Third Stakes-Winner for Justify

The first Australian bred two year-olds by Triple Crown hero Justify are making good progress in some of the best stables in the country while his first Northern Hemisphere runners continue to impress with Justa Warrior (2f Justify x AZ Warrior, by Bernardini) becoming his third stakes-winner when taking out the Listed Runhappy Ellis Park Debutante Stakes.

Trained by John Ortiz, Justa Warrior was a debut winner at the same track in July and handled the step up to stakes class with ease, powering clear to win the 7f contest by a length.

Raced by Stone Bridge Farm, Justa Warrior was a $150,000 Keeneland September Yearling purchase and is a half-sister to stakes-winner Key to My Heart and is the fourth winner from Group I winning Bernardini mare AZ Warrior.

Justify has had eight winners – three of them stakes-winners with Group winners Statuette and Just Cindy now joined by Justa Warrior - and seven place-getters.

Not shuttling to Australia this spring, Justify will have his first Australian runners this season and they were popular at the sales this year selling for up to $1million.

He has 38 entries for the 2023 Golden Slipper and among them is his top selling colt from Maastricht with Hawkes Racing nominating the half-brother to dual Group I winner Loving Gaby.