Justify

With a trademark powerful stride amid a blaze of red and yellow silks, Justify emphatically crossed the finish line at the 2018 Belmont Stakes and became just the 13th winner of horse racing's elusive Triple Crown. One of the most charismatic and talented runners in the history of the sport, Justify was also one of its most unlikely champions; the late-blooming chestnut colt made his competitive debut only 111 days prior to that legendary victory.

In Justify: 111 Days to Triple Crown Glory, veteran scribe Lenny Shulman (BloodHorse magazine) provides an insider account of this Thoroughbred’s rise to greatness. Through extensive interviews and first-hand accounts, readers will discover the fascinatingly disparate cast of characters who were crucial to Justify’s success, including trainer Bob Baffert, whose innate ability to identify equine talent also produced American Pharoah; Mike Smith, the 52-year-old jockey asserting himself in the miraculous third act of his career; and breeders John and Tanya Gunther, who believed in Justify’s ability despite the developmental imperfections that drove buyers away.

Packed with riveting action, keen insight, and behind-the-scenes perspectives on quieter figures like silent investors, international stakeholders, and unheralded training staff, Justify is an illuminating look at the modern Thoroughbred industry and an essential story for the ages.