Sharp Debut Winner for the Red-Hot Justify at Del Mar

2nd-Del Mar, $61,500, Msw, 11-11, 2yo, 6f, 1:09.82, ft, 2 1/4 lengths.
PILOT COMMANDER (c, 2, Justify–Rebuke, by Carson City), drawn on the inside in post two, ran to the money as the 6-5 favorite on debut. The $700,000 OBS March breezer broke like a shot and was pressed to his inside through an opening quarter of :22.89. He began to shake free rounding the far turn, kicked for home as the one to catch, and, despite hanging on his left lead down the stretch, handled his Bob Baffert-trained stablemate and $1.05-million KEESEP graduate Imagination (Into Mischief) by 2 1/4 lengths. The winner, the most recent produce listed for his dam, is a half to Freedom Flyer (Constitution), SW & GSP, $303,300. Sales history: $145,000 RNA Ylg '22 KEEJAN; $700,000 2yo '23 OBSMAR. Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0, $36,600. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.
O-CSLR Racing Partners LLC; B-A R Enterprises, Inc. (KY); T-Bob Baffert.