Justify Holds On In Foggy Preakness

Justify, the 2-5 favorite withstood a grueling battle with Good Magic to capture the second leg of the Triple Crown by a half length over a hard charging Bravazo and a gritty Tenfold, a neck back of Bravazo. Since no one else had the guts to take on Justify, Good Magic, with Jose Ortiz aboard went after the Derby champ going eye-to eye with him for over a mile and an eighth in the fog at Old Hilltop. If Ortiz hadn’t sent Good Magic, Justify would have run away with the race. Since he did, however, he softened up Justify just enough so that when they emerged from the fog near the finish line, Tenfold and then Bravazo were closing hard and visually it appeared they both would have caught him in another 10-15 yards. Good Magic, after his valiant run, tired a bit to finish fourth, a neck out of the money. Lone Sailor, the Bozo’s value pick, closed well but wasn’t tough enough  after getting behind too early in the slop, finished fifth. Second choice Quip was no match and was eased to finish last.

The race immediately and dramatically evolved into a sparring match between the Derby 1-2 finishers and lasted in and out of the fog for most of the 1:55.93 of the race and when the field emerged from the cloud, Bravazo and Tenfold surprisingly had made up 7-8 lengths in the Pimlico stretch to make for an incredibly exiting finish with the four of them crossing the line all within 1 1/2 lengths of one another. The $2 Exacta paid $27.40 as Bravazo was 15-1 and the $1 Trifecta cashed for $148.30 with 26-1 longshot Tenfold flying home for third. We told you Tenfold’s mudder was a mudder and he’d relish the mud.

Justify is on to the Belmont Stakes and prior to the post draw, he is odds on at 4-5 to capture the Triple Crown looking to face 9 rivals including Tenfold and Bravazo. Reviewing the race, it appeared that the grueling battle and ensuing stretch run took a toll out of Justify. Additionally, including the Belmont, he will have raced 6 times in 16 weeks, not having raced as a two year-old. The horse is only human, so we feel he might be tired or due for a minor setback and at 4-5, the SportsBozos are going to be seeking out ways to beat him and cash a decent ticket. Sorry, Triple Crown dreamers, not this year.

-HB