Justify
Justify is displaying all the potential one might hope to see in a stallion who was an unbeaten winner of the Triple Crown. After finishing a close third among America’s freshman sires in 2022, Justify was the dominant second-crop sire of 2023 in many categories, including in order of BTWs (15), GSWs (10) and G1SWs (6). He also took the title of Champion Sire of 2yos by a wide margin, with help from 9 BTWs, headed by 6 GSWs, four of them at Gr.1 level.
He looks likely to add the title of leading third-crop sire in 2024, as he held a substantial lead at the beginning of November, aided by 15 BTWs. He also ranked fourth on the 2024 General Sires table, with an unrivalled 18% of his runners earning black type.
Justify already has Gr.1 winners on dirt and turf and his progeny are equally at home in the U.S., Europe and Australia. His versatility extends to his progeny’s winning distances, ranging from 5f to a mile and a half. In other words, he is showing all the versatility we have come to expect of his remarkable sire Scat Daddy.
Scat Daddy owed his total of 53 GSWs in the northern hemisphere to no fewer than 47 different broodmare sires. Justify is also working well with a variety of bloodlines, with his first 30 northern hemisphere-bred stakes winners having 22 different broodmare sires.
The dominant force has been SADLER’S WELLS and his son GALILEO. Sadler’s Wells sired the dam of Justify’s dual Gr.1 winner Opera Singer and the 2nd dam of his Gr.2 2yo winner Statuette. City of Troy is amongst 14 black-type earners, including 7 BTWs out of GALILEO mares. Scat Daddy sired Gr.1 winner Nickname from a grand-daughter of EL PRADO, so daughters of MEDAGLIA D’ORO and KITTEN’S JOY should suit Justify well.
NUREYEV’s grandson PIVOTAL sired the dam of Statuette and the 2nd dam of Ramatuelle. The exceptional City of Troy has a 2nd dam by THEATRICAL.
Although Justify has three lines of MR PROSPECTOR, this is proving no obstacle to further lines to this outstanding stallion. His Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf winner Hard To Justify is out of a QUALITY ROAD mare inbred 4x3 to MR PROSPECTOR. Another of Justify’s Gr.1 winners, Aspen Grove, has a dam inbred 4x4 to MR PROSPECTOR. Another of his Gr.1 winners, Arabian Lion, is out of a mare by DISTORTED HUMOR, while Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies winner Just F Y I has a dam by STREET CRY, who also sired the 2nd dam of Gr.1 Belmont Oaks winner Aspen Grove. Like Hard To Justify, the classy European filly Ramatuelle is out of a grand-daughter of ELUSIVE QUALITY. Scat Daddy sired the highly successful No Nay Never from an ELUSIVE QUALITY mare. Justify’s Gr.3 dirt winner Just Cindy is out of a mare by GONE WEST’s son PROUD CITIZEN.
Scat Daddy sired Graded winners from mares by SMART STRIKE and his son CURLIN while No Nay Never has two Gr.2 winners out of a mare by Smart Strike’s son ENGLISH CHANNEL. EMPIRE MAKER mares had 20% SWs with Scat Daddy. Scat Daddy also had Graded winners from mares by UNBRIDLED’S SONG’s sons BUDDHA, SONGANDAPRAYER, FIRST DEFENCE and ROCKPORT HARBOR.
TAPIT’s daughters produced 43% BTWs to Scat Daddy and already have Justify’s Gr.3 dirt winner Champions Dream and Gr.1 Blue Grass S. runner-up Just A Touch. Justify’s first eight runners out of BERNARDINI mares include three Listed-winning fillies. His Gr.1 winner Arabian Lion has a 2nd dam by A.P. INDY.
Justify already has five BTWs (15%) out of mares by DANEHILL’s son FASTNET ROCK, including Gr.1 Arkansas Derby second Just Steel. Justify’s dual European Gr.1 winner Opera Singer has a 2nd dam by DANEHILL DANCER. No Nay Never has thrived with mares from the GREEN DESERT branch of the DANZIG line, siring the likes of dual Gr.1-winning 2YO Blackbeard.
Scat Daddy’s exceptionally fast Lady Aurelia is inbred 4x3 to STORM CAT, as she has a dam by FOREST WILDCAT, so there’s plenty of scope for more STORM CAT blood. Justify already has seven black-type performers with 2nd dams by STORM CAT, as well as North American stakes winners out of mares by GIANT’S CAUSEWAY and his son FOOTSTEPSINTHESAND. Justify’s 2YO Gr.2 winner Buchu has a 2nd by GIANT’S CAUSEWAY.
Justify also has two Gr.3 winners with 2nd dams by MENIFEE suggesting that INTO MISCHIEF mares could work with Justify.