Late-Running Justique Keeps Sprinting in Santa Ynez

Fresh off a visually impressive win in an ungraded stakes race Nov. 19, C R K Stable's Justique  heads a field of seven sophomore fillies racing seven furlongs in $200,000 Santa Ynez Stakes (G3) Jan. 1 at Santa Anita Park.

Trained by John Shirreffs, Justique, in a come-from-behind performance reminiscent of the great Zenyatta , walked out of the gate in the seven-furlong Desi Arnaz Stakes at Del Mar Nov. 19, was about 10 lengths off the lead at the half-mile pole, cruised into contention while within herself around the far turn and won as she pleased by 2 1/4 lengths under a hand ride from Victor Espinoza. 

By 2018 Triple Crown winner Justify   out of the Bernardini  mare Grazie Mille , Justique sold for $725,000 to Mayberry Farm at the 2021 Keeneland September Yearling Sale from the Glenwood Farm consignment. She is a half sister to Mo Town   (Uncle Mo  ), winner of the 2016 Remsen Stakes (G2) and 2017 Hollywood Derby (G1T), both at 1 1/8 miles.

Justique went largely unnoticed in her 5 1/2 furlong debut July 31, as she won from far off the pace at odds of 8-1.

Subsequently third, beaten 5 1/2 lengths at 6-5 as she stretched out to 1 1/16 miles in the Chandelier Stakes (G2) at Santa Anita Oct. 8, Justique was nonetheless favored when off at 3-2 in the Desi Arnaz.

Off slowly in all three of her starts, Justique will likely employ similar tactics as she takes on a competitive group of classmates that will include three Bob Baffert trainees.

The Richard Mandella-trained Ice Dancing , an impressive one-length gate-to-wire maiden winner going a mile Nov. 25 at Del Mar, finished a half-length behind Justique two starts back in the Chandelier Stakes and now cuts back to one turn. 

A grey or roan filly by Frosted, Ice Dancing who is owned by Ramona and Perry Bass and bred in Kentucky by their Bass Stables, was third in the TVG Del Mar Debutante Stakes (G1) going seven eighths three starts back and will be ridden by Mike Smith in what will be her fifth career start and her third graded stakes engagement.

Of the three Baffert entrants—Huntingcoco , Parody , and Fast and Shiny  (supplemented)—Parody, would appear to have the most speed, while Huntingcoco, a 6 3/4-length first-out maiden winner who has been beaten double digits in two subsequent stakes engagements, most recently a fifth-place run behind Justique in the Desi Arnaz, may have the most upside.

Also of note is the presence of Lily Poo , who joins the barn of trainer Michael McCarthy after a private purchase by owner Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners after a maiden victory Dec. 2 at Del Mar in her third career outing.

Entries: Santa Ynez S. (G3)

Santa Anita Park, Sunday, January 01, 2023, Race 7

• Grade III
• 7f
• Dirt
• $200,000
• 3 yo Fillies
• 2:59 PM (local)

PP	Horse	Jockey	Wgt	Trainer	M/L
1	1Satin Doll (KY)	Edwin A. Maldonado	120	Doug F. O'Neill	20/1
2	2Justique (KY)	Victor Espinoza	122	John A. Shirreffs	4/5
3	3Lily Poo (KY)	Ramon A. Vazquez	120	Michael W. McCarthy	4/1
4	4Huntingcoco (PA)	John R. Velazquez	120	Bob Baffert	8/1
5	5Fast and Shiny (KY)	Abel Cedillo	120	Bob Baffert	12/1
6	6Parody (KY)	Juan J. Hernandez	120	Bob Baffert	10/1
7	7Ice Dancing (KY)	Mike E. Smith	120	Richard E. Mandella	7/2