Justique heads Sunday’s Grade III, $100,000 Santa Ynez Stakes
At 0h04, on January 8, 2023 • By SANTA ANITA
Fresh off a visually impressive win in an ungraded stakes Nov. 19, C R K Stable’s Justique heads a field of six sophomore fillies going seven furlongs in Sunday’s Grade III, $100,000 Santa Ynez Stakes at Santa Anita.
Originally scheduled to be run on New Year’s Day, the Santa Ynez was re-drawn Thursday due to this past Sunday’s races being cancelled. With Justique remaining the horse to beat, she’ll face five rivals, all of whom were scheduled to run on Jan. 1.
Trained by John Shirreffs, Justique, in a come-from-behind performance reminiscent of the great Zenyatta, walked out of the gate in the seven furlong Desi Arnaz Stakes at Del Mar Nov. 19, was about 10 lengths off the lead at the half mile pole, cruised into contention while within herself around the far turn and won as she pleased by 2 ¼ lengths under a hand ride from Victor Espinoza.
Off slowly in all three of her starts, Justique will likely employ similar tactics as she takes on a competitive group of classmates that will include three Bob Baffert trainees.
