Every year when the Kentucky Derby dawns on the sport, a debate would rage over a phenomenon known simply as the "Curse of Apollo". It was a phrase used to describe a plague that had befallen every single contender who failed to start as a two-year-old. This "curse" seized victim after victim, ever since the Derby of 1882, when a colt named Apollo won the roses despite never racing at the age of two. For over a century, Apollo stood as the only horse to achieve such a feat, leaving many to believe that a horse that was lacking foundation as a two-year-old wouldn't be worthy of the roses. For years, that belief held true. But all of that changed in 2018, when a flaming red colt with splays of ivory came storming onto the scene, and rewrote history with every stride.
That flaming, red horse was given the strong yet simple name of Justify. There was nothing flashy or creative about the name, and yet the mere mention of it commanded a lofty degree of power and respect. It was a title that the colt would ultimately live up to, as he went on to validate a substantial amount of hype and faith that surrounded him from the very beginning.
Justify entered his first race in February of his three-year-old season. He entered a maiden special weight on the dirt, traveling seven furlongs. The strapping chestnut passed his first test with flying colors, winning by open lengths. He won with such startling ease that his potential immediately got the racing world talking, and from there, he never gave them a reason to stop.
After mercilessly crushing his foes in an allowance race in his second start, the time came for Justify to venture into deeper water. The first Saturday in May was fast approaching at this point, and if there was any hope for Justify to make it into the starting gate for the prestigious Kentucky Derby, he was going to have to enter a stakes race and take on the big boys. It was a major step for a colt that was well behind his peers, having only ever started in two races. However, there was no denying the talent that burned deep inside the colt, and when he was given the chance to show what he could do against the best, his true power came to life.
Justify entered the G1 Santa Anita Derby, where he took on the highly regarded, multiple graded stakes winning colt, Bolt d'Oro. Diving into such a major event with so little conditioning would be a daunting challenge for any horse, but for Justify, it was nothing but another walkover. With breathtaking authority, Justify cruised through furlong after furlong, brazenly whipping each challenger into submission as he flaunted his speed and strength across the track. Try as he might, Bolt d'Oro could not catch the runaway colt, who refused to meet his match despite the fact that his shoe slipped during the race, causing him to run with a slight handicap.
After the race, it became blatantly obvious that Justify was in a class of his own. He was indeed the real deal, and he had stamped himself as a deserving favorite for the Kentucky Derby. There he would face the largest field of his life, travel a distance foreign to him, and perform at racing's highest level before a crowd larger and louder than anything he had ever seen before. And as if the battle ahead wasn't imposing enough, the 2018 Kentucky Derby would also end up being the wettest running of the race in the 144 year history of the event.
Over 2.31 inches of rain flooded Churchill Downs on the day of the Kentucky Derby. It was an intense and dramatic sight. The historic, dirt oval turned into a sea of mud and slop. An eerie blanket of fog cloaked the track, adding an air of mystery to the unforgiving conditions. The traditional singing of "My Old Kentucky Home" didn't seem to fit in with the bleak conditions. However, when the starting gates opened and the horses took off, the dark and dreary conditions of the day were quickly forgotten, as Justify put on an exhibition of glory before a crowd of over 150,000.
Justify tracked close behind the early pace, blazing through swift opening fractions, yet never burning out. With thundering strides of confidence, the mighty beast sailed valiantly through the slop, taking command and turning it on as he rolled into the stretch. Good Magic, the Champion Two-Year-Old from the year before, gave admirable chase, but Justify was quick to shut him down and romp away. He never looked back as he splashed over the wire by 2 1/2 lengths, giving jockey Mike Smith his second win in the Kentucky Derby, and trainer, Bob Baffert, his fifth.
In the span of 2:04.20, Justify managed to silence his doubters, vanquished a curse, and put himself right on the path of Triple Crown glory.
Two weeks later, a familiar rival showed up at "Old Hilltop" to seek revenge against Justify in the Preakness Stakes. That rival was none other than Good Magic. This time around, he was not going to go easy on the Kentucky Derby winner. The stage was set for a rematch, with the atmosphere eerily mimicking that of the Kentucky Derby. Just like in Louisville two weeks before, rain fell relentlessly at Pimlico. Fog rolled in and overtook the land, hauntingly consuming everything in its wake. You could feel the static and tension in the air as the horses paraded gallantly to post. A battle of epic proportions was about to go down.
