Justify | Horse Racing Free Tips

2023 Mating Plans, Presented by Spendthrift: China Horse Club

As we approach the opening of the 2023 breeding sheds, the TDN staff is once again sitting down with leading breeders to find out what stallions they have chosen for their mares, and why.

The China Horse Club's Christie DeBernardis, Matt Houldsworth and Michael Smith clued us in on which sires they have chosen for some of their top American and European mares.

ALBEROBELLO (m, 8, Bernardini—Carson Jen, by Carson City), booked to Justify

Alberobello hails from a very deep family that is constantly improving. Her full-sister's daughter Key to My Heart (Ire) produced a $1.3-million filly at KEESEP just a few months ago. Additionally, Bernardini mares are red hot right not. She is expecting just her second foal for us this year (by Uncle Mo) and we will send her back to Justify. We are obviously big fans and supporters of Justify. That faith has been rewarded with his first crop of runners this year and they should only get better with age. This family has already produced a stakes winner by Justify in Justa Warrior.

CARIBBEAN BABE (m, 8, Arch—Kalahari Cat, by Cape Town), booked to Life Is Good

Caribbean Babe is a half-sister to MGSW and young WinStar stallion Independence Hall, as well as two other stakes winners. Her first foal Bold Discovery (Bolt d'Oro) is doing quite well in Europe, following his debut win with a Group 3 placing. She is a young mare, with a good family and by an excellent broodmare sire, so we felt she deserved a spot in the first book of our MGISW Life Is Good.

COZZE UP LADY (m, 14, Cozzene—The White Lady, by Johannesburg), booked to Munnings

This mating was a bit of a no-brainer. A Grade III winner in her own right, Cozze Up Lady's best foal thus far is Grade I-winning millionaire Kimari (Munnings). She returns to that star sprinter's sire this year in hopes of re-creating that magic.

EMBELLISH THE LACE (m, 11, Super Saver—Expanse, by Distant View), booked to Constitution

Embellish the Lace was a Grade I winner at Saratoga and has proven equally talented as a broodmare. She's produced two seven-figure yearlings so far, and another that summoned $700,000. One of those million-dollar babies was Tap the Faith (Tapit), a three-time winner, so we hope that cross will prove successful yet again through Tapit's best son at stud, Constitution.

LAST FULL MEASURE (m, 15, Empire Maker—Lazy Slusan, by Slewvescent), booked to Constitution

Last Full Measure was a Grade I winner in her own right and produced another Grade I winner for us in Valiance (Tapit). She's responsible for a series of six-figure sellers and had her best auction result in 2022 when her Constitution colt brought $1.8 million at KEESEP. On the back of that success, she will be bred back to Constitution.

SAMBUCA CLASSICA (m, 19, Cat Thief—In Her Glory, by Miswaki), booked to Life Is Good

Sambuca Classica is a bit of blue hen, producing four black-type runners, topped by champion Classic Empire. Her 2020 Justify colt, now named Golden Mic, brought $625,000 from Hideyuki Mori at KEESEP and her 2021 colt by that Triple Crown winner summoned $575,000 from WinStar and Siena Farm. Being a proven producer, we felt she was a good match for Life Is Good.

BEATRIX POTTER (m, 18, Cadeaux Genereux {GB}—Great Joy {Ire}, by Grand Lodge), booked to New Bay (GB)
Already a Group 1 producer of Harry Angel (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}), Beatrix Potter visits emerging young stallion New Bay. She's reaching her twilight years and the great hope would be to get a filly. Last season's yearling by Medaglia D'Oro made 600,000gns from Ben McElroy at Tattersalls Book 1.

FALLING PETALS (m, 11, Raven's Pass—Infinite Spirit, by Maria's Mon), booked to New Bay
Falling Petals, the producer of dual Group 1 winner Saffron Beach (New Bay), who realised 3,600,000gns at last year's Tattersalls December Mare sale, goes back to New Bay. If it's not broke, don't fix it. Last season's yearling, a New Bay colt, fetched €450,000 at Goffs Orby from Amanda Skiffington and goes into training with Saffron Beach's trainer Jane Chapple-Hyam. She also has a weanling full sister, who will likely be retained to race.

