Seize the Grey logs final work for G2 Jim Dandy pres. by Mohegan Sun

Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas sat in his Saratoga Race Course office Wednesday morning, reviewing his spreadsheets and mapping out plans for his string of trainees on the Oklahoma portion of Saratoga’s expansive backstretch.

Over five decades of training, Lukas has seen much change about the sport of horse racing, and has taken it all in stride as he continues to win top-level races at the age of 88 [and soon to be 89] years-young. What he did not foresee happening in the sport was the ability of a group of more than 2,000 owners to campaign a single horse, or for said horse to find its way into his stable.

That notion became a reality a few short years ago when the microshare partnership MyRacehorse approached the legendary conditioner about taking on the training duties of a handful of young horses.

“When they approached me, I told them that I thought it was a great concept, but I didn’t think it fit me at this point in my career,” Lukas recalled. “I asked if there was a buffer between me and the 2,700 people, and they said, ‘yes,’ and that I would deal with one or two people. So, I said OK.”

That decision proved historic for Lukas, who would receive a promising son of Arrogate from the group last year that was later named Seize the Grey. The handsome colt graduated at Saratoga last summer to the delight of around 2,700 members of the partnership, and would provide even bigger thrills as a sophomore when capturing the Grade 2 Pat Day Mile at Churchill Downs and the Grade 1 Preakness two weeks later at Pimlico Race Course. The Preakness triumph made Lukas the eldest trainer to have ever won a Triple Crown event.

Though Lukas has likely seen nearly everything in horse racing, he had never seen a reaction quite like the one at the Preakness.

“When they won the Preakness, the way the mob reacted, I thought I was at a football pep rally,” Lukas quipped. “They were chanting and throwing their fists in the air and crying. I’ve won some nice races before, but I never saw a crowd act like that.”

The ownership’s happiness has reminded Lukas of what makes horse racing so special, and is a prime example of all that he has hoped and attempted to achieve for each of his clients in his illustrious career.

“I’ve always tried as a trainer to bring people into this, and I always take kids into the winner’s circle. I even did that day with the mob,” Lukas said, with a laugh. “A couple people will come by the barn and ask to take a picture of the horse, but I open the door and tell them no problem.”

This weekend, Seize the Grey has a chance to provide his owners with more milestones as he cuts back to nine furlongs for Saturday’s Grade 2, $500,000 Jim Dandy presented by Mohegan Sun in his first outing since an even off-the-board finish to Dornoch in the 10-furlong Grade 1 Belmont Stakes presented by NYRA Bets here on June 8.

Seize the Grey shipped to Churchill Downs after the Belmont and returned earlier this month to the Spa, where he has breezed at distances ranging from a half-mile to six furlongs over both the main and Oklahoma training tracks. He posted his final work in prep for the Jim Dandy on Tuesday over the training track rated “wet-fast”, covering a half-mile in 47.99 seconds.

“He was very strong and I’m very pleased with him,” said Lukas. “I told the rider to go 47 and a fifth, and she went 47 and four. Trainers are always going to tell you, ‘He did it all within himself.’ But I really was pleased. It sharpened him up I think and put him on his toes.”

Seize the Grey is one of four horses entered this week at Saratoga for Lukas, who is still in search of his first win of the 2024 Saratoga meet. However, the veteran knows better than most how difficult the Spa can be.

“I’m not having the best meet so far, but I stopped working on my resume a long time ago,” said Lukas. “Seize the Grey can turn things around for me. Up here, you’ve got to win 10 races and two Grade 1s to break even.”

Seize the Grey will emerge from post 2 in rein to regular pilot Jaime Torres.