Still no summer plans in place for Justify
The racing world still waits for a decision on where Triple Crown winner Justify will run next.
Justify has not had an official workout since he won the Belmont Stakes on June 9 and became thoroughbred racing’s 13th Triple Crown winner and second in the last four years.
The horse has been paraded, first at Churchill Downs and then at his home base of Santa Anita, and has jogged, galloped and walked at both locations.
Trainer Bob Baffert told the Daily Racing Form’s Steve Andersen on Wednesday that he is “just chilling with [ Justify].”
“We gallop him one day and walk him one day,” Baffert told Andersen.
There are plenty of options for Justify’s connections. The question is, what route do they take to get the horse to the Breeders’ Cup Classic on Nov. 3 at Churchill Downs in Louisville, and how many times do they run him before the Breeders’ Cup?
Among the races Justify could run in is the Grade I $ 1 million betfair. com Haskell Invitational on July 29 at Monmouth Park — a race Baffert has won a record eight times, including with Triple Crown winner American Pharoah in 2015.
However, one would think Justify would have to have a workout within the next few days for him to be on the track at Monmouth when Bruce Springsteen’s classic “Born to Run” is played over the track’s loudspeakers when the horses leave the paddock.
Baffert also will be moving his stable to Del Mar for that track’s summer meet, which begins July 18. Del Mar’s stable area opens the weekend of July 14- 15, Andersen said. At this point, it would appear the most workouts Justify could have before running in the Haskell would be four over a condensed time span.
American Pharoah had six workouts — three at Santa Anita and three at Del Mar — before the Haskell. His first workout after the Belmont was June 26, and his second post- Triple Crown workout came July 6. That second workout was four days after owner Ahmed Zayat announced the horse would run in the Haskell. There was also an extra week between American Pharoah’s Belmont ( June 6) and his Haskell ( Aug. 2).
Keep in mind, Justify, who did not run as a 2- year- old, had six races in a 111- day span between Feb. 18 and June 9. American Pharoah had five races as a 3- year- old from mid- March through the Belmont but had run three times as a 2- year- old.
And there is, of course, the chance Justify never runs again, with a reported $ 75 million stud deal offer from Coolmore Stud waiting. But Justify’s connections have indicated the horse will run through the Breeders’ Cup.