When eight horses loaded into the gate for the Preakness on May 18, Derby winner Mystik Dan was among them after trainer Kenny McPeek initially wasn’t inclined to run the colt, having noted he previously hadn’t turned in a good race with a quick turnaround. But when he bounced out of the race well, giving him a shot at the Preakness didn’t seem like too much of a stretch. And indeed, Mystik Dan ran a good race, but he could not reach Seize the Grey before the wire.

It was a marquee victory for all involved. Jockey Jaime Torres had only been riding for a short time. Not only was this his first appearance in a Triple Crown race and subsequently his first victory in one, it was also his first Grade 1 win. Quite a race to achieve that milestone in!

For D. Wayne Lukas, Seize the Grey’s victory gave him the distinction of being the oldest trainer to win the race. In a interview for the Kentucky HBPA’s YouTube channel a few days after the race, he wondered something to the effect of whether that was a great accolade. I am sure it was meant as such – speaking still to how age doesn’t matter when it comes to having honed a lifetime of acumen with preparing horses for top races.

For MyRacehorse, Seize the Grey is the first horse the entity 100% owned to win a classic race. Authentic, of course, won the Derby in 2020 with them along for the ride as a minority owner – and while that didn’t diminish the thrill of a singular victory, having one in the stable that was all theirs was another feather in the cap.

Perhaps it is the confluence of factors that led to young Torres being connected with racing in general and then some of Lukas’ horses that is the most compelling. Lukas clearly saw his potential and promise long before the Preakness, or no doubt he would not have the mount for that race.

Torres, naturally, was interviewed quite a bit by racing publications following the Preakness, where he recounted what led him to turn to racing as a profession. He was initially captivated seeing races on TV and then live at the track in his native Puerto Rico, which he mentioned in the moments on live TV immediately after winning the Preakness as he rode towards the winners’ circle. Later, in a print interview, he mentioned always being drawn to horses. The seeds were sown early for the path that lead him to this pinnacle achievement at Pimlico.

When he turned that passion to the pursuit of a career aboard horses, he learned from a top jockey colony. I could relate to always being drawn to horses, to the point of thinking that must be a calling. What he said about learning from a competitive jockey colony brought to mind what Rosie Napravnik once said – that the opportunity to learn from them, even just by observation in races alongside them, was instructive and necessary to further hone her own riding skills. Recalling that, it is clear such experience helped boost Torres’ own career.

Listening to Lukas speak in the post-Preakness press conference, he mentioned advice he had given Torres and also that he had not hesitated to call him out on a poor ride once. It was clear then the role of Coach was still one that was innate to him, and it was interesting to hear him discuss advice that could pertain to life in general, not just riding races. One was, “Do more than you think you can do, and be better than you think you can be.” I believe too we all can sometimes push ourselves a little more than we think and do better than we think, and maybe hearing that is possible from an outside perspective brings it all in focus.

With all those threads that combined to lead Seize the Grey to Preakness glory, the horse himself turned in a great effort, wire-to-wire, and never once faltered. It was beautiful to see that he would not be collared even when for a moment one wondered if Mystik Dan would catch him. When Mystik Dan wasn’t able to catch up to Seize the Grey, the dreams of a young jockey and 2,750 investors through the My Racehorse platform were realized, maybe even more than they had dared hope for but still wished would be.

Even as Lukas is not about to hang up his hat anytime soon, it is wonderful to think of how he has mentored multiple new generations to be involved in racing, to carry on the tradition and that too is already part of his vast legacy in the sport, with his latest protege of course being Torres.

Seize the Grey is expected to go on to contest the Belmont Stakes at Saratoga. The chance to carry on the dream continues!

During the NBC broadcast of the 150th Kentucky Derby on May 4, they showcased some of the tremendous history of a race of that longevity. There was Carl Nafzger telling Mrs. Genter so emotionally that her horse Unbridled was winning the 1990 edition, still fresh after all these years for being from a time when people didn’t think about cameras being ever-present. It being unscripted, so to speak, is what makes it resonate. They also showed highlights of Cody’s Wish’s racing days, which go hand-in-hand with the bond he had with the young man Cody Dorman. Although Cody’s Wish never ran in the Derby, he did find success at Churchill Downs and his story was another in the vein of what horses can mean to people that transcend even victories, how they touch one’s heart. Unbridled remains a special horse to me to this day for that stirring moment when Carl Nafzger and Mrs. Genter were swept up in his achievements, and Cody’s Wish engendered the same sentiment to many. Even during the broadcast, as his story was recapped, the racing reporter narrating was clearly holding back tears to remain professional. That is the power these horses can have, when there is a chance to connect one-on-one with them. I was glad they took time to note that and discuss more than betting trends.

Randy Moss mentioned that while racing has seen its appeal wane, the love for big events in this country endures.

The brief walk through some of those years of Derby history and how the Churchill Downs facility has changed over the years had me reflect on my own personal memories at that track on that day for the Derbies I attended from 2008 to 2019. The most enduring still remains standing on the turf course to watch the marquee race when Nyquist won. It was amazing to be in a spot so few watched from, on a day when massive crowds were almost everywhere. It was incredible to get the best visual of what such an enormous number of people filling the grandstand looks it. But best of all was seeing Nyquist run home triumphantly on that Derby day, because the BloodHorse team and I during the course of my internship had followed him during his training at Keeneland. I came to think of that as Nyquist Watch, and indeed to almost feel like an honorary member of his barn. When he won, it felt almost like my horse won and I was elated to see him reach the lead as he sped by my spot and never relinquish it.

