[lone speed]

MSN article on Justify...

https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/mor...7ri?li=BBnb7Kz

Some comments from Baffert from MSN article

On Saturday as Baffert hustled toward the winner’s circle after the Derby, he put Justify in the same sentence with those two horses. “Him and Arrogate and American Pharoah,” Baffert said. “These are the three best horses I ever trained.”



The victory for Baffert was the fifth of his career, second-most in Derby history, behind Ben Jones, who won six Derbies from 1938-52. He was humbled by the moment. “He is a great horse,” said Baffert. “To do what he did in that short a period of time… we saw something really great. That’s greatness right there.”



Justify’s first official work came during winter at Los Alamitos Race Track in Southern California. Baffert’s brother, Bill, was present for the session. “Bob said, ‘He’s a f---ing monster,’” recalled Bill after the Derby. Baffert decided to try to take down Apollo. Walden warned him not to push too hard. Baffert made a plan: A maiden race, an allowance race and then a Derby prep. He won the first on Feb. 18 and the second on March 11, both at Santa Anita. Baffert made a decision to send Justify to the April 14 Arkansas Derby at Oaklawn Park. That had been American Pharoah’s final prep race. Another Derby-bound three-year-old, McKinzie, was slated to run a week earlier in the Santa Anita Derby. But McKinzie got injured and Baffert, who does most of his work in California, made the decision to keep Justify at home. He won the Santa Anita Derby by three lengths, toying with a very good opponent named Bolt d’Oro. Derby game was on.


The Kentucky Derby:

Promises Fulfilled, a speedy sort of horse who had no choice but to hustle to the lead out of the No. 3 post position, went to the lead. Smith steered Justify just outside in a perfect stalking position, very similar to where Pharoah ran in his Derby. But the pace was exceptionally fast, 22.24 seconds for the first quarter-mile and 45.77 seconds for the half-mile. The quarter-mile time was the fifth-fastest in Derby history and the half was just outside the top 10. But then as Smith overhauled Promises Fulfilled, he also slowed the pace. Each successive quarter was slower than the one before it.

When did Bob Baffert knew Justify was a great horse:

Are we in Pharoah territory? “Oh, when he won his second race,” said Bob Baffert. “We were in Pharoah territory.”




[COLOR="Navy"]Outside of the Methodology for the "pace line guidelines" for the Derby; the 2nd race of Justify's career was a very impressive performance. He started from the outside post and Justify went 4 wide from the starting gate all around the first and 2nd turn. The figures given; do not paint a true picture of Justify's performance in its first Route Race.[/COLOR]