Justify Plows Through the Mud to Claim The Preakness Stakes

Mark Smith - Sunday May 20

Kentucky Derby hero Justify dispatched the derby runner-up Good Magic on the point of the turn in Saturday' s Grade I Preakness Stakes at Pimlico then held the challenge of the fast-finishing Bravazzo to stay in contention to become the 13th Triple Crown winner.

Run in atrocious conditions and a heavy fog, Mike Smith guided the Bob Baffert-trained Justify to a half-length victory over Bravazzo (Awesome Again) with a further neck back to Tenfold (Curlin) who edged out Good Magic for third. (photo Longines)


"That was a nail-biter," Baffert told The Blood-Horse.

"They put it to us. That was a good horse (Good Magic) and it was like they had their own private match race. Somebody had to give, and I'm glad it wasn't us.

"He had to really work for it. ... Good Magic, I tip my (hat) to him. He made us really work. He's a really good horse.

"My boys were with me and they said, 'I can't see anything,' and when I heard my boys say, 'He's making his move,' I saw the white (WinStar) colours turning for home.

"But I was never really relaxed during the race.

"I knew he was in for a fight. I knew it was not going to be easy. But all I was doing—I was just praying for the wire."

Now undefeated in all five career starts, the son of Scat Daddy will now likely head to the Belmont Stakes in three weeks where he will attempt to be the first undefeated Triple Crown winner since Seattle Slew in 1977.

"We'll get him back to Kentucky and see how he trains, but right now I say why not?" Baffert said.

Remarkably, all five of Baffert's Kentucky Derby winners, Silver Charm (1997), Real Quiet (1998), War Emblem (2002), American Pharoah (2015) and Justify travelled to Belmont with a shot at the Triple Crown but only American Pharoah has so far got the job done.

Campaigned by WinStar Farm, China Horse Club, Starlight Racing and Head of Plains Partners, Justify was bred in Kentucky by John D. Gunther. He was consigned by Glennwood Farm to the 2016 Keeneland September Yearling Sale where he was knocked down to China Horse Club & Maverick Racing for $500,000.

By Ashford Stud's prematurely deceased Scat Daddy, Justify is the best of three winners from as many to race out of the stakes-placed Ghostzapper mare Stage Magic.

Advertisment
More Reading...
Melbourne Cup Tips – Tara Talks Racing
Tara Talks Racing is now online having had a Sunday arvo drink or two as we go through the Cup horses, so what do Clocker and I like for this year’s Melbourne Cup?
Juvenile Trial Watch – Rosehill
Two heats at the Rosehill trials on Monday morning over 900m and the quickest of those was won by an expensive son of Golden Slipper winning first season sire Farnan.
Will it be a fairytale finish for Tasmanian-bred mare The Map?
Fresh from sweeping the sire awards at the 2024 Tasmanian Racing Awards this season, the Armidale Stud team is in line for another significant achievement with The Map (Alpine Eagle x This Moment) flying the flag for resident stallion Alpine Eagle in the 2024 Lexus Melbourne Cup on Tuesday 5 November.
Sires With Winners - Monday November 4
Here is the full list of 21 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Kiwi Longshot Hope for Cup
Grant Cooksley came tantalisingly close to getting his hands on the Melbourne Cup as a jockey, and he is hoping to rectify that on Tuesday as a trainer when he lines-up Trust In You in the two-mile feature.
Te Akau Chasing Another Cup Day Success
Last year’s Melbourne Cup Day concluded in success for Mark Walker in the Gr.3 Hong Kong Jockey Club Stakes (1400m), a race he will chase back-to-back crowns in on Tuesday with Kiwi mare Quintessa.
Antrim Coast to Fly Flag for The Oaks Stud
The well-renowned colours of The Oaks Stud will feature across two feature Trans-Tasman meetings this week, kicking off with Antrim Coast lining up in the Listed Furphy Plate (1800m) on Melbourne Cup Day at Flemington.
Zoustar 6YO Stepping up to 2000m
Pre-post favourite Habana will head into unfamiliar territory at Ellerslie, but there is confidence in his camp that it will be a smooth transition.
Kiwi Grey Targets Subzero on Cup Day
The Subzero Handicap (1400m), a race solely for registered grey thoroughbreds, has proven to be a fan favourite at Flemington on Melbourne Cup Day, and this year, Kiwis will have their own grey to barrack for.
Bellatrix Star May Back Up in G1 Champions Sprint
Te Akau and Fortuna Racing’s filly Bellatrix Star proved she is among Australia’s top sprinting three-year-olds last Saturday at Flemington, finishing second in the A$2 million Coolmore Stud Stakes (1200m).