When you have a Preakness Stakes (G1) winner in your barn, what’s the big fuss over a couple of defeats and a two-monfew months off?
That’s likely how 81-year-old Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas views things heading into Saturday’s $1 million Pennsylvania Derby (G1) at Parx Racing.
Preakness winner Seize the Grey takes on 10 rivals in the 1 1/8-mile Pennsylvania Derby for 3-year-olds. Last seen, the son of Arrogate finished fourth in the Jim Dandy Stakes (G2) at Saratoga on July 27, previously running seventh in the Belmont Stakes (G1) after the Preakness win.
“He is on his game. He’s doing great,’’ Lukas said. “He really worked well last week (5 furlongs in 59.20 on Sept. 12 at the Spa. “I expect a big effort.”
Seize the Grey (the 5-1 third choice) leaves from post 2 under Jaime Torres, who has been aboard the colt for his last four starts.
Dragoon Guard, also a son of Arrogate, is the 9-5 morning-line favorite as he comes into the race with four straight victories, including the Indiana Derby (G3) and the West Virginia Derby (G3).
Trained by Brad Cox, the colt leaves from post 7 with Florent Geroux aboard. Cox and Geroux teamed up to win last year’s Pennsylvania Derby with Saudi Crown.
For those who bet horse racing, the second choice is Stronghold, the Santa Anita Derby (G1) winner and seventh-place finisher in the Kentucky Derby (G1), at 5-2. The son of Ghostzapper, who ran second to Dragoon Guard in the Indiana Derby, has finished first or second in seven of his eight starts.
Antonio Fresu has the mount leaving from post 11.
As for Seize the Grey’s two races after the Preakness, Lukas said: “The races that were less than spectacular at Saratoga ... well, a new surface may help him. I really think we are back in business.”
Protective, trained by Todd Pletcher, is worth a look at 8-1. He found the winner’s circle for the first in eight career starts last out at Saratoga on Aug. 21 but ran a respectable third in the Wood Memorial (G2) and Peter Pan (G3) and sixth in the Belmont.
The Saturday card at Parx in Bensalem, Pennsylvania, is packed with stars and plenty of other stakes races, including Thorpedo Anna in the $1 million Cotillion Stakes (G1) for fillies – she's the 4-5 favorite in a field of eight -- and marathon man Next (1-5 in a field of 10) in the $200,000 Greenwood Cup (G3) at 1 ½ miles.
Post time for the Pennsylvania Derby is 6:10 p.m.
The picks: 1 Stronghold 2 Protective 3 Seize the Grey
1 Doc Sullivan (Jose Ortiz, Mike Miceli), 15-1
2 Seize the Grey (Jaime Torres, D. Wayne Lukas), 5-1
3 Lonesome Boy (Adam Bowman, Hugo Padilla), 20-1
4 Timeout (Joel Rosario, Bill Mott), 10-1
5 Protective (Irad Ortiz Jr., Todd Pletcher), 8-1
6 Just Step On It (Jose Lezcano, Louis Linder), 15-1
7 Dragoon Guard (Florent Geroux, Brad Cox), 9-5
8 Unmatched Wisdom (Flavien Prat, Chad Brown), 8-1
9 Who’s the King (Mike Smith, Saffie Joseph, Jr.), 20-1
10 Uncle Heavy (Mychel Sanchez, Butch Reid, Jr.), 12-1
11 Stronghold (Antonio Fresu, Phil D’Amato), 5-2
The writing team at US Racing is comprised of both full-time and part-time contributors with expertise in various aspects of the Sport of Kings.
