ESPN News Services
May 18, 2024, 07:09 PM ETOpen Extended Reactions
BALTIMORE — 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, 88, said. “They probably want me to retire. I don’t think that’ll happen.”
Not when the 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 his 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 gray colt, ridden by Jaime Torres, took advantage of the muddy track just like Lukas hoped he would, pulling off the upset at Pimlico Race Course in a second consecutive impressive start two weeks after romping in a race on the Kentucky Derby undercard at Churchill Downs. Going off at 9-1 as one of the longest shots