GI Kentucky Derby and GI Preakness S. winner Justify (Scat Daddy) turned in a five-furlong work in 1:01.40 ahead of his Triple Crown bid in Saturday's GI Belmont S. Martin Garcia was aboard for the work, which took place over a fast track and in front of a crowd of a few hundred fans.
“It was a really nice breeze and exactly what we were looking for,” trainer Bob Baffert said. “He relaxed nicely and seemed very happy. Martin was very happy with him, as well, so I was happy, too. He was a little fresh earlier in the week, so it was good to see him relax nicely.”
Justify broke away from the stable pony Sunny and assistant trainer Jimmy Barnes at the 4 1/2-furlong pole and began his breeze at the half-mile marker, working through splits of :12.80, :24.80, :37 and :48.80 before galloping out six furlongs in 1:13.60 and seven-eighths of a mile in 1:27.20.
Justify is scheduled to ship to New York Wednesday ahead of his attempt to become the 13th horse to sweep the Triple Crown in Saturday's 1 1/2-mile Belmont S.
“I think the Triple Crown brings a lot more people into the game,” Baffert, who also trained 2015 Triple Crown winner American Pharoah (Pioneerof the Nile), said. “It also brings a lot of new owners. I saw a lot of new faces in the game after Pharoah won the Triple Crown. It's no walk in the park to win, but it's very important to our sport when we have a Triple Crown possibility on the line.”
The Baffert-trained Restoring Hope (Giant's Causeway), third in the GII Wood Memorial S., also worked at Churchill Downs Monday in preparation for the Belmont. The Gary and Mary West homebred worked six furlongs in 1:13 under jockey Florent Geroux.
“Restoring Hope went really well,” Baffert said. “He's always been a really good work horse. He's sort of a one-paced horse. He went a little faster than Justify, but I thought overall the work was very good.”
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