As usual with a Derby, there were a multitude of intriguing storylines. For this one hundred and fiftieth renewal, trainer Larry Demeritte was fulfilling a dream by reaching the Derby with a horse he trained. Bahamas-born and from a family of racing professionals, he brought West Saratoga as his contender. Interestingly, the horse had a bloody shoulder mark I had only before seen in Arabians – perhaps a throwback to those long-ago ancestors. Keith Asmussen, son of trainer Steve, was riding in his first Derby, aboard the D. Wayne Lukas charge Just Steel. That horse represented Lukas’ fiftieth Derby starter. Dornoch, a full sibling to Derby winner Mage, had a chance to give his dam Puca the distinction of being the only mare to produce two Derby winners. Those are just a handful of the horses and connections garnering attention. My pick to win, Sierra Leone, was in with a chance to give his already-illustrious sire Gun Runner a Kentucky Derby winner.

When the race began, in the usual mad rush of the large field, it took most of the race before I could pick out Sierra Leone among the throng. Mystik Dan had a great trip on the rail under Brian Hernandez, Jr. Sierra Leone charged outside in deep stretch, in a battle with Forever Young. Mystik Dan never stopped trying and when they reached the wire, that trio had finished so close together it was hard to say for certain who had won. Brian Hernandez, Jr. watched the replay intently once the race was over and elation spread over his features. He seemed pretty sure he had won, and indeed he had. I was still proud of Sierra Leone, whose sire is one of my favorite fairly recent runners. He had come wide, been bumped and still came up short by only a nostril. While that could be disappointing for some to see him come so close to Derby glory, to me it showed he is still a talented racehorse and there should be future glory for him to claim. Forever Young made a proud showing for his Japanese connections too, finishing third. He and Sierra Leone actually share a second dam Darling My Darling.

It was a thrilling race, fitting to mark the occasion of its 150th running. It did indeed carry on the tradition of how a horse can touch a person’s life. Brian Hernandez’ elation after winning the race was wonderful to see. It was the first Derby victory for someone who has always struck me as a good rider from years of seeing him at Keeneland, and Mystik Dan’s trainer Kenny McPeek also notched his first Derby win. To top it off, the pair had also won the Oaks the day before with Thorpedo Anna. It was a great day of racing all around. Kudos to the newest Oaks and Derby winners and their connections!

I was fortunate to return to Kentucky for a few days to catch the last days of the spring meet at Keeneland, at a track that is so familiar it still feels like home in many ways.

There were a few changes for this meet, most caused by the new construction project in the works that saw the building that housed the jockeys’ quarters and administrative offices torn down, to make way for a larger and grander building that promises to provide new views of the horses in the paddock. It seems, from what I see of the drawing of the finished product, that it will take the place of temporary chalets that stood overlooking the paddock for several of the Breeders’ Cups Keeneland hosted.

For now, it meant the primary entrance which leads directly to the track apron was unavailable, but other than that for patrons much was the same. Keeneland retains its timeless charm well, even as it innovates. It was good to be back.

I was thrilled to see Jena Antonucci, not a lot of time gone by since she and Arcangelo stood in the winners’ circle at the Belmont Stakes. That historic victory was my introduction to her and her philosophy with horses, and it was an introduction – even through a phone and TV screen – that I was glad to have. Subsequently, I admit I was a little starstruck seeing her saddle a horse in the paddock for the first race I was there for that late April day, fresh off the plane at the airport a short distance from the track. Her horsemanship was evident as the feisty two-year-old she saddled was tacked up on the walk and even required a pony to try to be a calming influence.

The usual rhythm of the race days flowed – the cadence of race calls, the excitement of the crowd, getting a chance to pat famed pony Harley when he was brought over to the rail between races. I had missed the 100th Blue Grass Stakes, won by Sierra Leone, but I soaked in the history of that marquee race in the Keeneland Library’s exhibit reflecting its highlights. With the exception of the time the track was closed to the general public in 2020, even though I have moved away, I am glad I have kept a streak of spring meet attendance intact, attending the spring meet since 2006. It matters, for a track that I love and to be a touchstone of continuity when so much about my life has changed. I guess that is one way a person can go on, by finding those touchstones.

Keeneland featured an interview on their YouTube channel recently with Jill Babe, chef for the jockeys, who has been there for 60 consecutive race meets. She perfectly summed up how I feel about being there when she said, “When you come here, you feel like you’re at home… I want to come here forever. It just puts life in your body. It’s me. It’s part of me, and I hope I always feel that way, and I know I will.”

I couldn’t have said it more perfectly. After watching the horses train one morning and soaking in the peace of the surroundings and another afternoon of racing, the book closed on another meet. It is definitely not just the track that blossoms. It is the people and the horses too. It is a great interlude in the hustle of life, to sit by a rail and watch the horses go by.