Hard to Justify

Hard to Justify began her career with a win at first asking in a 2-year-old maiden race going 1 1/16 miles on the turf at Saratoga on July 23, 2023, when she rallied from near the rear of a 10-horse field to get up to win by a head.

Off her career debut win, Hard to Justify was send up versus stakes competition for her second lifetime start in the Grade 2 $200,000 Miss Grillo Stakes on Oct. 4 at Belmont at the Big A. In the Miss Grillo, Hard to Justify raced on or close to the pace all the way and shook-off a pair of challengers in the stretch to score a three-quarters of a length victory atop the 11-horse field.  The Miss Grillo Stakes was a Breeders' Cup Challenge "Win and You're In" race, and with her victory, Hard to Justify secured a spot in the starting gate for the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf on Nov. 3 at Santa Anita.

Hard to Justify broke from post-position 12 in the $1 million Juvenile Fillies Turf but was hustled to a stalking position behind pacesetter Dreamfyre by jockey Flavien Prat. She took aim on the leader and held off several bids, including rallies from runner-up Porta Fortune on her inside and She Feels Pretty on her outside to prevail by a half-length.

Hard to Justify is trained by Chad Brown. She was bred in Kentucky by the sire Justify out of the mare Instant Reflex by Quality Road.