LADY LIGHT (GB) (m, 6, Showcasing {GB}—Bird Key {GB}, by Cadeaux Genereux {GB}), booked to Siyouni (Fr)
Lady Light is young stakes-placed mare, a full sister to Shadwell stallion Tasleet and from the immediate family of superstar sprinter Battaash. Her first foal, a filly by Dark Angel, is an excellent first foal. Siyouni is commercially consistent at the top level, both in the sales ring and on the track, and provides a fantastic proven option for a young mare getting going.

TSCHIERSCHEN (Ire) (m, 9, Acclamation {GB}—Roo {GB}, by Rudimentary), booked to State Of Rest (Ire)
Tschierschen is a stakes producing Acclamation mare and dam of Royal Ascot winner Petrotto. She is from the immediate family of Group 1 performers Mohaather, Prize Exhibit and Accidental Agent. A proven mare for the four-time Group 1-winning freshman sire State Of Rest (The Iron Horse).

COASTANA (m, 6, Kitten's Joy—Reachfortheheavens, by Pulpit), booked to New Bay
Coastana was picked up for $290,000 at the recent Keeneland November Sale with the plan of going to Europe to be bred. The stakes-placed mare adds some new blood to the European band and highlights our continued interest in developing families globally. A lovely individual that we thought would really suit New Bay.

MELODIC CHARM (IRE) (m, 6, Exceed and Excel {Aus}–Folk Melody {Ire}, by Street Cry {Ire}), booked to Siyouni
Melodic Charm is a young Exceed and Excel mare recently acquired from Tattersalls. She received a significant pedigree update shortly after her purchase when her half-brother Romantic Warrior (Ire) (Acclamation {GB}) won the G1 Longines Hong Kong Cup. She is due to Dark Angel and, therefore, the resulting progeny will be a three-parts brother or sister to Romantic Warrior.

HOURGLASS (IRE) (m, 8, Galileo {Ire}—Hellsinki {GB}, by Machiavellian), booked to Siyouni
Hourglass is a Galileo half-sister to Shamardal and is all class. Her first produce (Just an Hour {Justify}) was placed in his only start to date for Joseph O'Brien and looks to have a very bright future this coming season. Last season's yearling realised €300,000 and her weanling colt by Siyouni is outstanding. As such, going back to Siyouni was an easy call.

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Grading The Rising Stars – Class Of 2018

The smallest group profiled to date, numbering only 65, is led by its undisputed leader, undefeated Triple Crown champion and Horse of the Year Justify (Scat Daddy).

Justify debuted early in his 3-year-old season with a gate-to-wire 9 1/2-length romp at Santa Anita. Two starts later, in an effort to earn qualifying points towards the GI Kentucky Derby, the chestnut defeated MGISW Bolt d'Oro (Medaglia d'Oro) by three lengths to take the GI Santa Anita Derby and a spot in the Derby starting gate. With the 'Curse of Apollo' fresh on everyone's minds, Justify proved history wrong with a 2 1/2-length win over a loaded field of past and future stars in the GI Kentucky Derby. 2017 champion 2-year-old Good Magic (Curlin) chased him home ahead of such names as future GI Breeders Cup Classic winner Vino Rosso (Curlin) and MGISW Mendelssohn (Scat Daddy)

Good Magic took it to him again in a sloppy rendition of the GI Preakness S., dueling the Derby winner for nearly a mile before yielding as Justify prevailed late to win and keep his Triple Crown hopes alive. Never really challenged in New York, Justify stormed into infamy as only the second undefeated Triple Crown winner behind Seattle Slew (Bold Reasoning). Retired with earning of over $3,798,000, Justify stands at Coolmore's Ashford Stud and is a top-three freshman sire led by progeny such as 'TDN Rising Stars' Arabian Lion, Champions Dream, Justique, and Statuette.

Another undefeated horse in 2018, Game Winner (Candy Ride {Arg}) went four-for-four with three straight Grade I wins to end his year in the GI Del Mar Futurity, the GI American Pharoah S., and the GI Sentient Jet Breeders' Cup Juvenile. Named champion 2-year-old for his efforts, Game Winner would go on to place in both the GII Rebel S. and the GI Santa Anita Derby as a 3-year-old before retiring a winner in the GIII Los Alamitos Derby. His first foals arrived this year.

