Just Katherine dominant in breaking her maiden March 4, 2023, at Gulfstream Park (Coglianese)
NYRA Press Office
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y.— R.T Racing Stable’s graded stakes placed Just Katherine will run in Sunday’s nine-furlong Grade 2, $200,000 Shuvee at Saratoga Race Course despite being cross-entered in Saturday’s 1 1/16-mile Grade 3, $500,000 Molly Pitcher at Monmouth Park.
Trainer Jose Jimenez confirmed the plan is to run the 4-year-old Justify filly in the Shuvee, where she will break from the outermost post 5 with Hall of Famer Javier Castellano aboard. Last year at the Spa, she was second to eventual multiple Grade 1 winner Randomized in the one-mile Wilton ahead of an optional-claiming score at Sunday’s distance over returning foe Raging Sea.
“The Shuvee at Saratoga,” Jimenez said regarding the decision. “She had a really great performance in her two races over there. She has a win and a second place in that stake. We think she loved that stretch in Saratoga.”
Just Katherine was defeated a neck by Accede last-out in the seven-furlong Grade 2 Bed o’ Roses on June 15 at Belmont at the Big A. It was her second start of the year, dating to an off-the-board finish in the 1 1/16-mile Grade 3 Bayakoa in February at Oaklawn Park.
“That last race was really great. She was coming from a little layoff, so we wanted to give her seven furlongs before stretching her out,” said Jimenez. “She’s kind of a middle pack horse and I think over one mile will help her a lot to get a better position.”
Just Katherine enters from a bullet half-mile in 47.29 seconds on July 11 over the Belmont Park dirt training track, fastest-of-42 workers at the distance. She worked five furlongs there a week prior in 1:03.70.
“She always surprises us. She has been training really well. Coming from the layoff and seven furlongs we wanted to give her more distance, she’s been responding really well to that,” said Jimenez.
Just Katherine, out of the Medaglia d’Oro mare Reve Enchante, is a half-sister to graded stakes winner Dream It Is, who won the local 2017 Grade 3 Schuylerville. She was an $85,000 purchase at the 2021 Keeneland September Yearling Sale.
