And so, with a bang, and not a whimper, the 136-year Kentucky Derby run against horses who were unraced at 2 was obliterated Saturday by Justify, as deserving a Derby winner as one could ever hope to see. I mean, seriously. What Justify did was absurdly impressive. He went out and pressed an early pace that was nothing short of blistering set by the sacrificial no-hoper Promises Fulfilled, sitting right on top of fractions of 22.24 seconds and 45.77. Ridiculous fractions. Especially for 1 1/4 miles. Let’s be honest, in how many other races not named the Kentucky Derby would you or I be screaming at the television, cursing out a jockey on a prime contender for going too fast early and dogging an overmatched rabbit who would have stopped for you even if you gave him a five-length head start and two extra seconds on the clock? Yet none of that mattered to Justify. Despite doing all the dirty work in this Derby and in effect setting the table for every one of the 18 opponents who sat behind him through that destructive pace, Justify still won off. Good Magic, the champion 2-year-old male, primed to run the best race of his life, moved up to Justify in the stretch after getting the sweetest set up a horse could ever ask for, and Justify swatted him away like he was an allowance horse. And he’s not. Good Magic is a champion. And Justify did this in only the fourth start of his career. And in only his second ever start in a stakes race. After only beginning his career Feb. 18. Granted, there were a few others in the Derby who had tough trips, most notably Audible, who might have finished second, ahead of Good Magic, with a clean run. That said, think for a moment what Justify might have done to Good Magic and Audible and the rest of this Derby field if he didn’t do every bit of the heavy lifting and actually got something of a trip for himself. The prospect is frightening. :: Get the Preakness All-Access package for just $29.95 The one wart on this Derby, besides the weather and sloppy track – conditions every participant had to deal with – is that the final time of 2:04.20 translated to a 103 Beyer Speed Figure, not particularly strong in the historic context of the Derby, which has a par of over 107. But in fairness, it couldn't have been a big number, not when you realize the field had to come home slowly after going that fast early. As a speed figure devotee for the last 40 years, I can accept that this an instance where the final-time speed figure does not do the winning performance justice. What does do Justify justice, however, is the regard trainer Bob Baffert has for him. Two of the best horses we’ve seen in recent years are American Pharoah and Arrogate, and they also were trained by Baffert. And yet in a hot take right after the Derby, Baffert freely offered that he considers Justify to be cut from the same cloth. “I rank him up there with my top ones,” Baffert said. What’s pretty amazing is, Justify is only just getting started. Derby weekend notes * Monomoy Girl maintained her status as the top 3-year-old filly in the land with a determined victory in Friday’s Kentucky Oaks, her sixth victory from seven career starts and third stakes win along with the Ashland and Rachel Alexandra from as many starts this year. And Monomoy Girl showed a lot of courage Friday as she was on the pace from the outset, was caught three wide on the first turn, made the first move on the far turn, and came again after being headed by Wonder Gadot in the stretch. But without taking anything away from Monomoy Girl’s gutsy effort, I do feel she got an assist from Oaks runner up, Wonder Gadot. Wonder Gadot has developed a very costly hanging habit this year. She showed a reluctance to close the deal when a close third in the Fair Grounds Oaks, and I thought she clearly hung when nosed in the Fantasy. Wonder Gadot had Monomoy Girl measured in midstretch of the Oaks, but after she drew even, she idled and simply would not go on by like it appeared she certainly would. As for Midnight Bisou, the other big-name filly going into the Oaks off her strong Santa Anita form, all she could do was manage a well-beaten third after a mild, outside rally. For sure, Midnight Bisou was not helped by Friday’s main track at Churchill, which seemed to play in favor of speed. But the way she flagged late made me wonder if the Midnight Lute on her top side didn’t also make its presence felt in the ninth and final furlong. * Yoshida showed flashes of serious ability last year in some of the better 3-year-old grass stakes out there, but he showed he is now a serious, grown up turf force Saturday with a strong victory in the Old Forester Turf Classic in his 4-year-old bow. Yoshida prevailed in the Turf Classic over Beach Patrol, who, were it not for a half-length loss in last year’s Breeders’ Cup Turf, would have been the Eclipse Award-winning turf male of 2017, not World Approval. While World Approval completed a consecutive Grade 1-winning triple when he won last fall’s Breeders’ Cup Mile, Beach Patrol also would have had three straight Grade 1 scores if he came out on the better end of the decision in the Turf. And what would have been Beach Patrol’s Grade 1 triple of the Arlington Million, Joe Hirsch Turf Classic, and Breeders’ Cup Turf would have been impossible for the Eclipse Award electorate to deny. All of this is meant to say that Yoshida beat a top-class opponent in Beach Patrol. And though Beach Patrol also was making his 2018 bow Saturday, he had to be ready what with Chad Brown in his corner, one of the best layoff trainers in the business. Yoshida now has his sights set on a very big target, namely Royal Ascot. After what he demonstrated Saturday, he’s ready. * I don’t want to get carried away with Backyard Heaven and his big win in Friday’s Alysheba, because the most notable opponents he walloped were Always Dreaming, who hasn’t run a legitimately good race since he won last year’s Kentucky Derby, and Good Samaritan, who simply didn’t show up even if his closing kick might have been compromised by the speed-friendly main track. Still, Backyard Heaven, in his first attempt going two turns and in only his fourth career start, was very good. He clearly loved routing, and judging from Brown’s post-race comments, which included specific mentions of the Stephen Foster and Whitney, it appears that two turns is where Backyard Heaven will stay. I note that because given the fact that Backyard Heaven ran so well in one-turn mile races in his first three starts, I suspect he could cut back a turn for a major event like the Met Mile and probably not lose a thing. But even if Backyard Heaven doesn’t do that, the mere suspicion he could and still be very effective is part of what makes him such an intriguing new face in the older dirt male division. * As impressive as Backyard Heaven was, Abel Tasman was anything but in Friday’s La Trioenne. Last year’s champion 3-year-old filly might have been going against the grain of the track and also was compromised by a slow pace unfavorable to her closing style. But Abel Tasman, who is/was expected to be a major player in this year’s older dirt female division, was nonetheless shockingly flat, managing only a meek fourth in a six-horse field. One should never count out a champion off of one poor effort. But after that return effort, it will be difficult not to bet against Abel Tasman next time. * It appears Limousine Liberal is the new Divisidero of Derby Day. Limousine Liberal won Saturday’s Churchill Downs Stakes, just like he did in 2017. Divisidero, of course, won the Woodford Reserve Turf Classic on the Derby undercards of 2016 and 2017. Notably, Limousine Liberal is now 6 for 8 at Churchill (he is 2 for 13 elsewhere). That is something to keep in mind since Churchill is the site of this year’s Breeders’ Cup. * I believe Selcourt is the best female sprinter in the country right now, but it’s clear American Gal is a serious player in this division off her solid victory in Saturday’s Humana Distaff. American Gal, who impressed last year when she romped in the Test Stakes, despite giving away all the ground, was making only her eighth career start Saturday, so she still has room to get even better.