Justify won the 2018 Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes and Belmont Stakes, thus completing the United States Triple Crown of Thoroughbred racing.
He is the second horse to win the Triple Crown with an undefeated record. He only participated in six races and won all six of them. In July 2018, Justify was retired from racing and became a stud.
Justify´s victory at the Belmont Stakes was named the National Thoroughbred Racing Association Moment of the Year.
Some facts about Justify
Foaled: March 28, 2015
Sire: Scat Daddy
Dam: Stage Magic
Sex: Stallion
Color: Chestnut
Marking: Justify has a large white blaze.
Breeder: John D. Gunther
Trainer: Bob Baffert
- Justify is a very tall horse, standing 16.3 hands at the withers.
- Justify is the 2018 American Horse of the Year, 2018 American Champion Three-Year-Old Male Horse, and a 2018 Triple Crown champion.
- The 2018 World´s Best Racehorse Rankings placed Justify at spot #2, only outranked by Roaring Lion.
Racing record
Record: 6: 6-0-0
Major wins
Santa Anita Derby (2018)
Kentucky Derby (2018)
Preakness Stakes (2018)
Belmont Stakes (2018)
Note: Justify has tested positive for the substance scopolamine. The positive test came just a few days after him winning the Santa Anita Derby.
Background
Justify was bred on the Glennwood Farm, Kentucky, and foaled on March 28, 2015. The farm was run by John D. Hunter and his daughter Tanya Hunter.
The sire was Scat Daddy and the dam Stage Magic. Scat Daddy was an accomplished and versatile race horse who had performed well on both turf in Europe/South America and dirt in North America.
In 2016, Justify was offered at the Keeneland September Yearling and bought for $500,000. The buyer was a partnership formed by WinStar Farm, China Horse Club and SF Racing. Later on, Starlight Racing and Sol Kumin´s Head of Plains joined the partnership.
Justify´s first trainer was Rodolpho Brisset, followed by Bobb Baffert in early 2018 (at Santa Anita). Baffert had trained the most recent Triple Crown winner American Pharoah and adopted a similar training regime for Justify. In a later interview, Baffert described Justify as being more dominant and pushy than the easy-going American Pharoah.
Justify´s pedigree
| Sire Scat Daddy |
Johannesburg | Hennessy | Storm Cat |
| Island Kitty | |||
| Myth | Ogygian | ||
| Yarn | |||
| Love Style | Mr. Prospector | Raise a Native | |
| Gold Digger | |||
| Likeable Style | Nijinsky | ||
| Personable Lady | |||
| Dam Stage Magic |
Ghostzapper | Awesome Again | Deputy Minister |
| Primal Force | |||
| Baby Zip | Relaunch | ||
| Thirty Zip | |||
| Magical Illusion | Pulpit | A.P. Indy | |
| Preach | |||
| Voodoo Lily | Baldski | ||
| Cap the Moment |
Winning the Belmont Stakes
Justify got ready for the Belmont Stakes as Churchill Downs, before being transported to New York a few days before the race. This year, the Belmont Stakes took place on June 9 and attracted a crowd of 90,000 spectators.
Justify got off to a good start and quickly took the lead, before slowing the pace a bit after the opening quarter to conserv energy. After the first mile, Justify was two lenghts ahead of his closest opponent Restoring Hope. Despite drifting out slightly in the stretch, Justify increased his lead after the final turn and won the Belmont Stakes by 1 3/4 lenghts over Gronkowski. The finnishing time was 2:28.18.