Dual Classic winner Justify (Scat Daddy) returned to the track Thursday at Churchill Downs for the first time since his victory in the GI Preakness S. Saturday. The 'TDN Rising Star' galloped 1 3/8 miles under regular exercise rider Homberto Gomez during the special training period Churchill instituted for GI Belmont S. contenders from 7:30-7:40a.m.
“We definitely saw what we needed to see,” Bob Baffert's longtime assistant Jimmy Barnes said. “He had a good bounce to his step and he was very happy out there. Bob told me to make sure he has a nice and easy first day back galloping. He went about 1 3/8 miles and seemed to enjoy it.”
Justify is following the same routine as Baffert's 2015 Triple Crown winner American Pharoah (Pioneerof the Nile) as well as his Triple Crown hopefuls Silver Charm (1997), Real Quiet (1998) and War Emblem (2002). Baffert is expected to return to Churchill over the weekend to check on his stable star and Justify is scheduled to ship to New York June 6.
“I try not to think too much about the Triple Crown,” Barnes said. “I just try to focus on the next day of training. I'm sure I'll start thinking about it when we ship to Belmont. My biggest job is to keep Justify happy.”
Also on track at Churchill during the Belmont training window Thursday were Preakness runner-up Bravazo (Awesome Again) and third-place finisher Tenfold (Curlin).
Fans are welcome to come to Churchill to watch Justify and the other Belmont contenders on track during the special training period. The Belmont runners will also be live streamed each day here for those unable to make it to Louisville.
Justify shares ownership with GI Florida Derby hero and GI Kentucky Derby third Audible (Into Mischief). After the Derby, trainer Todd Pletcher said Audible would be pointed at the Belmont, but his status for that race is now up in the air with a Triple Crown on the line for his owners with Justify.
“I'm going up to watch [Audible] work [Friday], then we'll sit down with Todd and probably have a decision next week,” said co-owner WinStar Farm's President and CEO Elliott Walden. “I think he'd [Audible] be big competition. But I think it's Justify's race to lose.”
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