BC Stables LLC's Just Steel sat just off a fast contested early pace, swung five-wide at the top of the lane, and powered home down the stretch to score in Saturday's third running of the $222,505 Ed Brown for 2-year-olds at Churchill Downs
Sent off at 12-1 odds, Just Steel won by 2½ lengths over Agoo. Booth, the odds-on 3-5 favorite after a dominant maiden win at Keeneland in October, prompted the early pace but regressed and faded to fifth.
Trained by 88-year-old Hall of Famer D. Wayne Lukas and ridden by Joel Rosario, Just Steel covered the 6½ furlongs on a fast track in 1:16.91.
“I think this horse is just coming along and getting better,” Lukas said. “I thought Joel (Rosario) gave him a perfect ride. What I was most encouraged about was how he lengthened his stride down the lane. … I think eventually we will go back to two turns. He's by Justify and should be in his wheelhouse. I think he could be a Kentucky Derby-type horse.”.”
A 2-year-old Kentucky-bred son of Justify out of the Fastnet Rock (AUS) mare Irish Lights (AUS), Just Steel improved his record to 2-1-1 from seven starts. He added the $135,245 winner's share to his bankroll and increased his earnings to $240,795.
Just Steel returned $27.08 as the 12-1 seventh betting choice in the field of eight juvenile sprinters. Agoo finished a length in front of third-place finisher Normandy Hero.
Molly's Town, Booth, Gabarra, Bowstreet and Divieto completed the order of finish. Bye Bye Liam was scratched.
The winner was bred by Summerhill Farm. He was a $500,000 purchase at the 2022 Keeneland September Yearling Sale, where he was offered by Eaton Sales.
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