All was well Sept. 22 with classic winner Seize the Grey after his authoritative 3 3/4-length win in the $1 million Pennsylvania Derby (G1) at Parx Racing the evening before.
"He came out very well," said his Racing Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas. "It was a great effort and he bounced out of it good. He's really, really good."
The Classic-winning gray or roan will return to Lukas' home base of Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky. Sept. 23. Once settled in, he will begin preparations for a start in the Nov. 2 Breeders' Cup World Championships at Del Mar. Lukas said he has no plans yet on how he will get the horse there in terms of the frequency of morning breezes over the next six weeks.
"I don't look that far ahead," Lukas said. "I'll let him tell us when he's ready to do something more serious."
The Breeders' Cup event for Seize the Grey also is yet to be determined with both the $7 million Classic (G1) and $1 million Dirt Mile (G1) in play.
Seize the Grey's four victories this season have ranged from one mile to 1 3/16 miles in the Preakness Stakes (G1) on both dry and wet tracks. At his two potential Breeders' Cup distances, he was victorious in the one-turn Pat Day Mile (G2) by 1 1/4 lengths and seventh, beaten 12 3/4 lengths, in the 1 1/4-mile Belmont Stakes (G1). Although, the Belmont was his third start in five weeks.
"We'll look it over, see who's going where and what our chances are. I think we have the option of being in either one and being effective" Lukas said. "The mile-and-a-quarter doesn't bother this horse. We'll look it over and study the competition."
MyRacehorse founder and CEO Michael Behrens said that the original plan following Seize the Grey's fourth-place effort in the July 27 Jim Dandy Stakes (G2) was to go to the Dirt Mile, but he would keep an open mind to running in the Classic should Lukas want to run there.
"Everything with our journey with Lukas has been, 'Let's see how he comes out of the race.' He surprised us with the Preakness, so we reassessed," Behrens said. "I saw how well he ran (in the Pennsylvania Derby) and my first thought was Lukas is going to want some time to think on this one. He's extremely thoughtful about each race."
The Classic would carry a larger 'kicker' to MyRacehorse's stallion deal with Gainesway, adding an extra $4 million to the final value compared with $2 million from winning the Dirt Mile. The Pennsylvania Derby netted an extra $2 million to the deal. Winning the Eclipse Award for top 3-year-old male would also add $1 million.
MITCHELL: Gainesway Buys Breeding Rights to Seize the Grey
"I don't think (the kickers) will play that much of a role," Behrens said of the decision. "We're really just going to look for the one where (Lukas) thinks we have the best chance to thrive.
"We're at a point right now where we really want to go out on top and have a big moment. To end this year with a big performance and a win in the Breeders' Cup would be the cherry on top. No other colt has won more than two grade 1s this year; to finish that campaign strong is going to be important."
Regardless of the race in which he runs, Lukas is hopeful that, like the Preakness, the colt can deliver another large celebration of the MyRacehorse shareholders on another of the sport's biggest stages: the Breeders' Cup.
"That would really be something, it might really say something to the Breeders' Cup about how we get these fans pumped up," Lukas said. "There were more of them at Parx than there were in the Preakness, I think, and they were every bit as vocal. I had to have three security guards get me to the car, otherwise I'd still be signing things."
Parx set up a special tent area for MyRacehorse owners that featured a chance to take photos with the Preakness trophy. In addition, nearly every shareholder in attendance had the chance to go on the track for the winners' circle picture. Behrens praised Parx management for their hospitality throughout the day.
"They set up a spot for us and made it so accommodating for everybody," Behrens said. "We were so appreciative of (Parx COO) Joe Wilson and his team. It made it very, very special. We had such positive feedback from everyone who came out."
Behrens said they are beginning to plan events for the shareholders at Del Mar and have already received messages from several about planning a "trip of a lifetime." However, the Breeders' Cup might not be the last time that the legion of Seize the Grey owners grace the aprons of a track in the United States.
"We'll reassess (after the Breeders' Cup)," Behrens said about whether the colt will retire at the end of the season. "When we originally did the deal (with Gainesway), we agreed that we would be given the opportunity to run the 3-year-old campaign that we wanted to run and Gainesway was awesome about that. It's all about making sure he has the opportunity to be as significant as we hope he can be in his second career."
Thorpedo Anna Returns to Saratoga
Superstar filly Thorpedo Anna also has her eyes set on the Breeders' Cup, with trainer Kenny McPeek saying all systems are go for the $2 million Distaff (G1) following her victory in the $1 million Cotillion Stakes (G1) at Parx.
"She came back super," McPeek said Sunday morning. The filly returned to Saratoga Race Course early in the afternoon.
Thorpedo Anna is safely back to Saratoga! pic.twitter.com/ubbz5SaZ9t
— Spa Infield Goose (@SaratogaGoose) September 22, 2024
Although the margin of victory was smaller than her fans have grown accustomed to when she had previously dominated the fillies in four starts this season, the daughter of Fast Anna proved to have the heart of a champion while overcoming a unified effort to keep her locked up on the rail.
"They boxed her in down the backside all the way in until the straight," McPeek recalled. "(Jockey) Brian (Hernandez Jr.) had to wiggle his way out to get there."
McPeek took pride in the fact that the filly did it all on her own without needing the motivation of Hernandez's crop.
"She really just did that in a bit of a gallop," McPeek said.
The filly did just enough to visit the winners' circle while reserving energy for the tougher task against her elders in six weeks. Clearly best among 3-year-old fillies, Thorpedo Anna could solidify a campaign for Horse of the Year against defending Distaff winner and Eclipse Champion Older Dirt female Idiomatic and grade 1 winners Adare Manor and Raging Sea, among others.
