Justify draws No 1 in Belmont
NEW YORK: Justify will start from the No 1 barrier position in Sunday’s Belmont Stakes in which the undefeated chestnut colt will try to become only the second winner of United States’ thoroughbred racing’s Triple Crown since 1978.
Justify was installed as a 45 favourite following yesterday’s draw.
The chestnut son of Scat Daddy needs a victory in the 11⁄2 mile (2400m) race to become the 13th Triple Crown winner and first since American Pharoah in 2015 to win the Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes and Belmont Stakes.
Ridden by Mike Smith and trained by Hall of Famer Bob Baffert, Justify has run only five races in his career and will be tested by some fresher horses in the Belmont Stakes, which has ended the dreams of many Triple Crown hopefuls.
‘‘I never do like to draw the rail, but my horses seem to live in it,’’ Baffert, who trained the most recent Triple Crown winner, said.
‘‘I just feel that, I think most importantly, the horse is doing well . . . We have it. We can’t change it. So we’ll just deal with it.’’
Justify will line up with nine horses to his right as part of a field that includes five horses he beat during a rainsoaked Kentucky Derby and two he beat at a wet and foggy Preakness Stakes.
Hofburg, who is trained by William I Mott and ridden by Irad Ortiz, drew the fourth post and is the second choice at 92.
Preakness runnerup Bravazo, the only other horse besides Justify who will be competing in each leg of the Triple Crown, and Vino Rosso were both were installed at 81 while the rest of the field is 121 or longer.
The D Wayne Lukastrained Bravazo, who finished a halflength behind Justify at the Preakness, will break from the third post while John Velazquez, a twotime Belmont Stakes winner, will be aboard Vino Rosso in the eighth post.
Showers are expected in Elmont, New York, where the race for 3yearolds will be run on Sunday.