Justify, Belmont Challengers Gallop at Churchill

Undefeated Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (G1) and Preakness Stakes (G1) winner Justify schooled in the starting gate and galloped about 1 1/8 miles June 1 at Churchill Downs as he prepared for the June 9 Belmont Stakes (G1) and a sweep of the Triple Crown.

"He's just breathing fire out there," said Jimmy Barnes, trainer Bob Baffert's assistant. "You can tell he's feeling full of himself. He's happy with what he's doing, and that's most important. He is getting fitter and fitter each day. He has a solid foundation under him now, and I think he's ready to take the big step forward."

Justify is scheduled to gallop June 2 and June 3 during the exclusive training period for Belmont Stakes contenders at 7:30 a.m. EDT, and he will breeze June 4, according to Barnes.

"We chose today to be our gate day just because the track was a little on the firmer side," Barnes said of the track being sealed to keep the overnight rain from penetrating the surface. "We didn't want to do too much with track conditions. With him working this coming week, we weren't really going to have a chance to get back up to the gate."

While Justify cooled off from his Friday training, stablemate Restoring Hope, the third-place finisher in the Wood Memorial Stakes presented by NYRA Bets (G2), galloped 1 1/2 miles in preparation for the Belmont.

"He's fresh, happy, very good energy," Barnes said.

In other Belmont Stakes news, 2017 Claiborne Breeders' Futurity (G1) winner Free Drop Billy galloped 1 1/2 miles for trainer Dale Romans, and trainer Steve Asmussen's Preakness third-place finisher Tenfold galloped nearly two miles.

"(Tenfold) galloped good," said Scott Blasi, the assistant trainer who oversees Asmussen's Churchill Downs operation. "I was really happy with him. He just looks like he's got a bloom to him. I really liked his gallop today a lot."

The son of two-time Horse of the Year Curlin  is scheduled to work five furlongs Saturday morning at Churchill and to fly to New York on Tuesday.

Preakness runner-up Bravazo walked trainer D. Wayne Lukas' shedrow following his one-mile breeze in 1:42 3/5 May 31.