After waiting 37 years for a Triple Crown winner we now have two in four years after Justify led every step of the way in the 150th running of the Grade 1 Belmont Stakes (12f).
The 13th Triple Crown winner, Justify joins that rarest of clubs, which previously had just one member, Seattle Slew, as the only undefeated Triple Crown winners.
Ridden by Mike Smith and carrying the red and yellow silks of The China Horse Club after sporting the WinStar colours in the first two legs, Justify safely held Gronkowski to win by one and three-quarter lengths.
Gronkowski, a son of Darley Stud's magnificent Lonhro, was a long last in the early stages but saved many lengths when railing like a greyhound around the home turn. He was one and three-quarter lengths ahead of Hofburg (Tapit) who edged out Vino Rosso (Curlin) for third. (photo Coolmore).
Bob Baffert joins "Sunny" Jim Fitzsimmons as the only trainers in history with two winners of the Triple Crown.
The Coolmore shuttler American Pharoah achieved the feat for Baffert in 2015 while Fitzsimmons winners were Gallant Fox in 1930 and Omaha five years later.
"Turning for home, you could just tell—the great ones always find more," Baffert told The Blood-Horse
Making his first start in the US and the first time on dirt, Gronkowski covered himself in glory with his spirited second.
Drawing attention in the States because of his name and in Australia because his sire ranks as one of the most popular gallopers to grace the turf, Gronkowski was making his first start for Chad Brown, who took over the training of Phoenix Thoroughbreds' Lonhro colt from Jeremy Noseda in May.
"For him to close up that much ground off a really easy pace, it was a remarkable race that he ran. But it's still a loss. He ran great, but we didn't win," Brown told The Blood-Horse.
Campaigned by WinStar Farm, China Horse Club, Starlight Racing and Head of Plains Partners, Justify was bred in Kentucky by John D. Gunther. He was consigned by Glennwood Farm to the 2016 Keeneland September Yearling Sale where he was knocked down to China Horse Club & Maverick Racing for $500,000.
He is a son of Ashford Stud's prematurely deceased Scat Daddy, whose Coolmore bound Group I sons Caravaggio (USA) and No Nay Never (USA) are sure to prove popular in the upcoming season.
A half-brother to Grade III winner The Lieutenant (Street Sense), Justify is the best of three winners from as many to race out of the stakes-placed Ghostzapper mare Stage Magic.
Gunther purchased Stage Magic's dam, the Grade 1 CCA Oaks third, Magical Illusion (Pulpit) for $425,000 at the 2005 Keeneland January sale.
It cost Gunther $30,000 to send Stage Magic to Scat Daddy but when he died at just 11 years of age in December 2015 his fee had risen to $100,000. After starting his stud career at $30,000 Scat Daddy's stud fee slid to $10,000 by 2011 before proving himself among the top echelon of stallions and one of the rare breed that appeals just as much to European buyers as the locals.
Scat Daddy was slated to stand in Australia in 2008 but never made the trip however his Australian bound Group I winning sons Caravaggio (USA) and No Nay Never (USA) look certain to be popular at Coolmore in 2018.
