Just Might brings four-race win streak into Phoenix Stakes

Last year, a third-place finish in the Grade 2 Woodford on the turf at Keeneland propelled Just Might into the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint there, and he finished 14th. Just Might makes another appearance as the Keeneland fall meet opens Friday, but this time on the main track. He is part of a well-matched field of seven for the Grade 2, $250,000 Phoenix Stakes, which awards its winner a berth into the Breeders’ Cup Sprint on Nov. 6 at Del Mar.

Just Might is riding a streak of four straight stakes wins, two on turf and two on dirt.

“He’s doing as well as he ever has,” trainer Michelle Lovell said.

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After last fall’s Breeders’ Cup, Just Might finished second in the Richard R. Scherer Memorial and Duncan F. Kenner Stakes, both on the Fair Grounds turf. He then won an off-the-turf edition of the Colonel Power Stakes at that track.

After running 10th and eighth in a pair of Grade 2 turf sprints in Kentucky this past spring, the gelding won the Mighty Beau Stakes on the Churchill Downs turf.

He enjoyed a productive summer at Colonial Downs, winning the Da Hoss on the turf and the Chesapeake on the dirt. Most recently, he won the Louisville Thoroughbred Society Stakes.

He also was nominated to this Saturday’s Woodford, but Lovell opted for the Phoenix.

“He ran so well on dirt at Colonial, and he backed it up here at Churchill,” Lovell said. “We kind of measured both races, and knew both were going to be strong, [but] a lot of horses nominated for the Phoenix were running elsewhere.”

Just Might faces several familiar foes in the Phoenix, including Endorsed. Endorsed was second, beaten three-quarters of a length, in the Louisville Thoroughbred Society in his second start since being claimed for $100,000 by Mike Maker.

Maker also sends out Special Reserve, with the hot-riding Joel Rosario aboard. The 9-5 morning-line favorite for the Phoenix, Special Reserve has been first or second in his last six starts. He was second to Flagstaff in the Grade 2 Commonwealth during the spring meet at Keeneland. He proceeded to win the Grade 3 Maryland Sprint at Pimlico and the Iowa Sprint at Prairie Meadows before finishing second by a half-length to Lexitonian in the Grade 1 Vanderbilt at Saratoga.

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Mucho was second by a nose to Bango in the Kelly’s Landing in June at Churchill Downs, then won the Challedon in July at Pimlico. Most recently, he was second by a head to Just Might in the Chesapeake.

Quick Tempo, winner of the Sugar Bowl at Fair Grounds and second in the Nyquist at Keeneland last year at 2, comes off a close second in the Rumson at Monmouth. He usually is on or near the early lead and may need to use that speed from the rail. Just Might, drawn in post 4 with regular rider Colby Hernandez aboard, also has early speed.

“He’s going to have more pressure,” Lovell said. “A few horses like to run the way he does.”

Aloha West was fourth in the Kelly’s Landing in his only stakes try, but bounced back with back-to-back allowance wins at Saratoga.

Sir Alfred James, also coming off an allowance win, makes his first start since being claimed by trainer Norman Cash for $62,500 out of a 5 3/4-length victory at Churchill. He ran six furlongs in 1:08, just .45 of a second off the Churchill track mark, and his Beyer Speed Figure of 103 edges Aloha West’s 102 for the top last-out number in this field.