Preakness Stakes (G1) winner Seize the Grey will prepare to run in the $2 million Belmont Stakes (G1) at Saratoga Race Course June 8, trainer D. Wayne Lukas confirmed May 21.
“We’re going to go in the Belmont,” Lukas said. “He’s great, recovered remarkably well.”
The son of Arrogate arrived at his home stable at Churchill Downs May 20 around 3 p.m. and has settled in well. Lukas, who has won the Belmont four times, called the ship “uneventful” and is ready to get Seize the Grey back into training.
“He’ll probably have a couple works, we’ll decide that as we go,” Lukas said. “We’ll see how he is each day.”
Among the competitors Seize the Grey will face are Blue Grass Stakes (G1) winner Sierra Leone , who narrowly missed winning the May 4 Kentucky Derby (G1) by a nose, and Fierceness , the 2023 Eclipse champion 2-year-old male who ran a disappointing 15th as the favorite in the Kentucky Derby after stalking a fast pace.
“I think it probably has the making of the best race of the three,” Lukas said. “When you consider the fresh horses and the quality of horse going in it, I think it’s going to be a really, really good race.”
The competitor Lukas is most excited to face is Kentucky Derby winner Mystik Dan in the Belmont, who arrived at Saratoga May 20. Mystik Dan’s plans have not been confirmed by trainer Kenny McPeek, but a start in the Belmont is possible.
BH STAFF: Mystik Dan Arrives at Saratoga
Mystik Dan settles in at Saratoga Race Course
Should Mystik Dan run, it will be the first time that a Kentucky Derby winner who lost the Preakness returned for the Belmont since Orb in 2013. Orb and Lukas’ Preakness winner Oxbow would fall short to Palace Malice . Lukas called a rubber match between the two classic winners “tremendous” for the sport.
“I think when we square them off—especially when it’s a mile and a quarter, that’s a better distance for it—that adds a little spice to it,” Lukas said. “That’s probably the story.”
With ongoing construction at Belmont Park, the Belmont Stakes has moved to a temporary home at Saratoga for the next two editions. The change in track has shortened the distance from 1 1/2 miles to 1 1/4 miles due to the Saratoga’s track layout.
While Mystik Dan accommodates to the surroundings of his summer home, Seize the Grey has gone back west to Kentucky before returning to the East Coast in a few weeks. Lukas cited his responsibility to the other horses and owners in his barn as the reason to not proceed straight to Saratoga.
“I don’t want to be gone from my major stable for three to four weeks. I have an obligation to be a trainer here,” Lukas said. “And I’m not so sure he won’t rest better here than if he was (at Saratoga). … The way we ship, they get used to it and they handle it well.”
Honor Marie Returns to Worktab with Belmont on the Table
Also preparing at Churchill Downs for a possible start in the Belmont is Honor Marie, who finished eighth in the Kentucky Derby after being bounced around at the start and continuing to find himself in traffic throughout.
Honor Marie trains ahead of the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs
“He came out of the race in great shape despite a brutal trip,” said trainer Whit Beckman. “I thought he ran a good race, he just kept running into trouble.”
Honor Marie returned to the worktab Saturday with an easy half mile in :49 1/5 working alongside stablemate Anthem King .
“He did it the right way,” Beckman said. “We’ll let him tell us what he wants to do, but the idea is taking him up to New York for the Belmont.”
Honor Marie’s next breeze before the Belmont will come at Churchill Downs, but his final breeze’s location is yet to be determined. Beckman will look at weather, among other factors, to determine whether to ship the son of Honor Code to Saratoga or leave him home for his final work. Had the race remained at Belmont Park, Beckman said he would have tried to have a work over the track due to its long stretches and wide turns, but does not feel acclimating to Saratoga is as difficult.
Catching Freedom Exits Preakness Well, Eyes Summer Campaign
Louisiana Derby (G2) winner Catching Freedom has also returned home to Churchill Downs following a third-place finish in the Preakness. Despite exiting the Preakness well, his Triple Crown journey appears to be over.
KY Derby Catching Freedom gallops at Churchill Downs before the Kentucky Derby
“He came out of (the Preakness) in good order, we’ll probably take him back to the track in a couple days,” trainer Brad Cox said. “Unsure as to where we’ll run, but as of right now I think we will pass on the Belmont.”
Cox said summer targets, like the July 20 Haskell Stakes (G1) at Monmouth Park and July 27 Jim Dandy Stakes (G2) at Saratoga would be on the table with a target on the Aug. 24 Travers Stakes (G1).
Cox said he is not currently considering any of the 3-year-olds in his stable for the Belmont, including Blue Grass runner-up Just a Touch . Following a disappointing last place effort in the 20-horse Kentucky Derby, the son of Justify returned to the worktab May 17 with a half-mile breeze in :49.
“I really liked the way he was moving,” Cox said. “I just don’t really have a good feel for what I want to do with him yet.”
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