Justify’s Heartland Impresses In ‘Rising Star’ Debut At Del Mar

When Hall of Famer Bob Baffert debuts a well-bred 2-year-old colt at Del Mar's summer meeting, the horse racing world pauses to pay attention. Taking money opposite the MyRacehorse entry of A Day to Remember (American Pharoah), Heartland (Justify) proved his mettle with a near last-to-first effort to become the newest 'TDN Rising Star'.

Off at 4-5 as the gates opened, the race looked like it may be over for the colt before it even began when Heartland ducked to the inside in the opening strides and nearly unseated jockey Juan Hernandez. Now racing next to last as the field carried on up front, the Baffert trainee never looked panicked, rating nicely through an opening quarter in :21.23 set by Slider (Jimmy Creed) and A Day to Remember racing in tandem. Still with just one horse beat into the far turn, Heartland began to make up ground, first overtaking the second flight of Invincible (Uncle Mo) and Head Lad (St Patrick's Day) before spinning through a wide gap along the fence to draw even with the pacesetters a furlong from the wire. Doing his best running late, Heartland cruised by Slider and opened up for the decisive victory before galloping out a mile ahead of the competition.

The seventh 'Rising Star' for second-crop sire Justify, who was a 'Rising Star' himself, Heartland will surely seek to follow in the footsteps of his half-brother, champion 2-year-old colt, MGISW, and young sire Classic Empire (Pioneerof the Nile). Sambuca Classica, herself a daughter of SW/MGISP In Her Glory, is also responsible for Exclamation Point (Concord Point), SP, $290,540, Anytime Magic (Fusaichi Pegasus), MSW, $202,945 and Uptown Twirl (Twirling Candy), MSW, $170,714. More recently, she foaled a yearling filly from the first crop of Eclipse Champion older dirt male Improbable (City Zip) but failed to report a foal this year when bred to Quality Road. She was part of the first book of mares to visit MGISW Life Is Good (Into Mischief) for a 2024 foal.

1st-Del Mar, $82,500, Msw, 7-29, 2yo, 5 1/2f, 1:03.20, ft, 2 lengths.
HEARTLAND, c, 2, Justify
                1st Dam: Sambuca Classica, by Cat Thief
                2nd Dam: In Her Glory, by Miswaki
                3rd Dam: Forever Waving, by Hoist the Flag
Sales History: $575,000 Ylg '22 KEESEP. Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0, $49,200. Click for the Equibase.com chart, the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree or VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.
O-CHC INC., Siena Farm LLC and WinStar Farm LLC; B-Chc Inc. (KY); T-Bob Baffert.

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Saturday Insights: Prolific Siblings The Name Of The Game In Saturday Action

7th-SAR, $136K, Msw, 2yo, 6 1/2f, 3:52 p.m.

Leading off a group of well-related maiden colts at the Spa, DORNOCH (Good Magic), the full-brother to this year's GI Kentucky Derby winner Mage, finally gets to debut after failing to draw in as a main-track only entry last week. A $325,000 Keeneland September yearling, the Danny Gargan trainee recorded a four-furlong work from the gate in :46 2/5 July 22, the best of 119 at the distance. The dam, herself a stakes-winning and graded-stakes placed 'TDN Rising Star', is a half to GISW Finnegans Wake (Powerscourt {GB}). Jockey Luis Saez gets aboard for owners West Paces Racing LLC, R. A. Hill Stable, Belmar Racing and Breeding, LLC and Two Eights Racing.

Drawn furthest outside of the bunch, Act of Mutiny (Quality Road), a homebred for W.S. Farish, is a half to MGSW and young sire Catalina Cruiser (Union Rags) along with GSW/GISP Eagle (Candy Ride {Arg}) and MGSW Royal Flag (Candy Ride {Arg}).

One of the few starters with any experience, Lambo (Uncle Mo) finished a distant second as the favorite at Ellis Park June 22–his first start since bringing $950,000 at the OBS March Sale earlier this year. This colt's second dam is champion 2-year-old filly Storm Song (Summer Squall), also the second dam of MG1SW Order of St George (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}). Tyler Gaffalione retains the mount for trainer Steve Asmussen. TJCIS PPS

1st-DMR, $82K, Msw, 2yo, 5 1/2f, 5:00 p.m.

A China Horse Club-bred colt, Heartland (Justify) claims MGISW and champion 2-year-old colt Classic Empire (Pioneerof the Nile) as his half-brother. Picked up by his breeder in partnership with Siena Farm and Winstar Farm for $575,000 at last year's Keeneland September Sale, the chestnut posted a best-of-74 work from the gate July 14, covering the distance in :46 2/5 for trainer Bob Baffert. TJCIS PPS

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