NetJets Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies

George Krikorian has enjoyed top-level success in horse racing, but in the first 10 months of 2023 a Grade 1 win had eluded the owner.

That continued to be the case as of 1:43 p.m. ET Oct. 7, but by 2:18 p.m. that day, Krikorian had claimed two Grade 1 wins. And after that change of fortune in a New York minute on a gray day at Aqueduct, Krikorian extended his roll Nov. 3 when on the other side of the country one of those two winners, homebred Just F Y I, pressured favorite Tamara throughout the early going before proving resolute in the stretch to win the $2 million NetJets Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Nov. 3 at Santa Anita Park as part of the Future Stars Friday card showcasing 2-year-old Thoroughbreds.

“It’s incredible to have won three Grade 1 races,” said Krikorian, who has the other horse from that day at Aqueduct, War Like Goddess, entered against males in the Nov. 4 Longines Breeders’ Cup Turf. “It’s just been incredible.”

Much of the pre-race attention in the Juvenile Fillies focused on 4-5 Tamara, a daughter of Bolt d’Oro out of Breeders’ Cup legend Beholder, who captured the 2012 edition of the Juvenile Fillies on her way to three victories in the World Championships. Tamara broke well under Mike Smith, the leading rider in Breeders’ Cup history with 27 wins who at age 58 was looking to become the oldest jockey to win a World Championships race.

After breaking from post 7, Tamara was able to clear and gradually move inside through the first turn as she completed a quarter-mile in :22.47. But Just F Y I and jockey Junior Alvarado, after breaking from post 12, stayed close while pressing the early leader through a half-mile in :46.60 before turning up the pressure through six furlongs in 1:10.95.

Just F Y I, the 7-1 third betting choice in the field, would take command inside the three-sixteenths pole as Tamara faded. After opening a clear advantage, Just F Y I had just enough to hold off Matron Stakes winner Jody’s Pride, sent off at odds of 17.80-1. Just F Y I prevailed by a neck in a battle of daughters of Triple Crown winners as Just F Y I is by Justify, who swept the classics in 2018, and Jody’s Pride is by American Pharoah, who entered that exclusive club in 2015.

Darley Alcibiades Stakes winner Candied finished a close third, after a bit of a slow start from the inside post.

In completing 1 1/16 miles in :1.44.58 on a fast track, Just F Y I earned her second straight Grade 1 win after taking the Frizette Stakes in the slop at the Belmont at the Big A meeting Oct. 7. She has three wins in as many starts after winning on debut going seven furlongs Aug. 26 at Saratoga Race Course.

“It’s pretty unusual for a horse to win a Grade 1 off of just one maiden race,” trainer Bill Mott said. “She showed us she could do it; we didn’t force her. She just showed that she was ready to run and we felt like as well as she had run, that she deserved a shot in the Frizette and it paid off.”

Winning rider Alvarado said his confidence grew as Just F Y I engaged Tamara.

“By the half mile pole I was excited. I knew what I had under me,” Alvarado said. “But I had to respect (Tamara). She’s a very nice filly too. At that point I thought I had a good chance at it. Right when I turned for home and I asked her, she took off very nicely and held off all the way to the wire.”

Tamara faded to seventh. “We’ll have to back up and give her a little chance to catch up, start over again. Simple as that,” said trainer Richard Mandella.

Just F Y I is out of stakes-placed Star Act, by Street Cry, who has produced three winners from as many starters. Star Act is a daughter of Starrer, a two-time Grade 1 winner for Krikorian.

Just F Y I is the first Breeders’ Cup winner for Justify, who saw his second winner a race later when Hard to Justify won the Juvenile Fillies.