Justinqueso seen in whole new light with blinkers

Trainer Ian Wilkes made two changes with the 4-year-old filly Justinqueso on July 10. He switched her back to dirt racing for the first time in 13 months, and for the first time in an actual start, he sent Justinqueso out in blinkers.

Justinqueso, racing three wide around the entire turn, finished a battling third in the Saylorville Stakes at Prairie Meadows, losing to two horses who’d saved ground around the bend.

Good effort, but not as good as a second-level sprint allowance Aug. 27 at Colonial, Justinqueso, who had never been a first-call leader her first 14 starts, tore off to an early lead and aired in a second-level allowance, just missing her career-best 88 Beyer Speed Figure.

Only one of the two changes, to hear Wilkes tell it, turned the filly’s fortunes around.

“She can run on any surface – turf, dirt. She won a stake on synthetic. Blinkers helped her,” Wilkes said.

Blinkered Justinqueso for the first time in a year has shown real signs of life and development. She could improve again, and if she does, the featured third race at Keeneland is hers for the taking. Seven older fillies and mares were entered in a six-furlong dirt contest open to third-level allowance horses or $100,000 claimers, of which there are none.

Several opponents who start outside rail-drawn Justinqueso pack an early positional punch, but Justinqueso need not lead to contend. Wilkes said she’ll put new jockey Brian Hernandez in a favorable forward position. From there, the blinkers can work their magic.

“In her grass races, she looked like she was just going through the motions. She trained good in the blinkers, so I put them on, and I think that really turned her around,” Wilkes said.

Spring Dancer, Silent Law, Madonna of Loreto, and Velvet Devil all want to press forward out of the gate, which would land Justinqueso a favorable stalking trip. And if all the jockeys, fearing a battle up front, take a hold of their mount, Justinqueso can pop onto the lead as she did at Colonial.

Strong State has performed best as a one-run closer, and while her peak race doesn’t reach Justinqueso’s level, race shape alone could allow her to crack the trifecta in Keeneland’s Wednesday feature.