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Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner Justify and trainer Bob Baffert were back on the track on Memorial Day training for the upcoming Belmont Stakes. Scott Utterback, Louisville Courier Journal

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It had been a week since Bob Baffert had seen his Triple Crown hopeful Justify in person, and the trainer said he was pleased with what he saw Monday morning at Churchill Downs.

“Right now, everything seems that it’s going smoothly,” Baffert said. “Flesh-wise, he looks great. I’m very happy with the way he’s going.”

Justify continues to train toward the June 9 Belmont, where he will attempt to become thoroughbred racing’s 13th Triple Crown winner.

Baffert said Justify could have a light breeze on Tuesday at Churchill, depending on the track’s surface.

“We don’t train scared,” Baffert said. “He has to go a mile and a half, and I want to make sure when I throw (jockey) Mike Smith on his back that he has a full tank of gas and his horse is ready. If he’s not ready, it doesn’t matter what Mike does.”

Baffert said he’s most pleased with how Justify has carried his weight during the Triple Crown run. Baffert hasn’t weighed the horse since before the Kentucky Derby, when he checked in at 1,268 pounds, but said he doesn’t appear to have lost any weight.

He said that wasn’t the case in 2002 with War Emblem, who won the Kentucky Derby and Preakness before finishing eighth in the Belmont.

“He eats everything you put in front of him,” Baffert said of Justify. “That’s the main key, that they don’t lose weight. I remember War Emblem, and the heat got him. He wasn’t eating well, and he lost a lot of weight during that time.”

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► Free Drop Billy, who finished 16th in the Kentucky Derby, breezed five furlongs in 59.60 seconds on Monday.

Trainer Dale Romans said a final decision on the colt’s Belmont status will come in the next couple of days.

“He was fast and did everything right,” Romans said. “We’ll make a decision here in the next couple of days for what to do. Right now, we’re leaning toward running.”

Romans said jockey Robby Albarado will have the ride if Free Drop Billy runs in the Belmont.

► Baffert said Restoring Hope also will breeze Tuesday and is being pointed toward the Belmont. Restoring Hope finished 12th of 14 in the Pat Day Mile on a sloppy track on Derby Day.

“He’s training well,” Baffert said. “He’s kind of a one-pace speed horse. He has speed. … He struggled on the off track (in the Pat Day Mile). I was really disappointed. I thought he could win.”

Jason Frakes: 502-582-4046; jfrakes@courier-journal.com; Twitter: @kyhighs. Support strong local journalism by subscribing today: www.courier-journal.com/jasonf.

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