The Bob and Sandra Peters cerise and white colours were in the winner’s circle at Belmont on Wednesday when promising three year-old Justify (USA) gelding Pleasure Cruise made a winning debut.
Trained by Takahide Ikenushi and ridden by Willie Pike, Pleasure Cruise was a short priced favourite for the 1200m maiden and powered to the line for an easy length and a half win.
Pleasure Cruise was a $110,000 purchase for D Smith from the Valiant Stud draft at the Inglis ready 2 Race Sale where he breezed in 10.29 seconds. Pleasure Cruise is the second winner from winning Fastnet Rock mare Peaceful Sea, who made $1.75million as a yearling at Inglis Easter back in 2015.
Peaceful Sea comes from the family of dual Group I winner and leading US sire Grand Slam. She has an unnamed two year-old filly by Justify and is due to foal to Home Affairs.
Pleasure Cruise is the seventh winner from nine foals to race worldwide for Justify bred from mares by Fastnet Rock with Group II winning filly Learning to Fly the best of them.
Pleasure Cruise is the fifth Australian winner this season for Triple Crown hero Justify, who stands at Coolmore at a fee of $77,000.
