 |
| Mr. Z will race in new colors in Saturday's $1.5 million Preakness
(Adam Mooshian/Adam Coglianese Photography) |
Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas reported Wednesday afternoon that
multiple graded stakes-placed Mr. Z (Malibu Moon) has been sold and entered in
the Preakness S. (G1).
Brad Kelley's Calumet Farm purchased Mr. Z from his previous owner, Ahmed
Zayat, who also owns Kentucky Derby (G1) winner and likely Preakness favorite
American Pharoah (Pioneerof the Nile).
"He is entered with Calumet," Lukas said. "You always worry about any horse
deal until it's chiseled in stone. We're dotting all the Is and crossing the Ts.
They have reached an agreement. I've been on the phone negotiating and doing the
dialogue. I'm just the messenger in this case."
Mr. Z arrived at Pimlico Tuesday afternoon with five other Lukas-trained
horses being aimed at Preakness weekend stakes. Most recently, the colt finished
13th in the Kentucky Derby.
"He's doing well," Lukas said. "I galloped him over the track this morning
and he handled it really well."
Lukas has won the Preakness six times, most recently with Oxbow in 2013.
Oxbow was also owned by Calumet Farm.
"I don't know that I pushed the sale. The sale just came through conversation
and dialogue," Lukas said. "Mr. Z is a pretty well-bred horse. He might be the
best bred horse in the Preakness if you look at it real critically. Brad flat
asked me, 'Would you run him,' and I said if I owned him, I'd run him."
|
