Daily Racing Form National Digital Edition
Seize the Grey
STRENGTHS: Talent. The day after he won a February allowance over a deep field his Hall of Fame trainer, D. Wayne Lukas, pegged him as a candidate for the Preakness – a race Lukas has won six times. Seize the Grey has proven to be a versatile horse in a variety of ways. He’s a winner at one and two turns – in races that have come over different tracks. He’s also won from both on and off the pace, on fast and wet surfaces, and under different riders. Along the way, he’s kept some good company. Seize the Grey won his maiden at Saratoga over Dornoch, who would go on to capture both the Remsen and Fountain of Youth. And last fall, Seize the Grey was a close fourth to West Saratoga in the Iroquois.
WEAKNESSES: The Beyer Speed Figures he has put up to date are lacking compared to the top choices in the Preakness. He earned an 88 last time out winning the Pat Day Mile, which lags behind the last-race numbers of 100 from Mystik Dan and 98 from Muth. He’s also seeking to win beyond 1 1/16 miles for the first time, but does get pedigree support for added ground.
BETTING VALUE: He could be 10-1 or higher despite the fact that he’s coming off a Grade 2 win in the Pay Day Mile. He was prominent in the one-turn race and could get an ideal tracking trip off Muth and Imagination, perhaps entering the stretch in position to spring the upset or fill out the exotics.
SIRE: This is the last of three crops by champion Arrogate, who made his legend by ripping through Grade 1 triumphs at route distances in the Travers Stakes, Breeders’ Cup Classic, Pegasus World Cup, and Dubai World Cup. He has passed on the stamina of the Unbridled line to his offspring, with his standouts including Kentucky Oaks winner Secret Oath in his first crop and Belmont and Travers stakes winner and champion Arcangelo in his second crop.
DAM: Smart Shopping, stakes-placed at about a mile, is the dam of two winners from as many starters, with Seize the Grey joined by Shoppingforpharoah, who is stakes-placed at a mile on turf. Smart Shopping is a half-sister to Grade 1-winning juvenile Power Broker, and this is the family of Grade 1 Personal Ensign winner Miss Shop. Broodmare sire Smart Strike was represented by two Preakness winners.
OUTLOOK: Stamina on both sides of this page is one of the best assets for Seize the Grey, coming off a Grade 2 win at a mile.