2018 Triple Crown Winner
Justify was a brilliant unbeaten Triple Crown champion who put together one of the most remarkable racing careers in American history. He was foaled in 2015 and trained by Hall of Famer Bob Baffert for a partnership of WinStar Farm, China Horse Club, Starlight Racing, and Head of Plains Partners. His sire was Scat Daddy, who tragically died young after a brilliant career, and his dam was Stage Magic, a daughter of Ghostzapper. He was a massive, powerful chestnut with a striking blaze and a stride that ate up the ground.
Justify did not run as a two year old, which made his classic run even more amazing. The so called Apollo Curse, named for the 1882 winner Apollo, said that no horse without a two year old start had won the Kentucky Derby in modern times. Justify broke that curse in his very first start in February 2018, winning a maiden race at Santa Anita by 9 and a half lengths. He came back two more times before the Derby, taking the San Felipe Stakes and the 2018 Santa Anita Derby in dominating style. The racing world had a new star.
The 2018 Kentucky Derby was run on a sloppy track at Churchill Downs. Justify, ridden by jockey Mike Smith, broke sharply, took the lead, and never looked back, winning by 2 and a half lengths over Good Magic. Two weeks later in foggy Pimlico, the 2018 Preakness Stakes was a thriller. Justify had to fight off Bravazo and Tenfold in the final yards but won by a half length. The Triple Crown was on the line.
The 2018 Belmont Stakes belonged to Justify. He set a sensible pace under Mike Smith and drew off through the stretch to win by 1 and three quarters lengths, sweeping the Triple Crown and becoming the 13th horse to do so and the first since American Pharoah in 2015. After the Belmont, injury forced Justify into early retirement. He finished his career with a perfect record of 6 wins from 6 starts and earnings of over 3.7 million dollars. He was named the 2018 Horse of the Year and Champion Three Year Old Colt.
Justify went to stud at Coolmore's Ashford Stud in Kentucky for a reported 75 million dollar deal, one of the largest in racing history. He has already become a major sire, with his son City of Troy winning the 2024 Epsom Derby in England. Justify is remembered as a once in a generation runner who did the impossible, sweeping the Triple Crown undefeated in only six career starts.
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