Triple Crown Winner Justify Retired
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THURSDAY, JULY 26, 2018 TRIPLE CROWN WINNER Q&A: SARATOGA TALK WITH LEADING OWNER MICHAEL DUBB JUSTIFY RETIRED by Steve Sherack SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y.--Michael Dubb=s Saratoga meeting kicked off in style this past weekend, highlighted by an authoritative win from the brilliant Monomoy Girl (Tapizar) in the GI Coaching Club American Oaks. Dubb=s yellow-and-pink silks were also carried to a very troubled third-place finish by A Raving Beauty (Ger) (Mastercraftsman {Ire}) in Saturday=s GI Diana S. TDN=s Senior Editor Steve Sherack caught up with the founder and Chief Executive Officer of the Beechwood Organization for a Q&A session as he aims for his fifth straight owner=s title at historic Saratoga. Cont. p4 (click here) Justify | Sarah K. Andrew IN TDN EUROPE TODAY China Horse Club, Head of Plains Partners, Starlight Racing and SUCCESS NO ACCIDENT FOR BISHOP WinStar Farm=s Justify (Scat Daddy--Stage Magic, by Tom Peacock catches up with jockey Charlie Bishop, who posted a career-best victory in Royal Ascot’s G1 Queen Anne Ghostzapper), >TDN Rising Star= and undefeated winner of the S. with Accidental Agent. 2018 Triple Crown, has been retired from racing and will have Click or tap here to go straight to TDN Europe. stud plans finalized at a future date, it was announced Wednesday. Bred in Kentucky by Glennwood Farm, the colt, who became the first unblemished Triple Crown winner since Seattle Slew in 1977, retires with a perfect six-for-six record and earnings of $3,798,000. AJustify had some filling in his ankle, and he is just not responding quick enough for a fall campaign,@ said trainer Bob Baffert. AWe all wanted to see Justify run again, but ultimately it is my responsibility to make sure he is perfect. Without 60-90 days, I can=t be definite.@ WinStar Farm=s Kenny Troutt added, AHe is an incredible horse and we are very disappointed he can=t run again. All things happen for a reason, and we are blessed to have raced him to be the 13th Triple Crown winner in history.@ Justify=s rise to the top of the game came in a remarkably short period of time. The hulking chestnut captured his seven-furlong debut at Santa Anita Feb. 18 and he quickly added a second win in an optional claimer at the Arcadia track Mar. 11. After that, it was on to the GI Santa Anita Derby Apr. 7, where he scored by an emphatic three lengths as a prep for the GI Kentucky Derby. Cont. p3 PUBLISHER & CEO Sue Morris Finley @suefinley [email protected] V.P., INTERNATIONAL OPERATIONS Gary King @garykingTDN [email protected] EDITORIAL [email protected] Editor-in-Chief Jessica Martini @JessMartiniTDN Managing Editor Alan Carasso @EquinealTDN Thursday, July 26, 2018 Senior Editor Steve Sherack @SteveSherackTDN Racing Editor Brian DiDonato @BDiDonatoTDN News and Features Editor Ben Massam @BMassamTDN Associate Editors Christie DeBernardis @CDeBernardisTDN Joe Bianca @JBiancaTDN ADVERTISING [email protected] Director of Advertising Alycia Borer Advertising Manager Lia Best Advertising Designer Amanda Crelin Advertising Assistants Alexa Reisfield Amie Morosco Advertising Assistant/Dir. of Distribution Rachel McCaffrey Photo Editor Sarah K. 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International Editor Kelsey Riley @kelseynrileyTDN [email protected] TODAY’S GRADED STAKES European Editor EST Race Click for TV Emma Berry 1:35p Silver Flash S.-G3, LEO -------------- TVG [email protected] 2:10p Tyros S.-G3, LEO -------------- TVG Associate International Editor Heather Anderson @HLAndersonTDN Newmarket Bureau, Cafe Racing Sean Cronin & Tom Frary [email protected] 60 Broad Street, Suite 100 Red Bank, NJ 07701 732-747-8060 | 732-747-8955 (fax) www.TheTDN.com TDN HEADLINE NEWS • PAGE 3 OF 11 • THETDN.COM THURSDAY • JULY 26, 2018 Justify Retired (cont. from p1) On the first Saturday in May, Justify attended a fast pace and kept finding, striding home 2 1/2 lengths in front in the Churchill Downs slop [video]. After a hard-fought half-length victory over Bravazo (Awesome Again) in the GI Preakness S. May 19 [video], Justify ran into the record books, becoming the 13th