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Sovereign Awards Derby & Auction Prices Santa Anita Derby Day Wood Memorial Day Kentucky Derby Contenders |
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 Justify paraded for the fans on Stephen Foster day at Churchill Downs. |
On Stephen Foster day at Churchill Downs, the trophies for the Kentucky Derby are presented to the winning owner, trainer, and jockey after being engraved. This year they also had the Triple Crown trophy on display and Triple Crown winner Justify paraded for the fans during the 3rd race, one day before flying back to California to re-join trainer Bob Baffert's main barn at Santa Anita. On Saturday morning he galloped once around under exercise rider Humberto Gomez.
   Left: Justify walks over from the barn in his Triple Crown winner blanket
Right: Justify is led into the paddock by assistant trainer Jimmy Barnes and groom Eduardo Luna. Barnes said, “It’s been great here in Louisville. We’re excited to get back home but hopefully we’ll be back later this year,” most likely referring to the Breeders' Cup Classic (G1) to be run at Churchill Downs on November 3.
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Left: Justify poses for the fans to take his photo. Baffert said, “The upside (to racing more) is that the party continues; the fans get to see him race. The downside, is the horse getting beat? Is something happening to him? There’s a lot of pressure, especially with his value.”
Right: Justify being led around the walking ring by trainer Bob Baffert and assistant trainer Jimmy Barnes.
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Left: Justify with the Twin Spires behind him. Baffert said, “He’s ready to go again. He looks good. He’s tough. He’s like Muhammad Ali. He’s ready to rumble. Right now, I would say yes (he would race again). We’ll get together and have a meeting and decide what’s best for the horse. We want to make sure when he gets back that he looks right. He’s had a lot thrown at him, and he’s handled it really well.”
Right: Justify poses in the Churchill Downs winner's circle.
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Left: The Triple Crown trophy on display with the Kentucky Derby trophies.
Right: The trophies in the winner's circle ready to present with trainer Bob Baffert and his wife Jill, jockey Mike Smith, and Kenny Troutt and his wife Lisa of co-owner WinStar Farm. Smith said, “They love him here, especially here in Kentucky. This is certainly horse country, and hopefully with time, he can get more fans.”
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Left: Kenny Troutt and his wife Lisa of co-owner WinStar Farm, Jack Wolf of co-owner Starlight Stable behind them, and Elliott Walden of WinStar on the far right with the gold Kentucky Derby trophy. Troutt said of his experience at the Belmont, "I was screaming and yelling with both arms up in the air. I've never, ever felt emotion like that."
Right: Mike Smith and Bob Baffert with their Kentucky Derby Trophies. Baffert said, “We don’t really get a chance to soak it up because we’re so busy all the time. When this horse came around, he was like the Alabama second-half quarterback coming in there to take it all. That’s what he did. It takes a super horse to pull that off. I keep pinching myself. I have a great crew, but you can’t do it without great clientele.”
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