Baffert all smiles as Justify readies for Belmont Stakes

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – If trainer Bob Baffert had his way, what remains of the time between the Preakness and Belmont Stakes would quickly vanish. Justify looked so good in his first post-Preakness breeze Tuesday at Churchill Downs that Baffert started talking about running the superstar colt back as soon as possible.

“I wish the race was this week,” Baffert said with a smile, “but, you know, we’ve got another week to go. I think we’re in great shape.”

So, until the late-afternoon shadows begin to descend on Belmont Park on June 9, Baffert and everyone else will be in hurry-up-and-wait mode. That’s when Justify will be heavily favored to become the 13th horse to win the Triple Crown – and just the second to sweep it while still unbeaten, following Seattle Slew in 1977.

Baffert was in Louisville for two nights before leaving after training hours Tuesday to return to his home in California. He left no doubt that he very much liked what he saw when he was here, most notably the seemingly effortless half-mile work by Justify. Amid light rain and with Martin Garcia in from California to ride him, Justify went a half-mile in 46.80 seconds before going out five furlongs in 59.60, according to Churchill clocker John Nichols.

“It was a little breeze,” Baffert said. “I mean, he’s a great horse. He was in hand. I knew [Monday], the way he was, he was ready to do something. This week, with the rain coming, we’re not going to be doing too much with him, so I just wanted to make sure we got a little air into him.”

Baffert essentially is using the same schedule at Churchill that he employed three years ago between the Preakness and Belmont with American Pharoah, the eventual Triple Crown winner. Baffert said he will return to Louisville this weekend prior to overseeing a final pre-Belmont breeze, probably Monday. The colt is scheduled to be flown next Wednesday to New York.

Baffert said that Justify, owned by a four-way partnership headed by WinStar Farm, shows no signs of a letdown since he captured the May 19 Preakness by a measured half-length over Bravazo.

“He’s just a magnificent specimen of a horse,” said Baffert. “I’ve got to pinch myself because I’ve had all these great horses right in a row. I’m just glad that [WinStar president] Elliott Walden and WinStar, they sent me this horse. Somebody’s looking out for me.”

The Tuesday work went exactly to plan. Stepping onto a freshly harrowed track rendered a tad muddy by the rain, Justify jogged clockwise over to the wire before turning around for the work. Around the clubhouse turn and into the backstretch, Garcia had Justify in a smooth rhythm while angling closer to the rail at about the five-furlong pole, and the colt was in full flight when passing the half-mile pole. Splits from Nichols were 12 seconds, 23.60, and 35.20. Baffert watched from the frontside.

“The track was nice and had some bounce to it,” said Baffert. “He just went around there really nice.”

Baffert was in touch with Garcia by radio during the work.

“I basically didn’t say anything to Martin during the work,” Baffert said.

“He had him down in a nice little groove. I was surprised at how fast the time was because of how easy he was doing it.

“It’s what you want to see. I was hoping for that kind of work – like American Pharoah, he came back here, he looked like that. I feel pretty strong that he’s not going backward on us. He’s moving forward. You can see his weight, the way he’s held his weight – he’s a big, massive horse.”

Earlier Tuesday morning, Baffert also oversaw a seven-furlong breeze by Restoring Hope, who also is likely for the Belmont. With Florent Geroux up, Restoring Hope went in 1:26, with a one-mile out time of 1:40.20.

The Baffert horses are among five Belmont prospects based at Churchill, with the others being Bravazo, Tenfold, and Free Drop Billy. Two equine charters – one Tuesday and one Wednesday – will transport the Kentucky horses to New York.

Both Baffert horses walked the Barn 33 shed row Wednesday, while Bravazo and Tenfold were out for routine gallops over a fast track during the training period reserved for Belmont horses. Bravazo, said trainer D. Wayne Lukas, “has had a good week.”

“Good energy, bucking and jumping during his gallops, which is kind of unusual,” Lukas said.

Bravazo and Tenfold both were scheduled for one breeze prior to the Belmont, with Bravazo tentatively set to go Thursday and Tenfold on Saturday.

PROSPECTIVE BELMONT STAKES FIELD

HORSE	TRAINER	JOCKEY	LAST RACE/FINISH
Bandua	Dermot Weld	TBD	Allowance - 1st (Cork - IRE)
Blended Citizen	Doug O'Neill	Kyle Frey	Peter Pan Stakes - 1st (BEL)
Bravazo	D. Wayne Lukas	Luis Saez	Preakness - 2nd (PIM)
Free Drop Billy	Dale Romans	Robby Albarado	Kentucky Derby - 16th (CD)
Gronkowski	Chad Brown	Jose Ortiz	Burradon Stakes - 1st (Newcastle - ENG)
Hofburg	Bill Mott	Irad Ortiz Jr.	Kentucky Derby - 7th (CD)
Justify	Bob Baffert	Mike Smith	Preakness - 1st (PIM)
Noble Indy	Todd Pletcher	Javier Castellano	Kentucky Derby - 17th (CD)
Restoring Hope	Bob Baffert	Flavien Prat	Pat Day Mile - 12th (CD)
Seahenge	Aidan O'Brien	Ryan Moore	Pat Day Mile - 7th (CD)
Tenfold	Steve Asmussen	Ricardo Santana Jr.	Preakness - 3rd (PIM)
Vino Rosso	Todd Pletcher	John Velazquez	Kentucky Derby - 9th (CD)