Just F Y I (foaled April 13, 2021) is a champion American Thoroughbred racehorse. As a two-year-old filly, she won the Grade I Frizette Stakes and Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies at Santa Anita Park and was named the 2023 Champion Two-Year-Old Filly.

Just F Y I
SireJustify
GrandsireScat Daddy
DamStar Act
DamsireStreet Cry
SexFilly
FoaledApril 13, 2021[1]
CountryUnited States
ColorBay
BreederGeorge Krikorian
OwnerGeorge Krikorian
TrainerWilliam I. Mott
Record6: 3 - 2 - 0
Earnings$1,711,250[2]
Major wins
Frizette Stakes (2023)
Breeders' Cup wins:
Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies (2023)
Awards
American Champion Two-Year-Old Filly (2023)
Last updated on June 8, 2024

Background

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Just F Y I is a bay filly who was bred and owned by cinema mogul George Krikorian.[2] She was bred in Kentucky. Just F Y I is out of stakes-placed dam and also bred and owned by Krikorian, Star Act, by Street Cry, who has produced three winners from three starters. Star Act is a daughter of Starrer, a two-time Grade 1 (Santa Maria Handicap and Santa Margarita Invitational Handicap) winner for George Krikorian.[3] Her sire is the 2018 American Triple Crown winner, Justify. She is from Justify's second crop and was his first Breeders' Cup winner.[3] Justify will stand the 2024 season for US$200,000 at Ashford Stud near Versailles, Kentucky.[3]

Just F Y I is trained by U.S. Racing Hall of Fame trainer William I. Mott.[2]

Racing career

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2023: two-year-old season

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Just F Y I debuted on August 26 in a maiden special weight event for fillies at Saratoga. From post nine in a field of ten, she was five wide down the backstretch, then tucked three wide through the turn. She swung three to four wide into upper stretch, dug in under a drive, and wore down the leader, Shop Lifting, to win by a head in a time 1:11.06.[4]

Connections next placed Just F Y I in the Grade I Frizette Stakes at Aqueduct Racetrack. On October 7, in a small field of six, she started as third favorite at odds of nearly 5/1. In the one-mile event with a purse of US$400,000, she raced off of the pace before swooping to the lead in the stretch on the sloppy and sealed racing surface, winning by 3+34 lengths in a time of 1:37.59. "This is very exciting, I've never had a single day where I've had two grade 1 winners before," owner Krikorian said. "That's pretty special, for sure. And Just F Y I is a horse I bred, so that makes it extra special."[5] The victory earned her a fees-paid berth to the November 3 $2 million Grade I Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Santa Anita Park.[5]

For the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies, Just F Y I drew post 12 under jockey Junior Alvarado, and stayed close while pressing the 4/5 odds-on favorite Tamara, the early leader, through a half-mile in :46.60 before turning up the pressure through six furlongs in 1:10.95.[3] Just F Y I took command inside the three-sixteenths pole as Tamara faded. After opening a clear advantage, she held off Matron Stakes winner Jody's Pride, by a neck with GI Alcibiades Stakes winner Candied a half-length away in third. The winning time was 1:44.58.[3]

A couple days after the event, trainer Bill Mott indicated that the next destination for Just F Y I likely would be the Payson Park Thoroughbred Training Center in Florida, where she would get time off before kicking off her 3-year-old campaign in 2024.[6]

The filly was awarded an Eclipse Award as the Champion Two-Year-Old Filly for 2023.[7]

2024: three-year-old season

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Just F Y I started her three-year-old with a second in the Grade I Ashland Stakes at Keeneland beaten by 3 lengths to Leslie's Rose.[8]

