Justify Smooth and Easy in Final Pre-Belmont Work

Bob Baffert has reached a point in this five-week journey through the American classics where he's out of new material as far as Justify is concerned.

The Hall of Fame trainer has stated in every way possible what an exceptional animal the chestnut son of Scat Daddy is. And each time the conditioner finds the right adjectives to describe what the unbeaten dual classic winner has accomplished in his meteoric five-race career, the big chestnut runner backs him up by behaving every bit like the wondrous athlete he has been deemed.

As Justify stepped onto the Churchill Downs oval June 4 for his last major piece of work in advance of his Triple Crown try in the June 9 Belmont Stakes (G1), it was more of the same from him and his camp. After watching the colt cruise through a five-furlong breeze in 1:01 2/5 that was as easy as he pleased, Baffert reiterated how spoiled he was to have a horse whose actions could deliver the most definitive statements.

"(Jockey) Martin (Garcia) said he didn't even take a deep breath," Baffert said of the work. "All seems good."

After dropping jaws with his sizzling four-furlong work in :46 4/5 at Churchill May 29, Justify put in a steadier effort June 4, but one that still featured his trademark ease. After breaking off solo at the half-mile pole, Justify was well in hand while registering splits of :12 4/5, :24 4/5, :37, and :48 4/5 and put in a big gallop out to six furlongs in 1:13 3/5 and seven furlongs in 1:27 1/5.

"He went a little quick last time so I wanted to go three quarters with him," said Baffert, who arrived in Louisville the evening before to oversee Justify's final pre-Belmont work. "Just kept him in hand the whole way and let him gallop out seven-eighths. He went smooth and he relaxed nice. Last time he was a little bit fresh, I think, and really wanted to do a little bit more. But Martin was happy with him."

Keeping Justify happy has been the modus operandi for Baffert and his team as the colt attempts to become just the 13th horse to sweep the American classics. As has been the case in many of his exploits, the well-built specimen has made life easy in that respect, thanks to his good mind and exceptional recovery time.

Where Baffert said the colt was still a tad soft physically earlier in the season, he sees nothing but firm muscle now over every bit of his 16.3-hand frame. The light bulb has come on mentally as well, according to Baffert—yet another scary prospect for those aiming to derail Justify in the 1 1/2-miles test that looms June 9.

"He's a seasoned horse now," Baffert said. "He's had those five races and I can just tell he's more professional. He's been shipped around, been in these races, been in some tough fights. He handles it well. He's basically just run himself into shape here.

"Before he was lightly raced, and people were saying he couldn't win the Derby because he was lightly raced. Now he can't win the Belmont because he's raced too much—it's always something. But he's seasoned now. He should be up for it."

Owned by WinStar Farm, China Horse Club, Starlight Racing, and Head of Plains Partners, Justify is slated to have a walk day June 5 before shipping to Belmont Park the following day.

Among those joining him on the New York flight will be fellow Belmont hopeful Restoring Hope, who followed his heralded stablemate onto the Churchill track Monday and put in his own solid workout in preparation for Big Sandy. With jockey Florent Geroux up, the son of Giant's Causeway  covered six furlongs in 1:13 with splits of :12 3/5, :24 2/5, :36 1/5, :48 2/5, and 1:00 1/5 with a gallop out of seven furlongs in 1:26 2/5.

"He worked really well, he always works really well," Baffert said of Restoring Hope. "He's a one-paced kind of horse and he went a little bit faster, but I wanted to do a little more with him because he hasn't run in a while (12th in the grade 3 Pat Day Mile Stakes Presented by LG and E and KU May 5). We let him work a little harder."

Restoring Hope's best stakes effort came when he was third in the April 7 Wood Memorial Presented by NYRA Bets (G2).

Trainer Dale Romans reported Monday that expected Belmont Stakes contender and grade 1 winner Free Drop Billy was in good order following his June 3 five-furlong work in :59 1/5 at Churchill. The son of Belmont winner Union Rags  is also set to be part of the Kentucky-based contingent shipping to New York Wednesday.