Justin Squared Speeds to Chick Lang Victory

It may not have been in the big race, but Zayat Stables made a splash on Preaknesss Day anyway.

Undefeated Justin Squared retained that status with a front-running two-length victory in the $100,000 Chick Lang Stakes on the Xpressbet.com Preakness (gr. I) undercard May 21. 

The 3-year-old, Bob Baffert-trained Zensational colt, who sped to victory to break his maiden at Del Mar in September and did the same in an allowance/optional claiming race at Los Alamitos Race Course April 21, broke in and a step slow Saturday at Pimlico Race Course and had to be rushed to the front from the rail by jockey Martin Pedroza.

Once he hit the front, Pedroza took a hold and Justin Squared never relinquished command. He set fractions of :23.01 and :46.17 through the first half mile, hit five furlongs in :58.38 and crossed the wire in 1:11.41 on a track rated muddy, ahead of fast-closing last-out stakes winner Counterforce, who rallied from last in the field of seven to pick up second. Longshot Formal Summation did his best to keep up with the rocket-quick pacesetter early on and held for third.

"When he broke left out of the gate, I'm like, 'No, no,' " Pedroza said. "He may have even skimmed the rail a bit. After he straightened out, I had a good hold on him the whole way.  ... He had unbelievable speed and reminds me of Private Zone."

A :45 flat half-mile workout May 15 at Santa Anita Park had Baffert a bit perturbed in the moment, but Pedroza, aboard for the drill, didn't feel it was too fast.

"I told Martin, 'What are you doing?' " Baffert said. "He said he was going easy. (I said), 'No he wasn't. He went :45. That was just fast.' He's an extremely fast horse. We're just going to slowly try to get him to the Breeders' Cup Sprint (gr. I). He's ridiculously fast."

The winner, out of the Vindication mare Graciously Soft, paid $3.60 to win as the 4-5 favorite. He now three-for-three and has $129,600 in earnings.