Just F Y I cruises home in Frizette Stakes
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Just F Y I picked up a berth for the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies on Saturday, when she splashed to a 3 3/4-length win over Central Avenue in the Grade 1, $400,000 Frizette at Aqueduct.
And that’s not all she accomplished.
Just F Y I gave her connections – George Krikorian, trainer Bill Mott, and jockey Junior Alvarado – their second straight Grade 1 win on the card behind War Like Goddess in the Joe Hirsch Turf Classic.
The races were run back to back.
“It’s very special,” Krikorian told the New York Racing Association. “I couldn’t be more pleased. I’m ecstatic.”
Just F Y I ($11.60) also made the leap from maiden winner at Saratoga to Grade 1 winner and proved she could handle a wet track as she won the Frizette over a sloppy, sealed surface. The daughter of Justify, who was bred by Krikorian, is now 2 for 2.
The track “was the big question and we didn't know,” Mott said of how Just F Y I might handle the wet surface. “You don't know until you run them. We thought she was a nice filly and, in this day and age, I guess if you break your maiden impressively, you're looking at going to a stakes race because there aren't many allowance races.”
Just F Y I stalked the pace in third in the Frizette as Irish Maxima set fractions of 23.63 seconds for the opening quarter and 47.64 for the half-mile, with Emery in close pursuit. Just F Y I raced off the rail, advanced three wide on the turn, and got to Irish Maxima through six furlongs in 1:13.10. The eventual winner pulled away in the stretch while covering the distance in 1:37.59.
Just F Y I earned a Beyer Speed Figure of 75.
“I was very happy with what I had under me the whole way around,” Alvarado told NYRA. “I was just hoping by the time I let her go, she wasn’t going to fool me. Right when I asked her, she started picking it up. She had that beautiful long stride. Right when she switched leads, I knew she would be okay turning for home. She finished up nice and strong.
“We always knew that she would be a filly that would appreciate stretching out.”
Central Avenue closed from sixth and last to finish second, a half-length in front of third-place finisher Life Talk. Emery, the even-money favorite, was fourth, and was followed by Irish Maxima and Princess Indy.
Just F Y I is from the female family of multiple Grade 1 winner Stellar Jayne. Just F Y I earned $220,000 for her effort in the Frizette to lift her bankroll to $277,750.
Mott told NYRA both Just F Y I and War Like Goddess are under consideration for Breeders’ Cup races next month at Santa Anita.
If they go, they'll be running on back-to-back days.
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