Justify’s Greenfinch Wins Cairn Rouge

It was a first stakes victory for Justify’s royally bred daughter Greenfinch (3f Justify x Misty For Me, by Galileo) on Saturday when the filly won the Listed Cairn Rouge Stakes at Killarney.

Racing just over a mile on the turf rated as good, Greenfinch jumped out of the gates quickly and immediately took the lead. The sophomore was allowed to open a few lengths the first few furlongs before the field tightened up with just over three furlongs left to run.

Once Greenfinch was asked to pick up, she did so with ears pricked in the stretch.

Trained by Aidan O’Brien for Westerberg and breeders and co-owners Coolmore, the filly has finished in the top three in four of her seven starts, including a listed third last out.

This is the fourth stakes winner out of champion Misty For Me, who also produced the multiple Group I winning duo of Roly Poly and U S Navy Flag in addition to Fastnet Rock’s Group III winner Cover Song.

Misty For Me is one of three stakes winners out of her own dam, who also produced champion Ballydoyle – the dam of Justify’s Group III winner Red Riding Hood – and Twirl. Under Greenfinch’s third dam are champion racehorse and sire Fasliyev and American Pharoah’s Grade I winner Marketsegmenttion.

Misty For Me has a juvenile full brother to Greenfinch to come as well.

This is the third stakes winner in 11 days for Justify, who has seen those winners come in two different surfaces in three different countries.