Justify lives up to billing in 144th Kentucky Derby

LOUISVILLE, Ky. -- Justify is everything they said he was, and then some.

What horse beating 19 Kentucky Derby rivals on a sloppy track in his first trip away from home could be anything but special?

Justify, a California visitor, brought all of that on a Saturday at Churchill Downs that the weathermen got it wrong but the majority of bettors got it right.

He was plenty tired at the finish -- who wouldn't be? -- but in winning Kentucky Derby 144, the chestnut colt overcame forces that have pressed down on certain runners in this American classic since the 19th Century.

The son of deceased sire Scat Daddy ensured that Apollo, the 1882 Derby winner, will not be much in the news at Derby time next year. Justify is the first horse unraced at 2 to win the spring classic since the horse named for the Greek god of many things in Derby 8.

The newest Derby winner will be mentioned now with 12 horses who have won horse racing's Triple Crown, with Seattle Slew (1977) sure to receive special mention as the only winner of the Derby, Preakness and Belmont Stakes while unbeaten. Not even American Pharoah, the most recent Triple Crown winner, could do that.

Bob Baffert, three years after saddling that champion, invoked AP's name and that of the sport's career earnings leader, which he also trained, in assessing Justify's effort through a 4-for-4 career.

"Horses like him, American Pharoah and Arrogate are tough from the get-go," Baffert said in the afterglow of his fifth Derby victory. "You just saw a great performance."

Justify represented the second Derby winner for jockey Mike Smith, who almost broke the Apollo curse with 2012 runner-up Bodemeister, that year's Arkansas Derby winner.

Previously winning the Derby with Giacomo in 2005, Smith coaxed Justify home through fast early fractions and against challenges from several rivals. The winning margin was 2 1/2 lengths after a mile and a quarter in 2:04.20 over a rain-soaked surface.

Though the downpour caught local weather watchers by surprise, the betting public recognized a good thing on sight. The 3-1 choice of Derby handicapper Mike Battaglia, Justify dropped to 5-2 with a burst of late money and paid $7.80 to win.

Good Magic, last year's Breeders' Cup Juvenile and 2-year-old champion, finished a strong second, 2 1/2 lengths in front of Audible with 85-1 longshot Instilled Regard fourth.

My Boy Jack, Oaklawn Park's Grade 3 Southwest winner in February over a muddy track, finished fifth. Magnum Moon, the Grade 1 Arkansas Derby winner last month, finished next to last, beating only European import Mendelssohn across the wire. Oaklawn winner Bravazo ran sixth and locally raced Solomini (trained by Baffert) 10th and Combatant 18th.

Seeking his fifth victory since a Jan. 13 debut, Magnum Moon also tried to beat the Apollo jinx but met the same fate of three stablemates. Trainer Todd Pletcher's Derby record thus fell to 2 for 52 after winning last year with Always Dreaming.

The victory was worth $1,432,000 for Justify's vast ownership group including WinStar Farm (Kenny Troutt), China Horse Racing Club (Teo Ah Khing), Monomoy Stables (Sol Kumin) and Starlight Racing (Jack Wolf). Kumin is co-owner of Friday's Kentucky Oaks 144 winner Monomoy Girl and, said Churchill spokesman John Asher, is believed to be the first to race the Derby and Oaks winners in the same year since Calumet Farm with Hill Gail and Real Delight, respectively, in 1952.

It was a personal triumph for Smith, whose pedal-to-the-medal approach with Bodemister here in 2012 was second-guessed after I'll Have Another caught him late.

Ideally drawn in post 7, Justify pressed expected pacesetter Promises Fulfilled through a brisk opening quarter in 22.24 seconds, sitting a length and a half back after a half in 45.77. Justify was still second entering the far turn at Churchill Downs, where the Derby is often decided, and led by a length and half through a mile in 1:37.35, riding the rail to the finish.

Those numbers cooked 49-1 Promises Fulfilled, who faded to 15th (just ahead of stablemate Free Drop Billy). Good Magic was made of stronger stuff, dogging Justify from outside but only able to shave a half-length off the leader's advantage in the lane.

"My job is just to get him out of there," said Smith.

Mission: accomplished. And now on to Baltimore and the May 19 Preakness at old Pimlico, the Apollo curse lifted from Justify's shoulders before a Triple Crown frenzy surrounding the colt begins.

Sports on 05/06/2018

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