Justify (1), with jockey Mike Smith up, leads the pack as it approaches the first turn during the 150th running of the Belmont Stakes horse race. Photo / AP Photo
Justify (1), with jockey Mike Smith up, leads the pack as it approaches the first turn during the 150th running of the Belmont Stakes horse race. Photo / AP Photo
The Kiwi standing in the middle of Justify's Triple Crown storm says the feeling was surreal.
And even more so for Cambridge bloodstock agent Michael Wallace because he was one of those responsible for choosing racing's newest superstar from the yearling sales.
Trained by the legendary Bob Baffert and riddenby Mike Smith, Justify completed the his Triple Crown with a stunning all-the-way in the Belmont Stakes as the crowd went crazy.
He returned to their cheers with an unblemished record and perfectly clean silks in sharp contrast to his muddied and beaten rivals.
Justify was purchased at the 2016 Keeneland September Yearling Sale for the China Horse Club & Maverick Racing for $500,000 by their buying team that consists of Wallace, the China Horse Club's racing and bloodstock manager, along with Mick Flanagan and Tom Ryan of SF Bloodstock.
Now owned by WinStar Farm, China Horse Club, Starlight Racing and Head of Plains Partners, Justify defeated former UK galloper Gronkowski by just on two lengths with Hofburg back in third.
The China Horse Club not only part own Justify but had the honour of him completing the Triple Crown racing in their now famous colours, which are increasingly seen around tracks in New Zealand.
Cambridge bloodstock agent Michael Wallace. Photo / Trish Dunell
The 37-year-old Wallace was part of buying team that purchased Justify when China Horse Club was still relatively new to the North American yearling market.
"It was a steep learning curve for me personally when we started buying horse in the US market because it was all new to us," said Wallace from the Belmont track.
"But you never dream it could produce a result like this. To have this level of success so early is something you wouldn't dare to dream.
"Only two Triple Crown winners have ever been bought at public auction and to think we are all involved in one of them is remarkable.
"There are good horse and great horses. But if you win the Triple Crown you become a legend and that is what he is now."
Wallace went into yesterday's race in a pragmatic mood, knowing wishing doesn't tend to make racehorses run any faster.
"We had already had a great run with him and were very proud of what he had achieved.
"But to win it, to be there and one part of it was surreal. It was an amazing feeling but I think it is going to take a while to really sink in."
Wallace got special joy out of watching the race in the Belmont stands with his father Jim and brother David.
"It was great too have them there but there are a lot of sacrifices that go into making all this work, time away from my wife Nicky and family.
"But a day like today, to be part of this, is something I will never forget."
Wallace spends "about eight months a year" travelling the world attending sales, inspecting yearlings and going horses and managing the careers of the China Horse Club's ever-growing band of racehorses.
But he also has his own bloodstock company, Waterford Bloodstock.
"And we have people working hard there too who enable me to do what I do year round." Wallace was still pinching himself hours after the race as the team around Justify set out to celebrate the unique achievement.
"It is such a surreal feeling and one that I'm still trying to take in," he said.
"The crowd was in excess of 100,000 so the noise was unbelievable and when they started to roar as he got near the finish it just got even louder.
"After the race so many people wanted to shake your hand and congratulate you. It's an experience I will never forget and will be hard to top in the future.
"To become just the 13th winner of the Triple Crown is amazing and even more special is the fact that he is only the second Triple Crown winner to be bought at public auction after Seattle Slew in 1977."
Remarkably Justify is one of only two horses to have won the Triple Crown while having been undefeated in any previous race; the other is Seattle Slew who feature's in the pedigree of Justify through his dam Stage Magic.
Justify has won all six of his career starts, four at grade one level. Remarkably, Justify did not have his first start until February 18th this year and has quickly become the pin-up horse of American racing.
