The unraced two year old made racing history when he became the 13th Triple Crown winner.
Justify broke well and went immediately to the early lead. In the 150th running of the Belmont Stakes. Restoring Hope was in second position while the other crowd favourites Gronkowski was last. Justify covering the first quarter in 0:23.37 seconds.
The two Bob Baffert proteges Justify and Restoring Hope were 1-2 in the back stretch. Bravazo was 4th but Gronkowski was still last while Justify was a bit faster at 1:13.21 at the half way mark.
Hofburg started to slowly close in at that point. Vino Rosso also started making his way to the front just as Restoring Hope tired slowly. Mike Smith hadn’t pressed the go signal yet and he was accelerating smoothly.
At a mile Hofburg was now second followed by Vino Rosso. Justify continued to lead. Gronkowski swopped in. In the final stretch Gronkowski and Hofburg trying to run Justify down.
Justify took 2 minutes, 28 seconds and 18 tenths of a second to cross the finish line ahead of the field and gallop straight into history.
"It was one of the greatest earthly feelings, horse racing feelings I ever had when that horse was leading down the stretch. It was unbelievable," Kenny Troutt, the billionaire owner of WinStar Farm, which owns Justify, said during the trophy presentation Saturday.
Giant’s and Justify co-owner Chris Mara was thrilled by the win. “He’s my Saquon Barkley right now.” (Superstar Saquon Barkley is an American football running back for the New York Giants founded & co-owned by the Mara family.)
This is the second Triple Crown win in four years from the same trainer, Bob Baffert. American Pharaoh won the 12th Triple Crown winner, ridden by Victor Espinoza and owned by Ahmed Zayat in 2015.
And 52 year old Mike Smith won in 2018. Jubilations all around.
Recently allegations of Restoring Hope was blocking for Justify have emerged. Gary West was livid about the way his horse was handled, but Baffertsaid,”he has natural speed. His only chance was to be up near the lead.
The Scat Daddy colt is poised to become one of the most valuable stallions in North America.
Because of the combination of his racing prowess and sterling pedigree, Forbes estimates that Justify could command a $100,000 stud fee once he retires from racing and starts his breeding career. This gives him a $60 million value based on stud fees alone: If he books 150 mares per breeding season (a figure his ownership at WinStar says is reasonable) and maintains both his fee and activity level for four years, he’ll easily hit the $60 million mark.
Sean Tugel, WinStar’s director of bloodstock services and assistant racing manager, told Forbes in an interview before the race“There’s still plenty more racing. Plenty more he can do. I think if he stays healthy, the Travers or Haskell is a target,”.
Watch Justify Win The Belmont Stakes (2018) and become the 13th Triple Crown winner.
Take a look at American Pharoah winning the 12th Triple Crown in 2015.
1st Justify ( B. Baffert,M. Smith), 2nd Gronkowski (C. Brown,J. Ortiz), 3rd Hofburg (W. Mott,I. Ortiz, Jr.), 4th Vino Rosso (T. Pletcher,J. Velazquez), 5th Tenfold (S. Asmussen,R. Santana, Jr.), 6th Bravazo (D. Lukas,L. Saez), 7th Free Drop Billy (D. Romans,R. Albarado), 8th Restoring Hope (B. Baffert,F. Geroux), 9th Blended Citizen (D. O'Neill,K. Frey), 10th Noble Indy (T. Pletcher,J. Castellano)
Distance:1½ miles (12 furlongs), Record:2:24, Secretariat (1973), Surface:Dirt, Track:Left-handed, Qualification:3-year-olds, Weight:Colt/Gelding: 126 pounds (57 kg); Filly: 121 pounds (55 kg), Purse:US$1.5 million,1st: $800,000
Credit: Pallavi Shevade - pallavi.shevade@secretaristworld.com