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2018 G1 Kentucky Derby 肯塔基德比一级赛
still be won in racing’s ‘modern age’. An era where horses on average, 11 and a half months long. Justify is a veteran of
compete less frequently, where competition is consistently five starts that have spanned three months. But in that time
strong and where thoroughbreds are viewed as more fragile. the Bob Baffert-trained, Mike Smith ridden colt has taken
To propose, before Justify’s arrival, that a colt could bid for all before him. He has:
the Triple Crown, having lined up for his maiden race only • Become just the 24th horse in 144 years to win the first
112 days earlier, would have led to a very public dressing two legs of the Triple Crown, the G1 Kentucky Derby and
down across both mainstream and social media. But this G1 Preakness Stakes;
is just where Justify stands. 91 days to hero status. 112 to • Broken the 136-year-old ‘Curse of Apollo’, the oldest
legend. Possibly. curse in American sport, which announced that no horse
had won the Kentucky Derby without racing in their two-
The racing world waits to see the next instalment of Justify’s year-old season since Apollo way back in 1882 – a time
fast evolving and engaging career. None of the 12 Triple when Chester A. Arthur was President and just two decades
Crown winners has achieved their feat in such an abridged after slavery was abolished;
timeframe. Collectively, they went into the Belmont Stakes • Won three successive G1 races, the first, the G1 Santa
averaging just under 14 lifetime starts and careers that were, Anita Derby only 46 days after his debut.
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