Price’s Preakness Preview
It’s hard to believe that two weeks ago we witnessed one of the most exciting Kentucky Derby’s of all time! Albeit there could have been a slightly preferred outcome, setting aside personal interest, as a fan of the sport and admirer of the athletes it was just an incredible race. I hope you take a moment to read Dad’s review of the weekend, or listen to my interview with Mike Penna to relive what was truly an incredible weekend for all of us at Mill Ridge.
SEIZE THE GREY
The momentum of Derby day, and particularly the Pat Day Mile (G2) on the undercard, carry us into the Preakness with one horse we hope carries the blanket of Black Eyed Susan’s and that horse is SEIZE THE GREY. We raised SEIZE THE GREY for our longtime client and friend the Otto family, led by Tollie and her daughter Audie. Tollie passed away earlier this year and this is the first graded stakes winner Audie has bred flying the family flag. SEIZE THE GREY won the mile race on Derby day, in great fashion, sitting behind the pace and accelerating to the finish line down the stretch. At this stage we can only dream of a repeat tomorrow!
In November of 2007, Dad worked with Audie and Tollie to acquire a mare named Shop Again. She was a good racehorse from an excellent family and they believed possessed the qualities to produce talented offspring. She rewarded them quickly with her third foal being the Grade 1 winner Power Broker in 2012. When Shop Again produced a lovely Smart Strike filly, Smart Shopping in 2013, Tollie and Audie opted to retain her to race and hopefully have some fun on the track. She won her maiden race in her first start at 2 years old and was placed in a stakes early in her three year old season. She had a world of talent and ultimately retired to their broodmare band. SEIZE THE GREY is her third foal and has carried a dream planted 17 years ago into the 149 th Preakness stakes!
If you have tuned into these notes in the past you know I try to provide some race analysis, and inform your decision making on who to bet or cheer. I will again confess my unwavering bias to SEIZE THE GREY, and while he may be one of the longer shots on the board, he is in the race and coming into it very well. The race is more wide open than earlier in the week as MUTH, who was the prohibitive favorite, spiked a temperature from shipping, which can happen, and has scratched from the race. This leaves Bob Baffert’s other horse, IMAGINATION, as the most likely to move forward and set the pace. As he has drawn widest, he is going to have to really hustle and establish the lead, as this is his preferred running style. I think KY Derby winner MYSTIK DAN also moves forward early. He is a very talented horse and I think the one to beat in this race. Hopefully, SEIZE THE GREY sits just behind these two in the second flight and can stalk a fast pace around the track.
If the pace sets up and SEIZE THE GREY sits in behind it, cover your ears at the top of the stretch because you will be able to hear me scream from Baltimore to get him home first!
Price
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