Not to be left off the undefeated list, Improbable (City Zip) made just three starts as a 2-year-old, capping his year a winner in the GI Los Alamitos Cash Call Futurity. It wasn't until later, however, that Improbable would do his best running. He would finish a close fourth in the GI Kentucky Derby as a 3-year-old but came back at four to win a trio of Grade I races in the GI Hollywood Gold Cup S., the GI Whitney S., and the GI Awesome Again S. before coming in second to Derby winner Authentic (Into Mischief) in the GI Breeders' Cup Classic. His accolades in 2020 would be rewarded with a year-end title as champion older dirt male.

A further eight 'Rising Stars' took at least one Grade I race in their careers, highlighted by GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf winner Newspaperofrecord (Ire) (Lope de Vega {Ire}), recent GI Matriarch S. winner Regal Glory (Animal Kingdom), and the half-sister to 2015 Triple Crown hero American Pharoah (Pioneerof the Nile), Chasing Yesterday (Tapit).

In total, 11 'TDN Rising Stars' would win a Grade I event, a 17% clip. A further 11 (17%) would win a graded-stakes race while 8 more would achieve graded-stakes placings (12%). Nine would be stakes winners in addition to a graded-stakes placing (14%), four would top out as stakes winners (6%), four would be stakes placed (6%) and 18 would not earn black type (28%).

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Morning-Line Favorite Justique Will Scratch From Santa Ynez

'TDN Rising Star' Justique (Justify), the morning-line favorite in Sunday's GIII Santa Ynez S., will not run after spiking a fever this week.

“I'm going to scratch,” trainer John Shirreffs said Saturday morning. “She had a little temperature.”

Justique will now await the GIII Las Virgenes S. going a mile Jan. 28, Shirreffs added. The expected scratch of Justique leaves a five-horse field in the Santa Ynez.

“She only had a temperature for a day (on Thursday) and she seems pretty good, but I don't know how she'll run under those circumstances,” Shirreffs said.

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2023 Mating Plans, Presented by Spendthrift: Bobby Flay

As we approach the opening of the 2023 breeding season, the TDN staff is once again sitting down with leading breeders to find out what stallions they have chosen for their mares, and why. First up: Bobby Flay.

AMERICA (m, 12, A. P. Indy–Lacadena, by Fasliyev), booked to Gun Runner

As she continues to produce quality foals, including MGSW First Captain (Curlin), the co-sales topper at the 2019 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga sale for $1.5 million, and his full-sister, who sold for $2 million at Saratoga last August, I'm excited to see what the hottest new sire can provide for this mare.

DAME DOROTHY (m, 12, Bernardini–Vole Vole Monamour, by Woodman), booked to Gun Runner

This mare's natural speed should fit well with this sire's staying quality. Although this stud fee is not inexpensive, Dame Dorothy deserves the caviar of the crop. Her first foal, Spice is Nice, brought $1.05 million as a yearling and is a Graded stakes winner. In 2021, her yearling Uncle Mo colt brought the most ever paid for that sire's yearlings at $1.6 million. Now named Sgt. Pepper, he is all-out training with Todd Pletcher and is one to keep an eye out for on the track.

AMERICAN CAVIAR (f, 4, Curlin–America, by A. P. Indy), booked to Justify

She is the full-sister to First Captain. I'm excited to see Justify making some noise in important two-year-old races in the U.S., Europe, and Japan. There's a good chance he'll be an important force as a young stallion. The Scat Daddy influence gives me confidence that Justify will continue to produce not just winners, but winners with quality.

AMAGANSETT (m, 6, Tapit–Twirl {Ire}, by Galileo {Ire}), booked to Not This Time

I bought Amagansett as a yearling because I liked her sire and she comes from the illustrious Coolmore family headed by Misty for Me. Not This Time is one of the most exciting stallions in the market. He had tons of speed and his progeny are winning at classic distances on both surfaces. My kind of stallion.

LIFE WELL LIVED (m, 16, Tiznow–Well Dressed, by Notebook), booked to Constitution

Already the Grade I producer of American Patriot (War Front), she will go back to Constitution, as he is showing he can be a top player in the game. He's now being booked to some of the top pedigrees in the book, which he truly deserves. Last season's yearling colt brought over $400,000.

RUBY LIPS (m, 13, Hard Spun–It's a Ruby, by Rubiano), booked to Constitution

The dam of MGSW Lone Rock and GII winner Gerrymander throws good foal after good foal. I acquired her in foal to Constitution and I liked what I saw. It made this year's decision easy: back to the well!

