She shipped in all the way from New York, but it ended up worth her while as Just Aloof (Justify–Aloof (Ire), by Galileo {Ire}) strode home best of all to claim the GIII Jimmy Durante Stakes at Del Mar.
A winner at first-asking last out Oct. 16 during the Belmont Big A meeting, she topped a stablemate exacta that day and shipped in from her base in New York for this jump. Trainer Chad Brown enjoys a noteworthy record, and a reputation, for knowing what horses to ship where, and the betting public responded appropriately. She left the gates here as the 3-1 favorite.
Not quite able to make the pace, she stalked from second through a quarter in :22.63 and a half in :47.21 while well in hand behind the 29-1 longshot intent on setting the tempo. Poised to strike after six panels in 1:12.36, she loomed into contention from that longtime leader's outside and took command coming off the turn. Kicking away as the closers tried to reel her in, she refused to come back once she struck the front. It was a 2 1/2-length margin to the rest on the wire. Latte Luv (Constitution) ran on well to get second and there was a dead-heat for third between La Ville Lumiere (City of Light) and Yours Sincerely (Ire) (Cable Bay {Ire}).
“This filly shipped in Tuesday morning,” said Chad Brown's assistant trainer, Jose Hernandez. “She's been training really well, getting over the track really well. I think it set up [nicely] for her. I didn't tell him [jockey Hector I. Berrios] much. Chad told [us] to warm her up good and get her in a spot where she could be comfortable and she did what she does.”
“The moment I went to the lead she followed,” said Berrios after the race. “She is very classy and finished very strong. When we were in the stretch, she was a little confused, but she is a nice filly. It's great [to have his first win for Chad Brown].”
Pedigree Notes:
Just Aloof is the first black-type winner for her dam Aloof (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), herself a half-sister to 2017 European Broodmare of the Year Meow (Ire) (Storm Cat)–mother of multiple Group 1 winner Churchill (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}). That multiple highweight runner also has a Group 1 winning full-sister named Clemmie (Ire) and a half-sibling by Justify named Unless, who is a Listed winner and group-placed in Ireland. Aloof has produced four other winners with one of her daughters being the dam of a placed runner. Since this victress, the mare has two fillies to her credit–a yearling by Olympiad and a 2025 Bolt d'Oro. She went to Tiz the Law for 2026.
In addition to Meow, Aloof also claims multiple Listed winner Keats (Ire) as a full-brother as well as Grand Prix Anjou Bretagne victor Orator (Ire). A third full-brother to that group is Australian group winner Blenheim Palace (Ire) and a whole sister named Curlylocks (Ire) is the mother of GSP-Ire Angelo Buonarroti (Justify).
This is the immediate female family of dual Group 1 winner Dream of Dreams (Ire) (Dream Ahead).
JUST ALOOF ($8.00) soared home and won the $100,000 Jimmy Durante Stakes (G3) at @DelMarRacing for trainer Chad Brown. The daughter of Justify (@coolmoreamerica) was ridden by @HIBerrios. pic.twitter.com/gVTLblFOHj
— FanDuel Racing (@FanDuel_Racing) November 29, 2025
Saturday, Del Mar
JIMMY DURANTE S.-GIII, $103,000, Del Mar, 11-29, 2yo, f, 1mT, 1:36.78, fm.
1–JUST ALOOF, 120, f, 2, by Justify
1st Dam: Aloof (Ire) (GSW-Ire, $170,939), by Galileo (Ire)
2nd Dam: Airwave (GB), by Air Express (Ire)
3rd Dam: Kangra Valley (GB), by Indian Ridge (Ire)
1ST BLACK TYPE WIN, 1ST GRADED STAKES WIN. O/B-Whisper Hill Farm, LLC (KY); T-Chad C. Brown; J-Hector Isaac Berrios. $60,000. Lifetime Record: 2-2-0-0, $106,750. Werk Nick Rating: A+++. *Triple Plus* Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Latte Luv, 120, f, 2, Constitution–Lady Eveline, by Ghostzapper. 1ST BLACK TYPE, 1ST GRADED BLACK TYPE. ($125,000 Ylg '24 KEESEP). O-S3L, LLC; B-Stonestreet Thoroughbred Holdings LLC (KY); T-Doug F. O'Neill. $20,000.
(DH) 3–La Ville Lumiere, 120, f, 2, City of Light–Malibu Drive, by Malibu Moon. ($250,000 Ylg '24 KEESEP; $475,000 2yo '25 OBSMAR). O-Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners, Sabby Racing LLC and Ken T. Reimer; B-Corser Thoroughbreds LLC (KY); T-Michael W. McCarthy. $9,000.
(DH) 3–Yours Sincerely (Ire), 120, f, 2, Cable Bay (Ire)–Best Regards (Ire), by Tamayuz (GB). 1ST BLACK TYPE, 1ST GRADED BLACK TYPE. (€6,500 Ylg '24 GOAUYR). O-Benowitz Family Trust, CYBT, Madaket Stables LLC, McLean Racing Stables, Jerry McClanahan and Michael Nentwig; B-Mr Alwarith Ibrahim Al Hadhrami (IRE); T-Philip D'Amato. $9,000.
Margins: 2HF, HF, HF, HF. Odds: 3.00, 8.20, 10.60, 4.50.
Also Ran: Wild Like the West, Hypergamy, Special Wood (Fr), Cee Drew, Sweet Little Lila (Ire), Umbralle, Bourbon and Ginger. Click for the Equibase.com chart and the TJCIS.com PPs. VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.
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