Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas has won the Preakness Stakes six times, which is the third most Preakness wins by a trainer ever. On Saturday the 88-year-old Lukas will attempt to pull off arguably his most improbable Preakness victory ever with Just Steel, a horse coming off a 17th-place finish two weeks ago in the Kentucky Derby.
7 Just Steel (15-1)
- Trainer D. Wayne Lukas
- Jockey Joel Rosario
- Last race 17th in the Kentucky Derby by 33¾ lengths
- Career record 12 starts: 2 wins, 4 seconds, 1 third
- Career earnings $724,545
- Best career Beyer Speed Figure 95 (2024 Arkansas Derby)
- Sire Justify
What to know about Just Steel
The last time we saw Just Steel he was crashing to the back of the Kentucky Derby field, finishing a tiring 17th in the field of 20. It wasn't the kind of performance that will have bettors flocking to him in the Preakness Stakes, but Just Steel still offers some angles that make him an intriguing longshot.
They begin with his trainer, D. Wayne Lukas, who has won the Preakness Stakes six times. Lukas is often criticized for overrunning his horses, but he knows how to get a horse to win the second leg of the Triple Crown.
Just Steel also is one of the fastest horses in the race based on speed figures. The 95 Beyer Speed Figure he earned in the Arkansas Derby rates favorably in this field and probably isn't a true indicator of how well he ran that day considering he was four-wide on both turns, lost to Muth by just two lengths and beat Mystik Dan by more than four lengths. Another figure maker, Thoro-Graph, had Just Steel as one of the six fastest horses entering the Kentucky Derby, alongside Fierceness, Mystik Dan, Sierra Leone, Forever Young and Just a Touch. Of those, only Mystik Dan is running back in the Preakness.
Just Steel's Kentucky Derby performance was forgetful but perhaps forgivable. He uncharacteristically showed early speed that day, pressing the pace set by Track Phantom. The speed duel cost him as well as the other pacesetters.
If Just Steel is able to relax more early on Saturday, like he did in the Arkansas Derby, he should have more energy late. In that regard, Lukas has made a jockey switch from the young Keith Asmussen, who made his first Kentucky Derby start aboard Just Steel, to the experienced Joel Rosario, who excels with getting horses to relax.
If Just Steel can summon the effort he gave in the Arkansas Derby, he certainly can hit the board at a big number.
Post draw analysis
Just Steel drew post No. 7, which is perfect for him. The question is how much early speed he will show on Saturday. He's one of the few horses in the field who probably could make the lead, but after the Kentucky Derby debacle Just Steel's connections may decide to try to relax more up front. The switch to jockey Joel Rosario matches that gameplan.
