Kentucky Derby 2018 hopeful Justify to make second start Sunday

Justify, whose eye-catching debut registered the current 3-year-old crop’s best Beyer Speed Figure to date, will make a second start Sunday in allowance company at Santa Anita Park.

The first out measured seven furlongs, with a 104 Beyer assigned for the 9 1/2-length score back on Feb. 18. This weekend’s race is at a mile and will come against as many as seven rivals.

Justify, who will run without blinkers, drew the outside post in a rather strong field, which includes previous stakes runners All Out Blitz and Shivermetimbers. Calexman, a Triple Crown nominee also entered, will either go here or in Saturday’s Grade 2 San Felipe Stakes, an official 2018 Kentucky Derby prep.

The $56,000 test for non-winners of two was carded as Race 5.

Trained by Bob Baffert, Justify ranked No. 10 in the latest Kentucky Derby Media Poll, ahead of five Top 20 horses that have already won graded stakes in 2018. His top connections extend beyond the Hall of Fame conditioner with the ownership group consisting of WinStar Farm, China Horse Club and SF Racing. Starlight Racing also recently bought in, it was announced last weekend.

Baffert had said Justify was most likely to go next in the Grade 3 Sunland Derby on Sunday, March 25. Given he’s lightly raced, the $500,000 son of Scat Daddy could pick up some extra seasoning first at a lower level. A run similar to his debut could position Justify to dive into deeper waters on the Derby trail. For instance, this from Thursday's Santa Anita stable notes: "Although plans beyond Sunday are undetermined, it is hoped that Justify would stay home and run in the Grade 1, $1 million Santa Anita Derby on April 7."