Ashford Stud's Triple Crown winner Justify , sire of super talented juvenile colt Storm Boy, and North America's leading third-crop sire, will not be returning to Coolmore's Hunter Valley base in 2024.
Despite the enormous impact the son of Scat Daddy has had with his runners in Australia, it has been decided the stallion will remain at Coolmore's base in Kentucky, where he will cover a select book of mares on Southern Hemisphere time.
The news comes fresh off the back of the announcement April 23 that Justify, who was first past the post in all six of his career starts, will be inducted into the American National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame later this year.
"It's a similar situation to Frankel in England where they serve mares to Southern Hemisphere time," said Coolmore's Tom Magnier. "We will be sending up some of our best mares and some of our clients here will have the opportunity to send their mares to him, too.
"Many of the mares who might have visited Justify here have already been booked into our Golden Slipper winner Shinzo, whose retirement was announced a few days ago. We have had a fantastic response to him from our clients."
Justify has sired 32 winners from 63 runners in the Southern Hemisphere and they are headed by five stakes scorers, including this year's star juvenile colt Storm Boy, whose four victories include the Skyline Stakes (G2) and Magic Millions 2-Year-Old Classic, while last season's Reisling Stakes (G2) winner Learning To Fly also features among his Southern Hemisphere-bred progeny.
Globally, the stallion's numbers are elite. The sire of 139 winners from 290 starters, with 28 of them stakes winners, headed by six top-flight scorers including unbeaten colt City of Troy, who capped off his juvenile career with a victory in the stallion-making Dewhurst Stakes (G1) and is the strong favorite for next month's Two Thousand Guineas at Newmarket. In North America so far he's sired two graded stakes winners this year in Appalachian Stakes (G2T) winner Buchu and La Prevoyante Stakes (G3T) winner Alpha Bella. His champion daughter Just F Y I is grade 1-placed and a leading contender for the Kentucky Oaks (G1), while his sons Just a Touch, who was second in the Blue Grass Stakes (G1), and Just Steel, second in the Arkansas Derby (G1), are on track to start in the Kentucky Derby (G1).
Golden Slipper (G1) winner Shinzo will stand his first season in the Hunter Valley for a fee of AU$55,000 (US$35,714) and fees for the remainder of the roster will be announced in the coming days.
