Tag: Justique

‘TDN Rising Star’ Justique Goes Last To First In Desi Arnaz

Far behind early, 'TDN Rising Star' JUSTIQUE (Justify–Grazie Millie, by Bernardini) broke slow and spotted the field several lengths up the backstretch run before making an eye-catching move into the far turn to gain ground. Still fifth and caught wide at the quarter pole, she continued to rally, out-finishing the field down the lane to win comfortably over Blessed Touch (Girvin). The final time for the seven furlongs was 1:23.41. Lifetime Record: 3-2-0-1.

O-C R K Stable, LLC; B-John D Gunther & Eurowest Bloodstock; T-John Shirreffs. Sales History: $725,000 ylng KEESEP.

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Sunday Insights: Pair of $700k Maidens Tackle Del Mar

Sponsored by Alex Nichols Agency

6th-DMR, $70K, Msw, 2yo, 6f, 6:00 p.m.

SULLY (Uncle Mo), a $700,000 yearling at last year's Keeneland September Sale, debuts for trainer John Shirreffs and owner CRK Stable Sunday. Second dam Grazie Mille is responsible for a pair of 'TDN Rising Stars' in GISW and top-10 freshman sire Mo Town (Uncle Mo) as well as GII Chandelier S. third Justique (Justify). The bay just missed a bullet in his most recent work, going four furlongs at Santa Anita in :46 4/5 (2/71) and picks up jockey Victor Espinoza. TJCIS PPS

9th-DMR, $70K, Msw, 2yo, f, 1mT, 7:30 p.m.

Another $700,000 yearling purchase from Keeneland September, WINDOW SHOPPING (American Pharoah) is the third foal out of GSW Delightful Joy (Tapit), herself a half-sister to GSW Cali Star (Street Cry {Ire}) out of GSW and GISP Graeme Six (Graeme Hall). Her 4-year-old half-sister, Zainalarab (War Front), was herself a $1,000,000 yearling.  TJCIS PPS

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Second Chances: Curlin Colt Flashes Potential in Live Maiden at Del Mar

In this continuing series, TDN's Senior Editor Steve Sherack catches up with the connections of promising maidens to keep on your radar.

A week before unveiling Justique (Justify) to a jaw-dropping 'TDN Rising Star' performance at Del Mar–more on her in a bit–Lee Searing's C R K Stable and John Shirreffs debuted another 2-year-old with plenty of upside at the seaside track.

Skinner (c, 2, Curlin–Winding Way, by Malibu Moon), a $40,000 Keeneland September yearling turned $510,000 OBS April breezer (:10 1/5), came rolling home to finish an encouraging fifth in a very live five-furlong maiden special weight completely dominated on the front end at Del Mar July 24.

Dismissed at 36-1 for his notoriously patient connections, Skinner was devoid of any early speed after bumping with a rival and trailed the field in 10th through an opening quarter in :22.29. Kept out in the clear by Abel Cedillo, the bay began to launch his bid from another zip code on the far turn, swung into the stretch about five wide and came home in a field-best :10.95 while finishing seven lengths adrift next-out GIII Best Pal S. winner Havnameltdown (Uncaptured). The runner-up that day Mister Iceman (Girvin) was a game next-out maiden winner at Del Mar as well.

Bred in Kentucky by Stonestreet Thoroughbred Holdings, Skinner is out of 2012 GIII Rancho Bernardo H. winner Winding Way. The full-sister to MGSW & GISP Kauai Katie brought $82,000 from Solis/Litt in foal to Maclean's Music at the 2021 KEENOV sale.

Skinner is bred on the same Curlin x Malibu Moon cross responsible for champion 3-year-old filly Stellar Wind. The wildly successful Curlin x A. P. Indy (sire of Malibu Moon) pairing has produced standouts such as Malathaat, Nest, Global Campaign, Idol, et al.

“The first race was just supposed to be a learning experience,” Searing said. “It was so short of a race, and Skinner, being by Curlin, is not a dead sprinter. He's never gonna be. So, he ran a lights-out race. Another half of a furlong, he's a winner. I think John will decide very shortly if we're gonna wait for a maiden race again or if he takes on the big race at the end of the meeting [GI Runhappy Del Mar Futurity Sept. 11].”

Searing, the CEO of Searing Industries–a family-run business with more than 200 employees specializing in manufacturing steel-tubing products–named Skinner after one of his longtime employees, Don Skinner.

“Don is one of our oldest sales people dating all the way back to my father in the mid-1950s,” Searing said. “He got so excited when I told him. If we get into a big race, he wants to come. Sometimes it doesn't turn out, but so far, so good.”

Searing added, “This is a really nice horse.”