Statistics

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Date Distance Race Grade Track Odds Field Finish Winning
Time
Winning
(Losing)
Margin
Jockey Ref
2023 – two-year-old season
Aug 26, 2023 6 furlongs Maiden Special Weight Saratoga 3.75 10 1 1:11.06 head Junior Alvarado [4]
Oct 7, 2023 1 mile Frizette Stakes I Aqueduct 4.80 6 1 1:37.59 3+34 lengths Junior Alvarado [9]
Nov 3, 2023 1+116 miles Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies I Santa Anita 7.00 12 1 1:44.58 neck Junior Alvarado [10]
2024 – three-year-old season
Apr 5, 2024 1+116 miles Ashland Stakes I Keeneland 4.63 8 2 1:43:85 (3 lengths) Junior Alvarado [8]
May 3, 2024 1+18 miles Kentucky Oaks I Churchill Downs 3.57* 14 2 1:50.83 (4+34 lengths) Junior Alvarado [11]
Jun 7, 2024 1+18 miles Acorn Stakes I Saratoga 3.10 8 6 1:49.02 (22 lengths) Junior Alvarado [12]

Notes:
An (*) asterisk after the odds means Just F Y I was the post-time favorite.

Pedigree

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Pedigree of Just F Y I, bay filly, April 13,2021[13]
Sire
Justify
(2015)
Scat Daddy
(2004)
Johannesburg
(1999)
Hennessy (1993)
Myth (1993)
Love Style
(1999)
Mr. Prospector (1970)
Likeable Style (1990)
Stage Magic
(2007)
Ghostzapper
(2000)
Awesome Again (1994)
Baby Zip (1991)
Magical Illusion
(2001)
Pulpit (1994)
Voodoo Lily (1987)
Dam
Star Act
(2011)
Street Cry
(1998)
Machiavellian
(1987)
Mr. Prospector (1970)
Coup De Folie (1982)
Helen Street (GB)
(1982)
Troy (GB) (1976)
Waterway (FR) (1976)
Starrer
(1998)
Dynaformer
(1985)
Roberto (1969)
Andover Way (1978)
To The Hunt
(1985)
Relaunch (1976)
Royal Advocator (1981) (family: 4-r)[14]

References

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  1. ^ "Pedigree of Just F Y I". Equineline. Retrieved November 9, 2023.
  2. ^ a b c "Profile of Just F Y I". Equibase. Retrieved June 7, 2024.
  3. ^ a b c d e Angst, Frank (November 3, 2023). "Krikorian's Just F Y I Prevails in Juvenile Fillies Daughter of Justify bests 3-5 favorite Tamara, daughter of Beholder". Bloodhorse.com. Retrieved November 9, 2023.
  4. ^ a b "Chart of Maiden Special Weight at Saratoga August 26, 2023 (race 6)". equibase.com. August 26, 2023. Retrieved November 7, 2023.
  5. ^ a b Johnson, Karen M. (October 7, 2023). "Just F Y I Delivers Another Grade 1 Win for Connections; Just F Y I rallies in the turn on way to clear victory in Frizette Stakes (G1)". Bloodhorse.com. Retrieved November 9, 2023.
  6. ^ "BC Winners Fierceness, Just F Y I to Winter in Florida; Trainer Bill Mott said Just F Y I likely will head to Payson Park in South Florida". Bloodhorse.com. Unedited Press Release. Retrieved November 9, 2023.
  7. ^ Mitchell, Eric (January 30, 2024). "Champion 2YO Filly Title For Undefeated Just F Y I; Just F Y I is champion juvenile filly following undefeated season, two grade 1 wins". Bloodhorse.com. Retrieved January 25, 2024.
  8. ^ a b "Central Bank Ashland Stakes Grade 1 – (Race 9)". Equibase. April 5, 2024. Retrieved April 6, 2024.
  9. ^ "Frizette Stakes Grade 1 – (Race 5)". Equibase. October 7, 2023. Retrieved November 7, 2023.
  10. ^ "NetJets Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Grade 1 – (Race 6)". Equibase. November 3, 2023. Retrieved November 4, 2023.
  11. ^ "Longines Kentucky Oaks Grade 1 – (Race 11)". Equibase. May 3, 2024. Retrieved May 4, 2024.
  12. ^ "2024 DK Horse Acorn Stakes Grade 1 - (race 12)". Equibase. June 7, 2024. Retrieved June 8, 2024.
  13. ^ "Just F Y I's Pedigree". Equineline. Retrieved November 3, 2023.
  14. ^ "Thoroughbred Bloodlines – CUB Mare (GB) – Family 4-r". www.bloodlines.net. Retrieved November 3, 2023.