Justify Filly Proves She’s No Joke at Saratoga

Coolmore freshmen sired the first two home in the opening race at Saratoga on Friday when Im Just Kiddin (2f Justify x Khancord Kid, by Lemon Drop Kid) finished a length ahead of Highway Harmony (2f Mo Town x Tweet Street, by Quality Road).

Racing 5 ½ furlongs on the turf, Im Just Kiddin raced a few lengths behind Highway Harmony as that one set the pace on an uncontested lead. Racing around the turn, Im Just Kiddin showed off the impressive turn of foot Justify’s first crop has been consistently flashing in their runs to chase down the leader.

When asked to run down the stretch, the green Im Just Kiddin showed another spurt to collar the Mo Town filly in the final sixteenth with everyone else nearly three lengths behind the runner-up.

A second generation homebred for Chester and Mary Broman, she is also the second generation to be trained by John Kimmel. That conditioner trained the juvenile’s dam Khancord Kid to a Grade III victory during her own racing career.

Khancord Kid is the dam of Grade I Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint winner Bar of Gold and American Pharoah’s stakes-placed Homeland among three stake performers from four to race. Bar of Gold has gone on to produce a graded stakes winner of her own with Grade III winner Coinage. Bar of Gold ahas a 2-year-old Justify colt named Chulligan.

Khancord Kid had an Uncle Mo filly this year.

Justify is the sire of eight winners, led by graded stakes-winning fillies on both the dirt and turf in 2022.