STREET STRUT (m, 10, Street Cry {Ire}–Lacadena, by Fasliyev), booked to Not This Time

Not This Time should fit the pedigree well to this half-sister to America, from the family of Better Than Honour (Deputy Minister) and Rags to Riches (A. P. Indy). It's a cross that can produce anything.

TIZAHIT (m, 16, Tiznow–Never a No Hitter, by Kris S.), booked to Constitution

The producer of GI winner Come Dancing, she's ready to produce another. Last season's Constitution out of this mare sold for over $400,000 and could be a serious horse. These Constitutions are showing themselves well on the racetrack and at the sales. Why make it a tough decision??

VERONIQUE (m, 12, Mizzen Mast–Styler, by Holy Bull), booked to Curlin

As the dam of the super-fast Nashville (Speightstown), she deserves a turn to the big dog. Curlin is the epitome of a proven sire. Year after year, he plays an important role in the country's most important races. Curlin has been very good to my program and I'm excited to see what he produces with this proven mare.

SUPER ESPRESSO (m, 16, Medaglia d'Oro–Amizette, by Forty Niner), booked to Nashville

I almost never employ unproven stallions. In this case, I'm making a calculated guess that Nashville's unreal, natural speed is just what this mare needs. She has the stamina up and down her Helen Alexander pedigree. Since I have the dam (Veronique), I'm taking a shot with her best runner.

WHITE HOT (IRE) (m, 10, Galileo {Ire}–Gwynn {Ire}, by Darshaan {GB}), booked to Into Mischief

The dam of Pizza Bianca is going back to this top sire. Although this is a very fancy Coolmore family by Galileo, I believe this mare has the possibility of turning her purple bloodlines to dirt greatness and Into Mischief is the man for the job! If I'm wrong and grass is this mare's preferred surface, then this sire can do that too. Basically, the risk here is low. Serious sire power.

SINGING SWEETLY (IRE) (m, 6. Galileo {Ire}–Sing Softly, by Hennessy), booked to American Pharoah

This Galileo mare from a good American family may be the best value buy I've made in a long time. Her first foal by Study of Man brought enough at the Keeneland yearling sale last year to pay for her own price tag. Speaking of value, this sire at $60,000 may be the bargain of the decade. Somehow the market has turned its attention to other young studs, but I'm thrilled to book this young mare to this Triple Crown winner.

COVER SONG (m, 10, Fastnet Rock {Aus}–Misty for Me {Ire}), by Galileo {Ire}), booked to Into Mischief

She may be the best family I currently have with the possibility of it getting better. Her first two foals, Contemporary Art (Dubawi) and Sbagliato (Quality Road) are gearing up to have black-type seasons. This mare, a half-sister to U.S. Navy Flag (War Front) and Roly Poly (War Front) only deserves the best. Back to Into Mischief it is!

POTION (m, 5, Ghostzapper–And Why Not, by Street Cry {Ire}), booked to Justify

I bought this mare out of Helen Groves's dispersal in November. She certainly was not on discount, but getting into a family by one of the world's greatest breeders in the history of the sport will always have value. Justify gets the nod for this young Ghostzapper mare. Can be dirt, can be grass. Either is fine with me.

AULD ALLIANCE (IRE) (m, 12, Montjeu {Ire}–Highland Gift {Ire}, by Generous {Ire}), booked to Sea the Stars (Ire)

After employing the great Frankel four seasons in a row, I thought I'd give him a break this year. He's thrown beautiful foal after beautiful foal. After getting a private audience with Baaeed in Mr. Haggas's yard, something told me that Sea the Stars was the key to this mare's entry to a European Classic. Check back in four years…I have a feeling!

OLD SCHOOL (GB) (f, 4, Frankel {GB}–Auld Alliance, by Montjeu {Ire}), booked to Uncle Mo

A Frankel daughter of Auld Alliance will remain in America and be bred to a sire that can produce champion dirt horses. I'm convinced that making this happen is slightly more possible than most people think. My philosophy is that good blood is good blood. It always shows up. The surface is just a speed bump.

GLINTING (IRE), (Galileo {Ire}–One Moment in Time {Ire}), by Danehill), booked to Wootton Bassett (GB)

I was thrilled to secure this Galileo mare from this Coolmore family at Arqana in December. She was offered in foal to Wootton Bassett, which is a valuable coupon that came with the mare. The Coolmore team has made a big bet on this cross and I have no problem following their lead.

Interested in sharing your own mating plans? Email garyking@thetdn.com.

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