Justin Phillip Rolls in Woody Stephens
{{monthName}} {{day}}, {{year}} {{hour12}}:{{minuteTwoDigit}}{{dayPeriod}}
Justin Phillip emerged victorious from
an early three-way scramble for the lead and never looked back on his
way to a 3 ¼-length victory over J Js Lucky Train in Saturday's Grade 2,
$250,000 Woody Stephens Presented by VisitNassauCounty.com at Belmont
Park.
Ridden by Ramon Dominguez, Justin Phillip quickly
shook clear of Derivative and Travelin Man and led through an opening
quarter-mile in 22.23 and a half-mile in 44.45 over the muddy track.
Showing no signs of weakening as the field of five 3-year-olds
straightened for home, Justin Phillip began pulling clear through the
stretch under intermittent urging and hit the wire in 1:23.56 for the
seven furlongs.
"He has run very well on an off track
before and everything fell into place today," said Steve Asmussen, who
trains Justin Phillip for Zayat Stables, LLC. "We thought he was going
to lay third and Ramon said he felt great underneath him and that he was
just dragging him along."
J Js Lucky Train was up to
edge favored Arch Traveler for third, with Travelin Man and Derivative
completing the order of finish. Bold Warrior and Little Drama were
scratched.
It was the first stakes victory in five
attempts for Justin Phillip, a dark bay son of Trippi whose previous
best stakes efforts were third-place finishes in the Grade 2, one-mile
Jerome on April 23 and the Grade 3, seven-furlong Bay Shore, both at
Aqueduct Racetrack.
Sent off at 4-1, Justin Phillip
returned $10.80 for a $2 win bet as he more than doubled his earnings to
$261,528 with the winner's purse of $150,000. Overall, his record
stands at 3-1-4 from 10 lifetime starts.
Asmussen said
he would speak with owner Ahmed Zayat about the colt's upcoming schedule
but added: "It certainly puts the King's Bishop [Grade 1, 7f, Saratoga,
August 27] on your calendar."
Is Magnitude ready to prove he belongs with the best horses in American racing in 2026? The enigmatic...
Knightsbridge posted Saturday's highest Horse Racing Nation speed figure with a 134 at Aqueduct in the ninth race....
Giocoso became Thoroughbred racing's newest millionaire when he closed strongly down the Matt Winn Turf Course stretch to...
Nevada Beach stalked the pace and rolled to a half-length win as the heavy 1-9 favorite in Saturday's...
Romantic Warrior returned triumphantly Sunday at Sha Tin. He sauntered to an emphatic victory in the HK$5.35 million...