JUSTIFY ISN’T

THE 13th Triple Crown winner paused in his morning walk to pose for photographs, looking fresher than any horse should after running three high-pressure races in the last five weeks.

“He just looks like he’s ready to go again,” trainer Bob Baffert said Sunday morning as he began to process Justify’s historic run. “We were just in there, watching the replay over and over, and it looked like he could have gone around again.”

The morning after the Belmont Stakes, questions quickly turned to what’s next for the newest Triple Crown winner. ESPN reported that Justify’s owners agreed to a $60 million breeding deal with European racing giant Coolmore before Saturday’s race. The reported sale included a $15 million Triple Crown bonus that pushed it to a record $75 million total.

Elliott Walden, president and CEO of Justify’s co-owner WinStar Farm, declined comment on the report. But the price tag prompted speculation that Justify might never run again. Walden said that’s not the plan.

“We want to race him, at least through this year,” he said Sunday. “We’re looking forward to sharing him more. He’s now become a household name, and I’m looking forward to the next race just as much as you guys are.”

At the post-race press conference on Saturday, Walden referenced coming back in the late summer, which could mean the Aug. 18 Pacific Classic at Del Mar or the Aug. 25 Travers Stakes at Saratoga are among several possibilities. On Sunday, he said there’s no plan as of now.

Coolmore also purchased breeding rights for 2015 Triple Crown winner, American Pharoah (for $10 million initially, though the deal was pushed to about $30 million with bonuses). He raced three more times after the Belmont Stakes, capping his career with a resounding victory in the Breeders’ Cup Classic.