Justify Breezes for Belmont

[Wandering Eyes]

Undefeated GI Kentucky Derby and GI Preakness S. hero Justify (Scat Daddy) logged his first official workout since prior to the Derby when breezing a half-mile in a sharp :46.80 Tuesday at Churchill Downs in preparation for his run at the Triple Crown in the June 9 GI Belmont S. (click for video). The move was the fastest of 43 recorded at the distance.

With trainer Bob Baffert in attendance, the chestnut breezed at 7:30 a.m. with jockey Martin Garcia aboard through splits of :12, :23.60 and :35.20 before galloping out five furlongs in :59.60 over the fast main track, according to Churchill Downs clocker John Nichols.

“He worked really well,” Baffert said. “Martin knows how to breeze the horse so I flew him in from California. He warmed up really nice. I basically didn’t say anything on the radio to Martin after I asked him how he was warming up. He went in a nice groove. We let him gallop out a little further past the five-eighths pole, he took a big breath and turned around to go back to the barn. I’m really happy. It’s what you want to see.”

Justify strictly galloped in between his runs in the Derby and Preakness and had done so since winning the middle jewel of the Triple Crown, but Baffert said he knew the colt was ready to do more after watching him train forwardly Monday.

“I knew yesterday the way he galloped, he was ready to do something,” Baffert related. “The day before, he didn’t get to do much with the rain and he may not get to do much this week because of [possible] rain as well.”

The Hall of Fame conditioner compared Justify’s energy to his last charge to sweep the Derby and Preakness, who Baffert visited Monday.

“American Pharoah looked like that,” he said. “That’s what you want to see with another week to go before the Belmont. He looked really good and in great shape. He’s moving forward and held his weight for being a massive horse. I went to see Pharoah yesterday and I was really emotional when I was there. I asked him if it was okay if another horse broke his record and he didn’t seem to have a problem with it.”

Baffert added that Justify will have one more breeze in advance of the Belmont, likely next Monday.

Also working Tuesday was another Baffert hopeful for the Belmont, Restoring Hope (Giant’s Causeway). The Gary and Mary West-owned chestnut went seven furlongs in 1:26 flat (1/1) with Florent Geroux aboard. Third in the GII Wood Memorial S., Restoring Hope most recently finished 12th in the GIII Pat Day Mile S. on the Derby undercard.

“I thought he worked really well,” Baffert said. “He’s a really competitive horse and is honest on the track. We were disappointed with how he ran in the Pat Day Mile, but I don’t think he liked the sloppy track.”

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