Oaklawn: Lukas's string includes Just Steel, Lemon Muffin
Just Steel and Lemon Muffin, among Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas’ most prominent runners, are training at Oaklawn in advance of the 2024-25 meeting that begins Friday.
Just Steel was the only horse to go through Oaklawn’s four-race series of Kentucky Derby qualifying races at the 2023-24 meeting, finishing second in the Smarty Jones Stakes, second in the Grade 3 Southwest Stakes, seventh in the Rebel Stakes (G2) and second in the Arkansas Derby (G1).
After running 17th in the Kentucky Derby, Just Steel exited a fifth-place finish in May’s Preakness with a fracture in his right front leg that required surgery. Just Steel resumed training about 60 days ago, Lukas said Tuesday morning.
“He actually looks terrific,” Lukas said. “The time off and everything filled him out. He grew. He’s 17 hands. Now, he’s a man among the rest of these. I’m pretty optimistic that he’s going to have a big year.”
Lukas said he’s unsure when Just Steel will make his comeback. Oaklawn’s biggest two-turn races for older horses include the Razorback Handicap (G3) on Feb. 22, the Essex Handicap (G3) on March 22, the Oaklawn Mile (G3) on March 29 and the Oaklawn Handicap (G2) on April 19.
“We’ll just let him dictate it as we go along,” Lukas said. “He hasn’t had a work yet, so we’ll go from there.”
Just Steel, sired by 2018 Triple Crown winner Justify, has a 13: 2-4-1 record and earnings of $784,545.
Lemon Muffin, in her two-turn debut, broke her maiden at odds of 28-1 in the Honeybee Stakes (G3) for 3-year-old fillies last February at Oaklawn. She hasn’t won since, a seven-race skid that includes a seventh behind Horse of the Year candidate Thorpedo Anna in the Fantasy Stakes (G2) in March at Oaklawn and an eighth behind Thorpedo Anna in the Kentucky Oaks (G1) in May at Churchill Downs.
Lukas said he believes Lemon Muffin’s form is trending upward after she rallied to finish third and second in her last two starts, which wereSept. 15 and Nov. 13 allowance spots at Churchill Downs.
“She’s doing good,” Lukas said. “Her last race was more like her. We’ll probably stay in our (allowance) conditions with her one more race, at least, before we move up.”
Lukas won 16 races at the 2023-24 Oaklawn meeting to finish 10th in the standings. One of those victories, a February entry-level allowance for 3-year-olds, came with Seize the Grey, who went on to capture the Preakness and Pennsylvania Derby (G1) before being retired to stud following an eighth-place finish in the $1 million Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile Nov. 2 at Del Mar.
Seize the Grey marked the seventh Preakness victory for Lukas, 89, who was Oaklawn’s leading trainer in 1987 and 2011.
“Yeah, that made the season,” Lukas said. “I tell you, the summer wasn’t that great. That really helped.”
Lukas also trains Innovator, the even-money morning-line favorite for the 5 1/2-furlong Advent Stakes for 2-year-olds Friday at Oaklawn. The Authentic colt is 0-for-5 but finished second by a head last out to Barnes, an impressive colt trained by Bob Baffert.