Wow! What a day at Santa Anita for Coomore Stud's Tripe Crown hero Justify (USA).
The celebrations were still going on following the triumph of Just F Y I in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies when Hard to Justify made it a quickfire double for Justify with victory in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (G1T) at Santa Anita Park.
Ridden by Junior Alvarado for Bill Mott, Just F Y I kept her record at a perfect three for three when turning back the challenge of the fast-finishing American Pharoah (USA) filly Jody's Pride by a neck with the Candy Ride's Grade 1 Alcibiades Stakes winner Candles a half-length back in third.
A homebred for George Krikorian, Just F Y I won a maiden at Saratoga on August 26 and headed to Santa Anita off a three and three-quarter length score in the Grade 1 Frizette Stakes at Belmont on October 7.
"It's pretty unusual for a horse to win a Grade 1 off of just one maiden race," Mott told Blood-Horse.
"She showed us she could do it; we didn't force her. She just showed that she was ready to run, and we felt like as well as she had run, that she deserved a shot in the Frizette and it paid off."
Alvarado said he became excited when FYI travelled better than Beholder's highly touted daughter, Tamara.
"By the half-mile pole I was excited. I knew what I had under me," Alvarado said.
"But I had to respect (Tamara). She's a very nice filly, too. At that point I thought I had a good chance at it. Right when I turned for home and I asked her, she took off very nicely and held off all the way to the wire."
Just FYI is the best of three winners from as many runnrs for the stakes-placed Street Cry (IRE) mare Star Act, whose dam Starrer (Dynaformer) won six races and $1,039,353. Her highlights also came at Santa Anita in the Grade 1 Santa Margarita Hcp and Grade 1 Santa Maria Hcp.
Just F Y I is the first Breeders' Cup winner for Justify (USA), who didn't have to wait long for his second when Hard to Justify won the Juvenile Fillies Turf.
Ridden by Flavien Prat for Chad Brown, Hard To Justify was all out in holding the finish of Donnacha O'Brien’s Caravaggio (USA) filly Porta Fortuna by a half-length with the Karakontie (JPN) filly She Feels Pretty a head back in third.
Like Just FYI, Hard To Justify is yet to taste defeat in three starts.
A maiden winner at Saratoga in August, she headed to California following a win in the Grade !! Miss Grillo Stakes at Belmont on October 4.
She was a record sixth winner of the race for Chad Brown, who said it was a simple formula.
"Good horses, good clients and an amazing team," Brown said.
"It's remarkable that many of the team from the first one to the sixth one are still here. She's a fighter and it's so rewarding to deliver this to the owners."
A $190,000 purchase for Wise racing from the Nicky Drion Thoroughbreds consignment at the 2022 Keeneland September Yearling Sale, Hard To Justify is the best of two winners from as many to race from the Group III-placed Quality Road mare Instant Reflex.
Last season's Champion First Crop Sire, Justify (USA), can add to an extraordinary day with two chances in the Group 1 Victoria Derby at Flemington, Verdad and Air Assault, while Just in Time represents the son of Scat Daddy in the Group III Carbine Stakes.
Justify stands the current season at Coolmore for $77,000.
