Like father, like son.
Racing fans in Indiana witnessed numerous wins by Seize the Win and now his son, High Rolling Seize, is picking up where his sire left off, winning the 20th running of the $131,500 Blue River Derby. The same connections are behind their latest stakes winner with jockey Shanley Jackson, trainer Matt Frazier, and owner-breeder Glenn Graff taking home the title.
High Rolling Seize (photo) got a good break for Jackson from post two and Jackson went to work. He was in contention for the lead throughout the 400-yard dash and began to inch away from the opponents closest to him. However, it was the fast-closing Mr Michel and Erik Esqueda on the extreme outside that was the main threat late, but High Rolling Seize held on by a nose for the win Saturday at Horseshoe Indianapolis in Shelbyville in 19.989 seconds.
Mr Michel finished second in the three-horse photo over Leaving with Fire and German Rodriguez.
It was the second career stakes win for High Rolling Seize, who paid $8 to win. The bay gelding earned his first win of the year and his fifth overall and increased his career bankroll to more than $266,000. He has yet to finish worse than third in 12 career starts for his connections and turned the tables on Mr Michel in the Blue River Derby, who defeated him by a head in last year’s Miss Roxie Little Futurity.
Shanley Jackson has been aboard for his last 10 starts and has recorded all five wins aboard him.
“He had a lot of spirit in him today, so I said, ‘Okay, he’s gonna run big,’” said Jackson. “He really finished well today, and I could tell he just really felt good, and he was ready to go. The main thing I need to do is keep him focused in the gates.”
When asked about the real tight photo with Mr Michel on the extreme outside, Jackson smiled and commented, “I knew we had it. We got this.”
For Frazier, it’s a pleasure to train a horse by the sire he won so many stakes races with. High Rolling Seize, and his younger brother, Seize Greatness, who ran in the Mobley Futurity earlier in the day, are giving Frazier’s team a lot to look forward to.
“His little brother (Seize Greatness) didn’t get a good break but he’s young and still learning,” said Frazier, who is based out of Lexington, Kentucky. “They will figure it out pretty soon. Both of these horses are very talented. This horse (High Rolling Seize) didn’t haul up really comfortably last time, so we made some changes today on the haul up and I think that really helped.”
Frazier and his dad, Dan, have trained horses for Glenn Graff for a long time. This is the second go round with this family after so much success with Seize the Win.
“All the horses we own, we sent to Matt (Frazier),” said Graff. “Without him, I’m not sure where we would be. We’ve got him and his little brother both scheduled for the Stallion Service Auction Derby (and Futurity) so we’ll be back to race.”
