Justify

Aidan O'Brien hailed City Of Troy as the most exciting two-year-old he's trained as the son of Justify was named Europe's champion juvenile for 2023 when the classification was released on Tuesday. He becomes the 13th European champion two-year-old to have been trained by O'Brien, with only Johannesburg (126) achieving a higher rating among the previous 12. A Coolmore homebred out of the G1 Fillies' Mile winner Together Forever (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), City Of Troy went unbeaten in three starts as a two-year-old, culminating with a dominant display when winning...

The TDN's popular annual series 'Mating Plans, presented by Spendthrift,' continues today in a conversation with Machmer Hall's Carrie Brogden. Becca's Rocket, 6, (Orb-Idoitmyway, by Unbridled's Song). To be bred to Elite Power. Becca's Rocket is currently in foal to Jackie's Warrior. We bred this Orb filly and after the untimely death of her Unbridled's Song dam in a paddock accident, I vowed to buy this beautiful stakes mare back after her racing career. When she was born, I had such high hopes for her because she was just a...

The immaculately bred MIZZYAAN becomes the first starter in the Emirates for the all-conquering Justify and can make her presence felt at first asking in Friday's Cocoa Beach S. (allowance), a 1600-meter event restricted to 3-year-old fillies at Meydan Racecourse. The Mar. 5 foal, a homebred for Sheikh Mohammed bin Khalifa al Maktoum, is the first foal out of Vale Dori (Arg) (Asiatic Boy {Arg}), a Group 1 winner in her native Argentina, whose two local starts for trainer Mike de Kock included a runner-up effort to Polar River (Congrats)...

Today we conclude our survey of Kentucky stallion options with a look at the apex of the pyramid, comprising a couple of dozen standing between $60,000 and $250,000--besides whatever it might take to secure your mare an audience with Justify. It feels presumptuous enough to offer counsel even on cheaper sires, when each mating should boil down to you finding an optimal fit for an individual mare that you know inside out. Still greater hesitation, then, must precede any attempt to discover "value" among this lot. No stallion has any...

In this continuing series, we take a look ahead at US-bred and/or conceived runners entered for the upcoming weekend at the tracks on the Japan Racing Association circuit, with a focus on pedigree and/or performance in the sales ring. Here are the horses of interest for this weekend running at Kokura, Kyoto and Nakayama Racecourses: Saturday, January 13, 2024 4th-KYO, ¥11,850,000 ($82k), Newcomers, 3yo, 1800m DANON K TWO (JPN) (c, 3, Justify--Enticed {Ire}, by Galileo {Ire}) is the first foal from a mare that cost 800,000gns ($1.1 million) at the...

by Jessica Martini & Stefanie Grimm LEXINGTON, KY - During a session dominated for much of the day by the short yearlings, the supplemented broodmare Sebago Lake (Tapit) jumped to the lead in the final hips when selling for $700,000 to Mandy Pope's Whisper Hill Farm. Overall, through two days of the four-day auction, 430 head have grossed $31,596,700 for an average of $73,481 and a median of $30,500. With continued strength at the top of the market, the Book 1 average dipped just 3.39% from a year ago, but...

Announcer Frank Mirahmadi said it best: friends in the morning, but rivals in the afternoons. Muth (Good Magic) put away stablemate Pilot Commander (Justify) en route to an authoritative victory in the GII San Vicente S. to open his 2024 season. First or second for all four starts in his juvenile season, including victory in the GI American Pharoah S. two back and a runner-up effort behind fellow Eclipse finalist Fierceness (City of Light) in the GI FanDuel Breeders' Cup Juvenile, the betting public heralded this contest as Muth's to...

"The Breeders' Cup is always very special and to see a young sire like Justify get two Grade I-winning juveniles was fantastic but for me it had to be Auguste Rodin winning the Breeders' Cup Turf. He was in a hopeless position along the rail and had to be exceptional to get up for the victory. He's a colt that could stand anywhere in the world and physically he's quite similar to his grandsire Sunday Silence. It would be great to see him back at the Breeders' Cup this year...

In Europe, the TDN Rising Stars are awarded by Sean Cronin and Tom Frary, and no amount of begging, bleating or bribery from other members of the editorial team or external forces can persuade this duo to award one if they are not in agreement. Their decisions are based on performance, pedigree and, as the award title suggests, the likelihood of that individual becoming a stakes winner. Following the first five selections published yesterday, Tom Frary selects his five to keep an eye on in 2024. This could prove a...

5th-Oaklawn, $115,000, Msw, 12-31, 2yo, 1 1/16m, 1:45.96, ft, 5 3/4 lengths. IMPERIAL GUN (c, 2, Gun Runner--Take a Memo, by Empire Maker) made an emboldened move through traffic from the back of the pack to wind up fourth when debuted over course at a mile Dec. 9. Away cleaner for his second start, the 4-1 shot sat off the pace only briefly around the first turn before cruising up under his own power to hit the front as the half went in :47.83. Easily the best into the lane,...

By this stage, we can really talk about living in "the Into Mischief era." Not just because the Spendthrift phenomenon ends 2023 by sealing a fifth consecutive general sires' title, but also because he has become the definitive stallion of our times. In some respects, New Year's Day is a more literal turning point for our sport than other walks of life. For bureaucratic purposes, the weanlings of today become the short yearlings of tomorrow; and Into Mischief himself takes one step closer to veteran status, as he enters his...

Verifying (Justify--Diva Delite, by Repent), winner of the GIII Indiana Derby and a half-brother to Eclipse winner Midnight Bisou (Midnight Lute), will stand at Pleasant Acres Stallions in Florida for an introductory fee of $10,000 in 2024. Trained by Brad Cox after selling for $775,000 as a KEESEP yearling, Verifying began his career at two with a win in his first asking at Saratoga before placing in the GI Champagne S. at Belmont at the Big A in his second start. In addition to winning the Indiana Derby, he placed...