Seize the Gray seized the lead in the middle of the stretch and went on to post a 1 ¼-length victory over favored Nash to win the $600,000 Pat Day Mile (G2) on Saturday, giving his 88-year-old trainer, D. Wayne Lukas, his fourth win in the race and his multitude of owners a welcome thrill on Derby Day.
Seize the Grey. Coady Photo.
The 3-year-old son of Arrogate, who had never won a stakes race nor won beyond 1 1/16 miles, missed qualifying for the Kentucky Derby (G1) with 27 points on the leaderboard and was instead pointed to the one-turn race at Churchill Downs.
“I agonized over running this horse in the Derby,” said Lukas, who added Seize the Grey would next be pointed to the Preakness Stakes (G1) in two weeks. “I love the way he ran today.”
With Jaime Torres in the irons, Seize the Gray was among those battling for the early lead when the gates sprang open, then settled behind opening fractions of 22.12 and 44.59 set by Vlahos as the field of 12 zipped down the backstretch. Angled into striking position on the turn, he launched his bid at the head of the stretch, then came between horses to take the lead from Vlahos at the sixteenth pole and held off the favorite for the victory.
His winning time for the mile was 1:35.96.
“I could tell I was loaded around the three-eighths pole,” said Torres. “He went back into the bridle really strong and never gave in.”
Seize the Grey, the fifth choice at 9-1, returned $20.84 for a $2 win bet and earned $348,300 for his third victory in eight lifetime starts.
D. Wayne Lukas. Coady Photo.
“This horse is a very special horse who is owned by so many happy people,’’ Lukas said of the multiple ownership group of MyRacehorse. “He ran the race of his life this afternoon and it’s such a great way to kick off our Derby Day.”
Nash was 1 ¼ lengths in front of Vlahos, who was followed under the wire by Who Dey, Top Conor, Carbone, Beeline, Guanare, Northern Flame, Otto the Conqueror, Gettysburg Address and Frosty Indulgence.