2024 Preakness Stakes: Seize the Gray wins in Baltimore, ending Mystik Dan's Triple Crown hopes

The Triple Crown is no longer in play.

Seize the Gray won the 149th Preakness Stakes, the second leg of horse racing's Triple Crown series, on a wet, muddy Saturday night at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore. The horse narrowly held off a late push from Mystik Dan, who was trying to become the first horse since 2018 to win the Triple Crown.

Seize the Gray led almost the entire way and held off a huge push from Mystik Dan in the final corner. While Mystik Dan looked like he had a chance to win, Seize the Gray stormed through the muddy finish to take the race and postpone the Triple Crown hopes for another year.

Seize the Gray is trained by D. Wayne Lukas, who at 88 is the oldest trainer to ever win a Triple Crown race. It was Lukas' seventh career Preakness win. The horse is owned by 2,570 people, which is one of the largest ownership groups in the sport.

Kentucky Derby winner Mystik Dan was chasing the Triple Crown as a popular choice (5-2 in the morning), although trainer Kenny McPeek was initially concerned about running again on a short turnaround. Catching Freedom and Just Steel are the other horses that also took part in this year's Derby. However, McPeek was confident after checking his horse's respiratory system and blood work.

The previous favorite Muth was dropped from the race due to a rising fever. This removed one of the horses cared for by legendary trainer Bob Baffert, who had prepared last year's Preakness winner National Treasure.

However, the eight-time Preakness-winning trainer had another horse in the field, Imagination, who was at 6-1 odds on the morning line (along with Catching Freedom) but hadn't raced in six weeks.

Prize money for the 2024 Preakness Stakes is expected to be $2 million and will be split among the top five finishers, with the winner receiving $1.2 million and the runner-up receiving $400,000.

The last Triple Crown winner was Justify in 2018.

Next up in horse racing's Triple Crown series is the Belmont Stakes, June 8 at Saratoga Race Course in upstate New York. Belmont Park, where the race normally takes place, is currently undergoing renovations.