Already off to a hot start with his first-crop runners that includes a Group 2 winner in Ireland, Triple Crown winner Justify wasted no time putting an American graded stakes win on the board as his daughter Just Cindy kicked clear late to take Thursday's opening-day GIII Schuylerville S. at Saratoga, the first graded event for juveniles run in North America in 2022.
Unveiled as a poorly-kept secret at 6-5 going 5 1/2 furlongs June 17 at Churchill Downs, the Clarkland Farm homebred settled off the pace professionally and drew clear in the final furlong to a 2 1/4-length graduation. Backed as the clear 21-10 second favorite behind 5-4 chalk Summer Promise (Uncle Mo) Thursday, Just Cindy came away well from her rail draw and found a good spot in a pocketed third under Irad Ortiz, Jr. as longshot Musicmansandy (Accelerate) clicked off a :22.38 quarter with Summer Promise close in tow.
The chalk quickly swept past the leader midway around the turn, but Just Cindy soon came calling while angling out into the clear, and those two arrived at the top of the lane together. Jostling with her foe several times in early stretch, Just Cindy started to get the measure of Summer Promise at the sixteenth pole and edged away late to prevail by 2 1/4 lengths. Summer Promise held the place, ahead of a green-running Janis Joplin (California Chrome).
“It was great and I think she's still a little green too, so I think there's a lot of raw talent there,” said Kelly Wheeler, assistant to winning trainer Eddie Kenneally. “She's an exciting horse to have in the barn. She kind of got knocked around a little bit and she stayed professional and ran on. It's really all you can ask for in a second-time starter.”
“The filly is really nice. She does everything right,” added Ortiz. “From the one post, she overcame everything and got there on time. When I asked her at the quarter pole, she did it.”
Pedigree Notes:
One of four winners thus far for Coolmore's 2018 Triple Crown hero Justify, Just Cindy is already his second graded/group stakes winner, following Statuette, who backed up a 'TDN Rising Star' nod with an impressive victory in the G2 Airlie Stud S. June 26 at The Curragh. Justify's Tahoma also picked up black type with a runner-up finish in the Fasig-Tipton Futurity S. June 18 at Santa Anita. Just Cindy is the first foal out of 'TDN Rising Star' Jenda's Agenda, who started her career three-for-three including a win in the Caesar's Wish S. at Laurel. Second dam Just Jenda was a seven-time stakes winner and three-time graded stakes winner who earned over $750,000. Bought for $90,000 by Hill 'n' Dale at Keeneland November in 2018, Jenda's Agenda is responsible for a yearling American Pharoah filly and produced a filly by Mendelssohn Mar. 1.
Thursday, Saratoga
SCHUYLERVILLE S.-GIII, $175,000, Saratoga, 7-14, 2yo, f, 6f, 1:11.95, ft.
1–JUST CINDY, 120, f, 2, by Justify
1st Dam: Jenda's Agenda (SW, $173,475), by Proud Citizen
2nd Dam: Just Jenda, by Menifee
3rd Dam: Liberty School, by Pine Bluff
1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN, 1ST GRADED STAKES WIN. ($140,000
RNA Ylg '21 KEESEP). O/B-Clarkland Farm LLC (KY); T-Eddie
Kenneally; J-Irad Ortiz, Jr. $96,250. Lifetime Record: 2-2-0-0,
$165,710. Werk Nick Rating: A+++. *Triple Plus*
Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Summer Promise, 120, f, 2, Uncle Mo–Dream of Summer, by
Siberian Summer. 1ST BLACK TYPE, 1ST GRADED BLACK TYPE.
($500,000 Ylg '21 KEESEP). O-BC Stables, LLC; B-James C
Weigel (KY); T-D. Wayne Lukas. $35,000.
3–Janis Joplin, 118, f, 2, California Chrome–Seeking the Blue, by
Arch. 1ST BLACK TYPE, 1ST GRADED BLACK TYPE. ($25,000 Ylg
'21 KEESEP; $28,000 RNA 2yo '22 OBSAPR). O-Gary Barber;
B-Virginia Kraft Payson (KY); T-Mark E. Casse. $21,000.
Margins: 2 1/4, 2, 3/4. Odds: 2.10, 1.25, 14.90.
Also Ran: Me and My Shadow, Vedareo, Musicmansandy, Adora. Scratched: Motown Mischief, Sweet Harmony.
Click for the Equibase.com chart, the TJCIS.com PPs or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.
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