The starting gates exploded open and Justify launched from his post like a rocket. Flashing his speed and strength, the hulking, red colt stormed to the front to lead the way. However, Good Magic wasn't letting him out of his sights, and boldly rolled up right along side him, doggedly pressing him every step of the way. The tenacious duo quickly became locked in battle, clashing dramatically through the mud without relent. Neither foe was willing to back off, and as the field swung into the stretch, the mad dash for the wire began to unfold. Good Magic gave it all he had, hounding his rival for every stride, but Justify didn't shy away. Like the champion he is, he simply shrugged it off and reached inside, finding more speed and strength than the rivals around him.
Justify broke free from Good Magic and set sail for the wire. Good Magic was starting to fade, but the race wasn't over yet. In the final strides, Bravazo and Tenfold came flying into contention, diminishing Justify's advantage with each frenzied leap. Sensing the oncoming challenge, Justify dug in and reached for the wire. With a determined thrust of his neck, Justify powered over the finish line, once again refusing to meet defeat. It was a victory achieved with pure valor and heart, and an exploit that had instantly placed the Triple Crown on the line.
Justify intrepidly marched to post for the Belmont Stakes. The colt had never been conquered, and that wasn't about to change as he set off to pursue history. Since 1919, only 12 horses had managed to sweep the elusive and testing Triple Crown. The odds are against any horse that attempts to add his name to the exalted list, but for Justify it was just another stroll through the park. He had laughed in the face of history before, and was no stranger to defying logic. The stage was set for the fearless colt to achieve what few have ever done.
The starting gates sprung open and the stampede began. With a swift kick of his legs, Justify catapulted out of his post, gracefully yet imposingly propelling himself forward. With thundering strides he rolled up to take command, and it was all over from there. Justify refused to look back as he chased racing's ultimate prize. He determinedly powered through furlong after furlong. His speed never diminished and his stamina never wavered as he soared across Belmont's massive oval. There was no stopping him, and as the roar of the crowd reached a crescendo, Justify glided over the finish line by 1 3/4 lengths. Once again, Justify rose to glory and managed to make a near impossible feat look easy.
When Justify romped over the wire in the Belmont Stakes, he became the first and only horse since Seattle Slew in 1977 to sweep the Triple Crown with an unblemished record. As history shows, Seattle Slew eventually went on to meet his match on three different occasions. And as the record stands, Justify did not. However, unlike Seattle Slew, Justify would never go on to compete again after his uplifting score in the Belmont Stakes, and would never again put his perfect record on the line.
Would Justify have eventually fallen to defeat? Or would he have carried on, shutting down challenge after challenge, and vanquishing every foe that dared to look him in the eye? We will never know, as it was announced on July 25 that the undefeated colt had been retired from racing, and would go on to his new life as a stallion at Coolmore Stud. It was discovered that Justify had some filling in his ankle, and Baffert felt that the colt wouldn't be ready in time for a fall campaign. It was a devastating blow to the fans and to the people involved with the mighty horse, but for an animal whose value had skyrocketed to an all-time record of $75 million, it just wasn't worth the risk.
In the span of 112 days, Justify had managed to rise from a simple maiden winner, to Triple Crown fame. He put an end to the curse of Apollo, defeated every rival, and passed every challenge he ever met. He stands as only the 13th horse to ever sweep the arduous Triple Crown, forever immortalizing his name in history. The level of glory that Justify achieved in such a short amount of time is unprecedented, standing as a testament to his raw ability and unbelievable talent.
With a brief career of only six races, we may never know just how great this crimson son of Scat Daddy really was. We will never know if he would have met defeat, or remained untouched. We will never know what races he could have added to his name, or what other records he could have broken. An air of mystery will forever surround our 13th Triple Crown winner, but with it also comes the plain and simple fact that although his time on the track was fleeting, there is no denying his greatness. Not many horses can rise to such a level of fame after turning in only six races. But Justify has left his mark. He will never get the chance to add the legacy to his name that the other 12 Triple Crown winners obtained after their Belmont wins, but he will forever stand as a horse that simply didn't know how to lose, and always found a way to do what some said couldn't be done.
"There was never a time when I rode him that I felt like he was going to get beat. There was no horse who could run with him without sacrificing themselves, and there was no horse who could come get him. He truly is a gift from God."
- Mike Smith
Thank you to Eric Kalet for the amazing photos! You can find more of his work at the link below: https://erickalet.zenfolio.com/
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