LOUISVILLE, Ky.—Trainer Bob Baffert brought Justify out to meet the crowd gathered outside Barn 33 at Churchill Downs on Sunday morning and gave his colt a warning.
“You better get used to this,” Baffert said. “This is your new life.”
Following a 2 ½-length Derby victory on Saturday, Justify became horse racing’s newest star, with comparisons made to one of Baffert’s best horses—2015 Triple Crown winner American Pharoah.
“He just put himself up there with the greats,” Baffert said. “He’s a superior horse.”
With the win, Justify didn’t just take the first leg of racing’s Triple Crown, but also broke the 136-year Curse of Apollo, named after the last horse to win the Derby after not racing as a 2-year-old. Justify made his racing debut on Feb. 18 and improved his undefeated record to 4-for-4.
Baffert said Justify was “a handful” in the barn the morning after his Derby romp and will stay in Kentucky this week before heading to Baltimore for the May 19 Preakness Stakes.
Although 20 horses entered the starting gate for the Derby, a much smaller field is likely for the Preakness.
Of the Derby runners, only Bravazo, who finished sixth, appears headed for a rematch in the second leg of the Triple Crown. Good Magic, the second-place finisher, hasn’t been ruled out by trainer Chad Brown. Trainer Todd Pletcher ran four horses in the Derby, but none are expected to challenge Justify in two weeks.
All of Baffert’s previous four Derby winners went on to win the Preakness, including American Pharoah, War Emblem (2002), Real Quiet (1998) and Silver Charm (1997). Baffert has now won a total of 13 Triple Crown races in his Hall of Fame career.
Write to Jim Chairusmi at jim.chairusmi@wsj.com