The same can certainly be said about Searing's aforementioned $725,000 KEESEP buy Justique, who looked like a potential star in the making with a sensational last-to-first debut win at Del Mar July 24.

“I don't think she touched the ground the whole race,” Searing said. “That was impressive and everybody saw it. She's doing well today. This one, I do believe 100% the plan is to run her at the end of the meeting [in the GI TVG Del Mar Debutante Sept. 10]. She'll enjoy the added distance and she definitely can stand as much competition as they throw at her.”

The 'Second Chances' honor roll is headed by two-time Breeders' Cup winner Golden Pal (Uncle Mo), GI Runhappy Santa Anita Derby winner and Lane's End stallion Honor A. P. (Honor Code) and MGISW and 'TDN Rising Star' Paradise Woods (Union Rags).

This term's GI Carter H. winner Speaker's Corner (Street Sense), GIII Westchester S. winner Cody's Wish (Curlin), GI Preakness S. third-place finisher Creative Minister (Creative Cause), Curlin S. winner and 'TDN Rising Star' Artorius (Arrogate) and streaking Cinema S. winner War At Sea (War Front) have also been featured in the series.

Other standouts include: GSW Moonlight d'Oro (Medaglia d'Oro), GSW & MGISP Spielberg (Union Rags), GSW Backyard Heaven (Tizway), MSW and 'TDN Rising Star' Gidu (Ire) (Frankel {GB}); and GISP A Mo Reay (Uncle Mo).

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Tanya Gunther on Justique and Her Full-Sister at Glennwood

Tanya Gunther was thrilled to watch the latest 'TDN Rising Star' Justique (Justify) trounce the competition in her breathtaking debut, but the horsewoman admitted that a few thoughts of what could have been flashed through her head as she remembered the promising filly's early days spent at Glennwood Farm.

“I didn't really want to sell her,” Gunther said with an acquiescing smile. “Most of our yearlings do go to the sale, but I was a bit sad when we let her go.”

Bred by Tanya's father John Gunther in partnership with Eurowest Bloodstock, Justique is the sixth foal out of the Gunthers' graded stakes-producing homebred mare Grazie Mille (Bernardini). When the dark bay foal arrived in March of 2020, the Gunthers were caught on the other side of the Atlantic at the start of the pandemic.

Tanya Gunther received regular photo updates of Justique throughout the year. When she finally returned to Glennwood, she made up for lost time with the youngster as she worked with the filly throughout the summer of her yearling year.

“I was down in our filly barn a lot through our prep season, so I spent a lot of time with her,” Gunther explained. “I got to know her very well and she was a favorite of mine. She had a very athletic look about her, sort of the Scat Daddy and Justify aspect coming through.”

Justique would sell for $725,000 at the Keeneland September Sale before joining the John Shirreffs barn to race for C R K Stable.

“I really hoped that she would be something special and so far, she looks pretty interesting,” Gunther said.

While Gunther may have had to part with Grazie Mille's first daughter of Justify, Justique's full-sister arrived at Glennwood in March this year and Gunther said that this filly will almost definitely stay with their operation.

“She's an exceptional individual,” Gunther reported. “She is very pretty, leggy and has great scope on her. She's just a beauty, much like Justique was as a foal.”

A shiny chestnut with a touch of chrome, this youngster has the definite stamp of her sire who once meandered the very same paddocks at Glennwood before achieving Triple Crown glory. Glennwood Farm is an enthusiastic supporter of the Coolmore sire and Gunther said that she is finding common trends in Justify's progeny.

“I have found that while his offspring may not always be chestnut with the blaze, they definitely have a physique that I see a resemblance of him,” she explained. “While [Justique and her sister] are different colors, they are very much of a similar model.”

Each of these daughters of Justify represent their breeder on both sides of their pedigree. John Gunther purchased their second dam, Molto Vita (Carson City), for $24,000 in 2000. She won the 2004 GIII Thoroughbred Club of America S. and collected over half a million in earnings before retiring to stud. Her third foal, Grazie Mille, broke her maiden impressively for Chad Brown, but was forced to retire prematurely.

“She was a very talented racehorse, but she chipped a knee and we had to retire her early,” Gunther recalled. “I think she would have been a stakes horse and her trainer did as well.”

Grazie Mille's first foal Mo Town (Uncle Mo) earned the 'Rising Star' nod at two and went on to dual-surface success in the GII Remsen S. and GI Hollywood Derby before joining the roster at Ashford Stud. Along with studmate Justify, he is represented by his first crop of runners this year.

With immeasurable upside potential for Grazie Mille and her growing produce record, Gunther has high hopes for the accomplished homebred mare.

“We had the fortune of breeding her to Uncle Mo early on before he had runners and that was how she got rolling as a broodmare with progeny behind her name, so now it's hopefully onward and upward from there.”

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