Hometown owners revel in Justify's Kentucky Derby win

Kentucky Derby hero Justify had his final scheduled walk day Wednesday at Churchill Downs before resuming training Thursday in preparation for the 2018 Preakness Stakes at Pimlico Race Course.

Assistant trainer Jimmy Barnes said that trainer Bob Baffert’s plans call for Justify to gallop Thursday morning at 7:30, after Churchill’s first track renovation break. Barnes said everything is good with Justify, who came out of the Derby with a hind foot condition that Baffert has termed a “non-issue.”

Three of Justify’s owners through the Starlight Racing partnership arrived at Baffert’s Churchill Downs barn Tuesday, still finding it hard to believe they were heading to Baltimore with the Kentucky Derby winner.

Starlight co-managing partner Jack Wolf, Tom Mueller and Clinton Glasscock are among those becoming the first current Louisville residents to own the Derby winner since H.C. Applegate won with Old Rosebud in 1914.

“I still haven’t figured out that we have part of the horse that won,” Wolf said. “I woke up this morning going through what I needed to plan to do to get the partners everywhere, thinking it still hadn’t been done yet. So it hasn’t even sunk in yet on me.

“I think I read that Bob is undefeated with his Derby winners at Baltimore. You’d think the track and the distance would suit this horse, not that any track and distance would not suit this horse,” he added.

Justify will be Wolf’s fourth Preakness starter. He took fourth with Harlan’s Holiday in 2002 and 13th with Take the Points in 2009. With Starlight subsequently expanding its partnership, Mueller and Glasscock were part of the ownership that also was fourth in 2014 with General a Rod, a horse Starlight bought into before the Derby.

“To go with the favorite is a pretty awesome experience,” Mueller said. “I think the coolest part is having friends and family from around the country saying now, ‘I want to go to the Preakness. I want to be in Maryland. Meet you in Baltimore.’ I’m sure our entourage will not get smaller. It will only grow.”

Starlight forms partnerships that invest in modest-sized yearling crops but also on occasion has bought into a horse. With its 2017 2-year-olds appearing to be late-developing types, Wolf said some of his partners asked about trying to buy into a “made” horse. After Audible won Gulfstream Park’s Holy Bull Stakes in late January, Wolf worked on buying into that colt, who is trained by Starlight’s main trainer, Todd Pletcher. A deal was made to buy SF Bloodstock’s share of Audible for racing purposes only, with SF maintaining its breeding interest. 

“Once we negotiated a price and terms on him, SF asked if we wanted the same deal on this one (Justify),” Wolf said. “He had just broken his maiden.”

Wolf said Starlight owns 15 percent of Audible, who went on to win the Florida Derby (G1) and Justify. Their partners are WinStar Farm, China Horse Club International and Head of Plains Partners’ Sol Kumin. Audible finished third in Saturday’s Kentucky Derby.

Glasscock admitted he “was maybe a part of that” push to try to buy into a possible Derby horse.

“Back in January, we made a run at probably nine or 10 horses. For different reasons, it obviously didn’t work out,” he said. “Then we lucked into these two…. All of our group really cares about the racing side. Obviously, WinStar and China Horse Club are into breeding and racing. We thought it might be a win-win if we could get in there and just get the racing rights.”

Glasscock was part of the Starlight entourage watching the Derby from Churchill Downs’ turf course. “I was already really drenched from walking over from the backside,” he said. “I’ve never watched the Derby from over there. It’s almost like they’re singing My Old Kentucky Home at you before the race, which gave you chills. The Preakness, you do sometimes watch it from the infield — not the crazy part of the infield. 

“The Preakness is definitely a festive, party atmosphere, like the Derby. But it is a different experience. For me, it’s so more relaxed. It’s not as hectic,” he added.

Asked if he has allowed himself to think about a Triple Crown sweep, should Justify win the 1 3/16-mile Preakness and then the 1 1/2-mile Belmont Stakes, Glasscock said: “He obviously came in as the prohibitive favorite, overcame the ‘Apollo curse,’ and I think he was very, very impressive Saturday, overcoming all those obstacles. So yeah, you start dreaming about it. Hopefully we get through next Saturday and then on to New York.”

Mueller also watched from the turf course, the ruination of his pants and shoes a small price to pay.

“It was almost a little surreal,” he said. “I remember bits and pieces, not the whole thing. And it wasn’t like I was drunk or anything.

“The winner’s circle, itself, was complete chaos. Once you got into it, the number of people, you’re sinking into the mud. I had mud up almost to my knees. I just dropped my pants off at the dry cleaner and they said, ‘These might be done.’ I said, ‘I want them either way. I might get them framed.’ It was a ton of fun, it was awesome. But it was a bit surreal. Being aware of the 104 years (since a Louisville resident owned the Derby winner), as well, certainly made it more surreal.”