I waited most of my life to witness a Triple Crown victory. Seattle Slew and Affirmed did it back to back when I was a toddler and the great Secretariat won shortly prior to my birth. I was raised on the stories but I did not know what it was like to see it with my own eyes. After following the career of champion California Chrome, I wasn’t sure if I would ever see a Triple Crown winner race. Then, in 2015, my dream came true. American Pharoah won after a 37 year drought. It was emotional and something I knew would always stick with me. I also thought it may never happen again in my lifetime. Then, to my surprise a great horse won the Kentucky Derby and once again there was hope for another Triple Crown winner, the hope was in Justify and he did not disappoint. Justify left me jumping for joy with his win in the Belmont Stakes, our lucky 13th Triple Crown winner!
Justify was foaled 3/28/15. He was bred in Kentucky. Coolmore Farm in Versailles, KY is where Justify’s sire stood, the late, Scat Daddy. It is also where Justify will stand when he retires from racing. His breeding rights were already sold for a staggering $75 million dollars. American Pharoah is a stallion at Coolmore as well. Justify’s breeder was John D. Gunther, who operates Glenwood Farm, also in Versailles, and was the breeder of Justify’s dam, Stage Magic, too. Justify is a shiny chestnut colt with a bright white blaze on his face. I watched him sell at the Keeneland Auction in Lexington, KY as a yearling but I did not take his picture as he went for $500,000 which is far from record breaking.
Purchased by a syndicate consisting of WinStar, China Horse Club and SF Racing, Justify grew and trained without capturing the public’s eye. He did not race as a two year-old. He was cared for very well at WinStar Farm in Versailles, KY and trained at Keeneland and then Santa Anita. Head of Plains Partners and Starlight Racing have bought shares since.
At Santa Anita, Justify was put into the care of Triple Crown winning trainer, Bob Baffert. The following month Justify entered his first race at Santa Anita. He won there again a month later, than again the very next month. His third win was the GI Santa Anita Derby. He won by 3 lengths. Justify jumped onto the radar of racing fans. His next 3 races were the jewels of the Triple Crown.
In the KY Derby Justify was the morning-line 3 -1 favorite. It was a rainy, sloppy day but Justify charged thru the mud from post 7 and won by 2 1/2 lengths. He looked fit to me but he had a bit of lameness following and the nay sayers began to whine.
Two weeks later, Justify faced similar weather and track conditions, except foggier. With his fan base intact he broke from gate 7 again, this time with 1-2 odds. He won by 1/2 length, literally jumping over puddles and continued to walk off bouncing on his toes.
Drawing post one, Justify entered the Belmont draw with 4-5 odds. 3 weeks after the Preakness, the weather and track conditions were finally nice. Justify held onto his winning streak finishing 1 and 3/4 lengths ahead.
Justify is the lucky 13th Triple Crown winner. He is the only Triple Crown winner that skipped the 2 year-old racing season. Just, Justify and Seattle Slew won the Crown undefeated.
Justify has flown back to his barn at Churchill Downs in Louisville, KY. He is back in training and will be paraded there for the fans who make it to night racing on 6/16 and then will leave for Santa Anita the following day where he will parade again on 6/23. Don’t miss the racing at Churchill this Saturday. There are two “Win and You’re In” races that evening. Justify parades approximately 6:45 to 7 P.M. ET. Free Justify posters are available to the first 5 thousand fans in attendance. The gates open at 5 P.M. with the first post at 6 P.M. NBC Sports Network will begin television coverage at 8:30 P.M. ET for the Stephen Foster and Fleur De Lis for berths into the Breeders’ Cup Classic and Longines BC Distaff respectively. They are keeping tight lipped on Justify’s racing future for now. I would like to see him at the Breeders’ Cup at minimal. My heart is still jumping for Justify.
Keep following Thoroughbred U for more equine experiences and information. I’d like to offer special thanks to the contributions made by Andrew Collar utilized in the post. He attended the 150th Belmont Stakes and shared his photos with me for the fans. I really appreciate the contributions made by family, friends and fans.
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