JUSTIFY STANDS OUT IN CROWDED FIELD
LOUISVILLE, K.Y. » The most-anticipated Kentucky Derby in more than a decade is nearly here, filled with curses, colorful new characters, foreign invaders and the inevitable talk of another Triple Crown winner.
At the center of the discussion is morning-line favorite Justify, who hopes to become the first horse since 1882 to win the Kentucky Derby after not racing as a 2-year old. Saturday will be only his fourth race. It’s the same situation as Magnum Moon, who has been almost as spectacular in only four starts. Both are undefeated and have collectively won by 33 lengths.
There is self-made million- aire Mick Ruis, who not only owns Bolt d’Oro but trains him. He came to Churchill Downs with, by his estimation, $20,000 stuffed in a suitcase that he plans to bet on his colt.
Then there is Mendelssohn, who won his last race, the UAE Derby, by 18 ½ lengths. But there also is a Dubai curse: No horse that has ever run in the United Arab Emirates race has finished better than fifth in the Kentucky Derby.
And, of course, there is always trainer Todd Pletcher, who, with four starters, will up his total to a high of 52 runners. Yet he has won this race only twice.
But the talk always comes back to Justify and how good this Santa Anita-based runner is and whether he can beat the
Curse of Apollo.
“I don’t really ever think about that,” said Bob Baffert, a four-time winner of the Derby, who trains Justify. “There are so many other curses out there. … Now black cats, they kill me. I can just feel it too.
Point Given [in 2001] on the way out to the track, a black cat ran in front of him.
“Real Quiet, [in 1998] before the Triple Crown race, I was driving in here and a black cat ran in front of me. They should not allow black cats on the backstretch.”
Point Given, the favorite, finished fifth, and Real Quiet was beaten by a nose
in the Belmont, denying him a Triple Crown.
Justify has arguably the best jockey in the game in Mike Smith, who is still riding at 52. He is more than impressed with his colt.
“I certainly wouldn’t trade him for anyone,” Smith said. “He looks the part too. He’s a beautiful horse. He’s doing well; his color is good. He seems
to be happy and ready to roll.”
But Smith acknowledges this as an exceptional class of 3-year- olds.
“He’s going to have to do everything right with the field this year,” Smith said. “It’s as tough as any field in the Derby. It’s so hard to win this race. He’s talented and doing well, but things still have to work out for you.”