime Torres took the win for Size the Grey. In his first Triple Crown race.
« I'm at a loss for words, » said Torres, who is from Puerto Rico. , helping me. »
It will be the last Preakness at Pimlico Race Course before the historic but deteriorating track is demolished and will host its 150th running in mid-construction next year.
That process is already well under way at Belmont Park, which is why the final of the Triple Crown is being held at Saratoga for the first time and shortened to 1 1/4 miles because of the course format. Kentucky Derby runner-up Sierra Leone, half a step from victory, is expected to head the field.
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