Just F Y I (f, 2, Justify–Star Act, by Street Cry {Ire}), up in time by a head sprinting on debut at a well-backed 7-2 at the Spa Aug. 26, provided a rolling Grade I double for owner George Krikorian and Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott with a powerful performance in Saturday's 'Win and You're In' GI Frizette S. at a rainy Aqueduct Racetrack.
“[The track] was the big question and we didn't know,” Mott said after saddling his first Frizette winner since Confessional in 1998. “You don't know until you run them. We thought she was a nice filly and, in this day and age, I guess if you break your maiden impressively you're looking at going to a stakes race because there aren't many allowance races.”
As for a start in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies at Santa Anita, Mott added, “That would be the plan today. We'll wait and see how she comes back and go from there.”
The 9-2 chance found a perfect spot in an outside third through an opening quarter in :23.63 while navigating the one-turn mile over very sloppy going. The Krikorian homebred loomed boldly while four wide on the far turn, gained a narrow advantage at the top of the stretch and leveled off beautifully down the lane to win going away by 3 3/4 lengths over longshot Central Avenue (Street Sense). Life Talk (Gun Runner) was third. Favored Emery (More Than Ready), a runaway winner on debut in the Saratoga mud Aug. 30, was a disappointing fourth.
Krikorian and Mott were also represented one race earlier on the card by GI Joe Hirsch Turf Classic S. winner War Like Goddess (English Channel).
“It's very special,” Mott said. “[Mr. Krikorian] has been a very good client and he sends me some horses that he thinks are going to be OK. I have a small group of horses for him, but they are all quite nice.”
Krikorian added, “It's very special. I couldn't be more pleased, I'm ecstatic.”
Pedigree Notes:
Triple Crown winner Justify, sire of last Sunday's G1 Qatar Prix Marcel Boussac Criterium des Pouliches heroine Opera Singer; Wednesday's GII Miss Grillo S. winner Hard to Justify; and Friday's GII Jessamine S. winner Buchu; is now responsible for four Grade I/Group 1 winners worldwide.
Out of a stakes-placed daughter of Krikorian's MGISW and savvy $35,000 FTKOCT yearling purchase Starrer (Dynaformer), Just F Y I hails from the female family of another accomplished set of fillies in MGISW Stellar Jayne (Wild Rush) and GISW Star Billing (Dynaformer).
This is also the family of GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf runner-up Uncle Benny (Declaration of War). Just F Y I's dam Star Act produced a 2023 full-sister to the victress and was bred to Life Is Good for 2024.
#5 Just F Y I splashes home and stays perfect while earning her first graded stakes win in the G1 Frizette S. at Belmont for trainer Bill Mott with @juniorandkellya aboard! 🏆
🎥 #TwinSpiresReplay pic.twitter.com/b0iFlrJaiQ
— TwinSpires Racing 🏇 (@TwinSpires) October 7, 2023
Saturday, Belmont The Big A
FRIZETTE S.-GI, $400,000, Belmont The Big A, 10-7, 2yo, f, 1m, 1:37.59, sy.
1–JUST F Y I, 120, f, 2, by Justify
1st Dam: Star Act (SP, $147,605), by Street Cry (Ire)
2nd Dam: Starrer, by Dynaformer
3rd Dam: To the Hunt, by Relaunch
1ST BLACK TYPE WIN, 1ST GRADED STAKES WIN, 1ST GRADE I WIN. O/B-George Krikorian (KY); T-William I. Mott; J-Junior Alvarado. $220,000. Lifetime Record: 2-2-0-0, $277,750. Werk Nick Rating: C+. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree or free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Central Avenue, 120, f, 2, by Street Sense
1st Dam: Centring (MGISP, $509,102), by A.P. Indy
2nd Dam: Composure, by Touch Gold
3rd Dam: Party Cited, by Alleged
1ST BLACK TYPE, 1ST GRADED BLACK TYPE, 1ST G1 BLACK TYPE. O/B-Godolphin (KY); T-Michael Stidham. $80,000.
3–Life Talk, 120, f, 2, by Gun Runner
1st Dam: Touchy Feely, by Bernardini
2nd Dam: Touched, by Touch Gold
3rd Dam: Bay Barrister, by Miswaki
1ST BLACK TYPE, 1ST GRADED BLACK TYPE, 1ST G1 BLACK TYPE. ($160,000 Wlg '21 KEENOV; $335,000 Ylg '22 KEESEP). O-Repole Stable; B-Gun Runner Syndicate, Mulholland Springs LLC & Tom Grether Farms Inc. (KY); T-Todd A. Pletcher. $48,000.
Margins: 3 3/4, HF, 1. Odds: 4.80, 18.60, 1.90.
Also Ran: Emery, Irish Maxima, Princess Indy.
Click for the Equibase.com chart or the TJCIS.com PPs. VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.
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