Teo Ah Khing (CHC) and Kenny Troutt (WinStar Farm) reunite with Siena Farm to race a stunning son of their great champion Justify
The date, 2nd May 2026, will almost certainly be circled on the calendars of Kenny Troutt, Teo Ah Khing, the Manganaro family and their respective operations after the partnership won a heated duel to secure the most in demand Justify yearling offered during Book 1 at the 2024 Keeneland September Yearling Sale.
It was something of a ‘returning to the source’ for WinStar Farm and China Horse Club who were two of the three original partners in the recently crowned Hall of Famer Justify. The hulking chestnut having elevated his ownership group to the very highest levels of the sport when winning each of the three legs of the 2018 U.S. Triple Crown. He would retire as the only undefeated U.S. Triple Crown winner in US racing history.
The 2026 Kentucky Derby stands as an obvious aspiration considering the above shared history as well as the credentials Justify is establishing as a sire in his own right. Among the six individual G1 winners he has already sired to date is Europe’s scorching performer City of Troy who has already won four G1s, including this year’s Derby, and is now being steered towards the Breeders’ Cup Classic, the contest Justify himself was targeting as his swansong only for a minor injury to curtail his preparation.
Justify x Undercover Justice colt
Of the Justify x Undercover Justice colt who won hearts and minds, WinStar Farm’s Elliott Walden was emphatic: “We just loved his quality,” he said on behalf of the partnership of WinStar Farm, China Horse Club and Siena Farm.
“He’s got a great hip, great balance, had the strength that Justify had behind. It’s something we look for.
“He’s a beautiful horse and had a great hip, a horse that we really liked. We saw him on the farm a few weeks ago and just feel like he’s a horse that will continue to improve.”
The partnership of WinStar Farm, China Horse Club and Siena Farm is well versed in racing exciting Justify having raced one of his most gifted sons in Heartland, a half-brother to Breeders’ Cup Juvenile winner Classic Empire.
Heartland, a graduate of CHC USA’s breeding programme, traded through the 2022 Keeneland September Yearling Sale and made a jaw dropping debut in 2023 that had him pencilled in by good judges as a G1 winner in waiting.
Heartland fluffed his lines on how to start and was called as nine lengths off the leaders in a five-and-a-half furlong (1100m) contest but worked through his gears to round up his rivals and win by a widening two lengths. Injury prevented him ever racing again but he retires to WinStar Farm ahead of the 2025 breeding season.
WinStar Farm, China Horse Club and Siena Farm will be hoping their latest Justify is no less gifted as they set their sights on the future.
Regarding the colt’s late foaling date, he added, “It factors in whether he might run in August. As long as he runs at two, I think he’s fine. It’s tough to buy in there. Maybe because he was a May foal it made him a little more affordable, even though I don’t know if a million dollars is affordable, but it seems to be today on the good ones.