20180219-Justify

Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert is preparing to make a tilt at the iconic USD2 million Kentucky Derby with debutant winner Justify who set social media alight across America with a scintillating introduction to the sport.

The WinStar Farm, SF Bloodstock, China Horse Club owned colt couldn’t have been more emphatic in his racetrack debut, spacing the runner-up by 9.5 lengths with a further 5.5 lengths back to the third placegetter in the 1400m Maiden Special Weight at Santa Anita early this morning.

“It’s not too late,” Baffert told the Thoroughbred Daily News when asking of the 2018 Kentucky Derby.

“I’ve got a plan. We’re looking [for a graded stakes race]. He’s shown his brilliance in the morning.”

While it seems an immense challenge for Justify to secure the required points to make the Kentucky Derby field on the first Saturday in May, it is the kind of achievement that is littered throughout Baffert’s glittering career. The charismatic trainer already has four Kentucky Derbies to his name and oversaw American Pharoah’s Triple Crown heroics in 2015.

Baffert followed the Triple Crown up the following year (2016) when emerging with another immense talent in Arrogate whose rise was almost unprecedented. The monstrous grey broken his maiden status in May; streeted the nation’s best three-year-olds in the G1 Travers Stakes in August; downed the world’s highest rated horse California Chrome in the G1 Breeders’ Cup Classic in November; won the world’s richest race (the USD12m Pegasus World Cup) in January; and then came from last to win the Dubai World Cup in March 2017.

In 2017 his genius with Abel Tasman was again on show for all to see. Not only did he steer the filly to a Kentucky Oaks triumph at only the second start under his tutelage, he also oversaw a campaign that included three successive G1 triumphs. He also crafted the careers of star performers West Coast and Drefong among a total of 14 G1s for his stable that season.

“Never second guess a genius like Bob Baffert. He has faith in Justify and that faith appears to be well placed,” said Michael Wallace, Bloodstock and Racing Director of the China Horse Club.

“Justify was exceptional on debut today and the ownership group will work with Bob and his team to ensure Justify is provided with every opportunity to realise his full talents. Hopefully this includes a tilt at the Kentucky Derby.”


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