Triple Crown winner with a comfortable 1 3/4-length win in the GI Belmont S. June 9 [video]. The Bob Baffert trainee returned to his California base and has been residing at Del Mar in recent weeks, while being monitored for the ankle filling, which surfaced earlier this month. He is scheduled to parade Saturday at Del Mar after the day=s fourth race. Justify wins the Kentucky Derby | Coady photo ATo win the Triple Crown is an amazing accomplishment,@ said China Horse Club=s Teo Ah Khing. AThe history of the Triple Crown and the difficulty of winning the three legs is not something I take lightly. It has been a great ride for all of us, and I have complete confidence Bob is doing the right thing by Justify.@ While in the immediate aftermath of the Belmont, the door was left open for a potential return to the racetrack, the timing of the ankle filling ultimately led to Justify=s retirement, according to Elliott Walden of WinStar. Justify will return to the farm early next month. AThe timing is bad for another start in 2018, and therefore, we have to retire him,@ said Walden. ALike [2015 Triple Crown winner] American Pharoah (Pioneerof the Nile), we can=t take the risk of running Justify as a 4-year-old. We all wanted him to finish his career in the [GI] Breeders= Cup Classic, but it was not meant to be. As has been reported, there is a possible sale to Coolmore in place, but that won=t be finalized until a later date. We are excited to share him with our fans starting in the middle of August after he gets acclimated.@ TDN HEADLINE NEWS • PAGE 4 OF 11 • THETDN.COM THURSDAY • JULY 26, 2018 Justify=s Grade III-placed dam Stage Magic is also responsible for a 2-year-old half-sister to Justify by Pioneerof the Nile named Egyptian Storm, who was purchased by Robert S. Evans and West Point Thoroughbreds for $230,000 from the Glennwood consignment at last year=s Keeneland September sale. Egyptian Storm had her fourth published workout July 21 at Saratoga for trainer Christophe Clement. Stage Magic=s 2017 foal is a colt by Will Take Charge and she produced a colt by Pioneerof the Nile Apr. 19 before being bred back to Quality Road. Her 4-year-old daughter Holiday Music (Harlan=s Holiday) was claimed by trainer Neil Pessin for $30,000 out of a winning effort at the Fair Grounds on New Year=s Day and was subsequently privately purchased by Jane Lyon=s Summer Wind Farm. Justify=s second dam Magical Illusion (Pulpit) was third in the 2004 GI Coaching Club American Oaks, while third dam Voodoo Lily was a Grade III winner. Michael Dubb (cont. from p1) Q: Monomoy Girl helped kickstart your Saratoga meeting with another tremendous performance this past weekend as you seek a fifth straight owner=s title. What were your thoughts on opening weekend, which also included a very unlucky third from A Raving Beauty in the Diana? MD: It would be nice, obviously, to win another title, but I=ve been so fortunate and so lucky all winter and spring with a fantastic Belmont meet and also a win in the Kentucky Oaks, that I=m more than prepared for the luck--the ebb and flow of the game. So, if I happen to win a fifth title, it would be great. If I don=t, I won=t be the slightest bit disappointed. Michael Dubb | Sarah K. Andrew TDN HEADLINE NEWS • PAGE 5 OF 11 • THETDN.COM THURSDAY • JULY 26, 2018 Q: What makes Saratoga such a special place for you? What do MD: I play tennis in Saratoga National Park and I enjoy going to you enjoy most? breakfast at Country Corner Cafe or Sweet Mimi=s [Cafe & Bakery] as much as I can. I also enjoy the golfcart experience MD: I=m 62 now and when I started coming to Saratoga when I around the backside and chatting with and seeing all our was 17, I was sleeping in my van. What makes it special is the racetrack brethren in the morning and watching the horses beauty, but also the dreams achieved... Winning races at breeze. Saratoga and being front and center and trying to make a difference on the backside through my NYRA position [on the Q: You=ve campaigned plenty of top horses and won your first Board of Directors]. It=s such a special place that it kind of Breeders= Cup race with Wavell Avenue in the 2015 Filly & overwhelms you with its beauty and charm.