“We’ll Give Him a Chance”: Horse Racing Hall of Fame Trainer Grants 2024 Kentucky Derby Prospect a Golden Opportunity on Track

In the world of horse racing where the stakes are high, every setback is an opportunity for redemption. One such news surfaced of 2018 Triple Crown winner Justify’s pedigree, a two-year-old horse. He was ostensibly bought by John Bellinger and Brian Coelho at the 2022 September Keeneland yearling sale for a hefty value of $500,000. However, until now, the prime race has not been marked by the majestic equine making its future races a bet.

Having shown a less-than-ideal career start, another dirt-ground opportunity is gearing up for the racehorse in the offing. The update also came with a promising word put out by a renowned trainer in favor.

Equine bet and the race schedule – unfurled

Just Steel is scheduled to race at Oaklawn next month, aiming for a steely comeuppance. Aiming for the $300,000 Smarty Jones Stakes for 3-year-olds according to the Horse Racing Nation. The first four-point races that precede the eagerly awaited Kentucky Derby in 2024 get underway with this race. Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas spoke optimistically about his horse, noting, “We’ll give him a chance to be a good horse.”

Lukas further added, “We’ll treat him like a stake horse and let him disappoint us. I think we’ll probably go to the Smarty Jones.” Given his faith in Just Steel, it appears that the horse is not only a contender but also a promising colt deserving of due consideration. Despite having a rough start, he has already recovered half of the original purchase value, having won $240,795 in earnings.

Just Steel’s being a “stake horse” for Lukas implies that he believes in the horse’s unrealized potential and is prepared to give it the assistance it needs. Tracing his undulating journey is sure to bolster horse racers’ sunken morales though, as he is brimming with hope and promise.

Just Steel and his odyssey

Just Steel has experienced both successes and setbacks in his career. The horse showed early promise, breaking his maiden by a nose at Saratoga in August. His next victory, in November at Churchill Downs in the $225,000 Ed Brown Stakes, cemented his reputation as a fierce rival. But there were also difficulties mixed in with the occasional peppering of victory.

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The racing world was made uneasy by three straight defeats, one of which came at Keeneland in the Grade 1 Breeders’ Futurity Stakes, where he finished sixth. Notably, despite having the lead going into the stretch, Just Steel’s two-turn debut was less than impressive, ending in a 16-length loss. With its shorter distance of 6 1/2 furlongs, the Ed Brown Stakes earned him some redemption which he will now further at the extended 1 1/16 miles in 2024. Like it or not, Just Steel is here to stay.

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