Fans at Del Mar say farewell to Justify

DEL MAR, Calif. - Justify, the Triple Crown winner, received a nice cheer from the fans at Del Mar on Saturday after laudatory remarks from track announcer Trevor Denman during a brief retirement ceremony following the day's fourth race.

Justify made a couple of rounds of the paddock before heading through the tunnel to the main track, where he was walked up the stretch to an area between the 16th pole and eighth pole. With groom Lalo Luna and exercise rider Beto Gomez holding shanks on either side of him, Justify was turned around and headed back toward the winner's circle, where he paused for photographers to take pictures.

Justify then headed down the stretch past the clubhouse area and exited the track at a gap near the 7 1/2-furlong pole that leads to the stable area.

During the ceremony, a brief video was played highlighting his six-race career, in which he became the 13th Triple Crown winner and second trained by Bob Baffert.

Kenny Trout, the owner of WinStar Farm, and Elliott Walden, WinStar's president and chief executive, were on hand for the ceremony. Mike Smith, who rode Justify, watched the ceremony from the winner's circle while outfitted in WinStar's silks.

Justify was officially retired earlier this week. He is scheduled to fly to Kentucky early next week and at first will be housed at WinStar until his stud plans are made official, though WinStar representatives have acknowledged that Coolmore America - where American Pharoah stands at stud - is in line to stand Justify at stud beginning next spring.