TRIPLE CROWN WINNER JUSTIFY GALLOPS SATURDAY, LEAVES FOR SANTA ANITA SUNDAY AT 10:30 A.M. EDT

By Darren Rogers —-

CD/Coady Photo

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (Saturday, June 16, 2018) – Racing’s 13th Triple Crown winner Justify galloped about one mile Saturday morning at Churchill Downs under regular exercise rider Humberto Gomez for Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert as he readies to depart for his home base at Santa Anita Park in Southern California on Sunday at 10:30 a.m. (all times Eastern), according to Churchill Downs’ Director of the Stabling Area Steve Hargrave.

“It’s been great here in Louisville,” assistant trainer Jimmy Barnes said. “We’re excited to get back home but hopefully we’ll be back later this year.”

Justify will parade before the crowd Saturday at Churchill Downs’ “Downs After Dark” from approximately 6:45-7:15 p.m. Justify will parade in front of the Clubhouse and Grandstand as he walks over with the horses for the third race, which has a 6:56 p.m. post time (note: Justify will follow the third race entrants). He’ll then visit and circle the saddling paddock and remain there while the third race is being run. After the third race winner’s circle presentation is complete, Justify will visit the Woodford Reserve Winner’s Circle for a special ceremony for his connections – owners WinStar Farm, China Horse Club, Starlight Racing and Head of Plains Partners; Hall of Fame trainer and jockey, Baffert and Mike Smith, respectively; and breeder John Gunther – to receive their engraved Kentucky Derby 144 trophies.

HORSE RACING: A SPORT BUILT ONE DAD AT A TIME – It’s a very common rite of passage for children to go to the racetrack with their father for the first time but for veteran trainer Greg Foley he literally grew up on the backstretch with his Dad, the late trainer Dravo Foley.

“I was walking horses for Dad literally when I started walking myself,” Greg said. “I grew up with it. As a kid, in the summers, I would go to River Downs in Ohio with Dad, which had pretty good racing in the early 1960s. There were a lot of fun days back then.”

Foley, 60, has 1,324 wins in his 37-year training career but credits his father for teaching him the ins and outs of the sport.

“I just grew up with it being around Dad so often,” Foley said. “I’ve been doing it for a long time and learned so much from him as a kid. He was a great horseman. He had a lot of good horses that my sister Vicki and I would help groom and walk. One of my favorites was Windy Quest who won the (1970) Michigan Derby at the now defunct Detroit Race Course. He named a horse after me one time (Greg’s Playmate) and he won a lot of nice races. That was always a special because Dad named him after me.”

Dravo, who won 1,123 races in his career, passed away in 2010 following a long illness. Now, the third generation of Greg Foley Racing, Greg’s son, Travis, is at the helm as his assistant trainer.

“Dad knows so much about actually training horses,” Travis said. “He’s a true horseman. I help Dad out on the business side of our training but he has taught me a lot about actual horsemanship.”

“It’s really special working with my son,” Greg said. “I never thought it would actually happen. It’s a very tough life and you have to love it to be successful in this industry between the traveling and time away from family. Travis went to school and I always thought he would want to do something else.”

Travis, who has a bachelor’s degree from the University of Kentucky and a master’s degree from the University of Louisville, began working with his father almost seven years ago.

“He really wasn’t happy with what he was doing after college,” Greg said. “I told him to come work for me until he finds something he loves to do. He’s been here ever since. He really has come a long way and learned a lot in the last seven years or so.”

Greg’s youngest son, Alex, recently graduated law school from the University of Louisville and, to no surprise from his pedigree, is the social media manager for Greg Foley Racing.

Greg and Travis Foley are one of the many father-son tandems fans will see Sunday for Father’s Day at Churchill Downs. For tickets and more information to treat Dad to a day at the races, visit www.churchilldowns.com/tickets.

DOWN THE STRETCH –Saturday’s Downs After Dark presented by Budweiser has a first post of 6 p.m. and gates open at 5 p.m. Sunday’s Father’s Day program at Churchill Downs will get underway at 12:45 p.m. Ticket packages are available to treat Dad to a day at the races at ChurchillDowns.com/tickets.