Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf: Brown notches sixth victory with Hard to Justify
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ARCADIA, Calif. — Two top-tier rivals had Hard to Justify under pressure in the stretch of Friday’s $1 million Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf at Santa Anita. As quickly as Hard to Justify appeared in jeopardy of losing her lead, she was able to sustain her narrow advantage.
Hard to Justify, always close to the pace through the mile, repelled challenges from She Feels Pretty and Porta Fortuna to remain unbeaten after three starts.
Ridden by Flavien Prat, Hard to Justify ($20.20) won by a half-length over a closing Porta Fortuna, who was 7-2. She Feels Pretty, the 7-2 favorite, finished a head behind Porta Fortuna after a wide trip.
A stubborn effort by Hard to Justify was enough to secure the win and receive an 85 Beyer Speed Figure.
“She fought back right away as soon as the horse came along side of her," Prat said of She Feels Pretty.
“Every time I asked her to do something, she responded really well. I thought she would hit her best stride.”
Hard to Justify was timed in 1:34.42.
Hard to Justify was second for most of the race, tracking pacesetter Dreamfyre through early fractions of 22.91 seconds for the opening quarter-mile and 47.65 for a half-mile.
She was able to secure an early position despite a start from post 12 in a field of 14 that was a concern for Prat and winning trainer Chad Brown.
Hard to Justify had won her stakes debut in the Grade 2 Miss Grillo Stakes 1 1/16 miles on turf at the Belmont at Aqueduct meeting on Oct. 7 by racing form a stalking position.
Prat and Brown thought a similar approach would work in a big field in the Juvenile Fillies Turf.
“We burned some gas going into the first turn, but it felt like we slowed down and took a breather down the backside,” Prat said. “It felt like from there I had a good chance.”
Hard to Justify passed Dreamfyre in the stretch but was quickly threatened by She Feels Pretty. Ridden by John Velazquez, She Feels Pretty raced wide after a troubled start and was unable to save any ground through the race.
“Johnny is a little upset that she stumbled coming out of the gate and it cost her position,” trainer Cherie DeVaux said.
“She ran wide on the first turn and I don’t think that helped her.”
She Feels Pretty was beaten for the first time in her third start on Friday, having won the Grade 1 Natalma Stakes at Woodbine in September in her stakes debut.
Porta Fortuna raced in a stalking position between rivals to the turn, jockey Oisin Murphy moved Porta Fortuna toward the inside in the stretch and steadily got closer to the front.
“It opened up on the inside,” Murphy said. “It was a bit tight for running space. I never got stopped.”
Trained in Ireland by Donnacha O’Brien, Porta Fortuna has won 5 of 7 starts this year, including three group stakes in Ireland and Britain.
Content, trained by O’Brien’s father, Aidan, finished fourth, closing from 10th in the final furlong after being steadied on the first turn.
The remaining order of finish was Austere, Buchu, Carla’s Way, Life’s an Audible, Dreamfyre, Laulne, Les Pavots, Flattery, Gala Brand, and Buttercream Babe.
The win gave trainer Chad Brown a record sixth win in the Juvenile Fillies Turf and was a first for Wise Racing. All six of Brown’s winners had their third careers starts in the Juvenile Fillies Turf.
Hard to Justify, by Justify, has earned $687,750. Purchased as a yearling for $190,000, Hard to Justify began her career with a win in a maiden race at 1 1/16 miles on turf at Saratoga on July 23, overcoming trouble at several stages of the race.
She won the Miss Grillo by a half-length over Life’s an Audible in a preview of the steely manner of her win in the Juvenile Fillies Turf.
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