Inside my up-close visit with Triple Crown winner Justify
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Photo:
Candice Curtis/HRN
Recently retired Triple Crown winner Justify is the headliner for new tours at WinStar Farm in Versailles, Ky., which sold out in minutes and could represent the final chance to see him before he's moved to his new home as a stallion.
Monday marked the first time the public could get a glimpse of the chestnut colt since his return to Kentucky as part of a Horse Country tour. On hand were 20 super-excited fans of all ages. One woman hovered around the back lobby door, peeking out the window to try and see Justify. A group from Missouri crowded around the trophy case where Justify's Triple Crown saddle towels were displayed.
After a quick overview by a knowledgeable guide, Olivia, we were ushered into the heart of the stallion barn. The massive central room was the show-off area, and we lined up behind a neat barrier to await the star's arrival. On either side of this central room were two wings of stalls, and the horses in them were quick to let us know they were also worthy of our attention. The 2013 Louisiana Derby winner, Revolutionary, was particularly vocal!
RELATED: Justify Triple Crown merchandise now available!
Moments later, Justify arrived through the entrance directly in front of us. Expertly handled by his groom, Veronica, Justify approached his line of adoring fans with confidence, yet his ears flipped back and forth, and he turned his head several times to give us all spectacular side-eye. He is still getting used to the crowds hoisting cameras up to him, though he remained relatively calm during the entire visit. He still gets antsy standing still for too long, and Veronica had to turn him around in circles to expend the active energy.
Justify hasn't figured out the crowd-pleasing poses and expressions that fellow recent stars American Pharoah and California Chrome have perfected, but watching him inspect a young girl's camera phone with his pink nose and then flip his ears up as she cooed to him, I don't think it will be long before he has his own signature tour look.
Olivia continued the tour, giving highlights of Jusify's career, pedigree and money won, but most of the guests were zoned in on the horse himself. Everything she could say was directly before us, all 16.3 hands and 1,200 pounds of chestnut power. The photo opportunity lasted as long as there were still photos to be taken -- as with other farms in the Horse Country stable, WinStar is accommodating to guests -- and Justify himself seemed to enjoy the fussing over, too. After the final selfie, Veronica led Justify back through the door, and we got one last look at the massive engine that propelled him to the Triple Crown win.
The next part of the tour was a stall-by-stall introduction to the other WinStar stallions, most notably dual Breeders' Cup Classic winner Tiznow. The Big Horse, as he is called at WinStar, was the first stallion the operation syndicated in 2001. His sons and daughters helped put the farm on the map. Tiznow knows he is important, and is just as likely to turn his butt toward the camera as he is to strike a pose. On the other side, Revolutionary is an attention hog, neighing and nodding his head the entire time there were people in the barn.
Inside the stallion barn lobby, WinStar's impressive trophy collection is on view, as well as colorful saddle towels from graded stakes victories and halters framed in shadowboxes. There are touch-screen LED monitors in the lobby with race replays visitors can watch before the main event. In one corner is a shrine to the farm's first Kentucky Derby winner, Super Saver. His freeze-dried garland of roses is kept in a massive case, and the silks, shoes and saddle towel from that day are also proudly displayed.
The tour lasts about an hour, depending on how long the photo opp with Justify runs. WinStar is wheelchair accessible in the lobby and stallion barn. There is a small gift shop on-site that looked to be freshly-stocked with Justify hats and shirts.
WinStar tours featuring Justify are sold out through August. The best way to get the jump when they become available again is to join the mailing list at VisitHorseCountry.com.
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