Justenuffhumor gets up in Bernard Baruch

Justenuffhumor laughed off his competition (EquiSport Photos) As was the case in the Fourstardave H. (G2) earlier this month, Darley Stable’s JUSTENUFFHUMOR (Distorted Humor) dutifully ran down a loose-on-the-lead Cowboy Cal (Giant’s Causeway) in the final furlong to maintain his undefeated turf mark in Friday’s $200,000 Bernard Baruch H. (G2) at Saratoga. Guided by Alan Garcia, the Kiaran McLaughlin trainee closed with a flourish to edge his front-running rival by a half-length and in the process ran his record on grass to six-for-six. The favored half of an entry that went off at 4-5, Justenuffhumour returned $3.80, $2.50 and $2.10. Cowboy Cal and Seaspeak (Mizzen Mast) drew away from the field early, the latter being one length in front after a quarter in :23 1/5, but Cowboy Cal soon took over while hugging the rail over Saratoga’s sharp-turned inner turf. Cowboy Cal gradually expanded his lead down the backside, setting splits of :46 4/5 and 1:11 1/5, and looked strong when up by two lengths with a furlong to go. But the added ground, fast pace, and quality of his opponent finally brought Cowboy Cal down. The winner was the only one who eventually made any progress from the back, rallying from as far back as eighth with three furlongs to go. Justenuffhumor completed nine furlongs in 1:47 1/5 on the firm ground. Cowboy Cal, the 3-1 second choice, gave back $4 and $3 and capped the $13 exacta. Sette E Mezzo (Dynaformer), making his stakes debut, rallied from midpack to finish 2 3/4 lengths in back of Cowboy Cal at 12-1. He returned $4.30 and completed the $70 trifecta (1-5-9). Seaspeak was 1 1/4 lengths behind in fourth and was followed under the wire by Mambo Meister (King Cugat), Interpatation (Langfuhr), the winner’s entrymate Colony (Ire) (Statue of Liberty), Deal Making (Empire Maker), Yate’s Black Cat (Black Minnaloushe) and Kutais (Mayakovsky).

“I haven’t been around too many that if you can get them in the gate, they’ll
just find a way to get to the wire first, and this is just one of those horses,”
McLaughlin said. “I hate to beat Todd (Pletcher, the trainer of Cowboy Cal).
We’re good friends, but that’s what the game is all about. We were pointing
towards this race and we have to talk about where we go from here.”

Pletcher said Cowboy Cal might go to the October 10 Shadwell Turf Mile (G1)
at Keeneland, or prep for the Breeders’ Cup in California.

The four-year-old Justenuffhumor made a belated career debut at Keeneland
last October, finishing ninth going about seven furlongs on the Polytrack.
Reappearing on turf at Gulfstream Park in January, the blue-blooded colt rallied
to graduate by 1 1/2 lengths in his turf debut. He stayed on the lawn when
knocking out his first three allowances conditions at Gulfstream, Aqueduct and
Belmont Park, and last time drove home a 2 1/2-length winner of the Fourstardave
in his stakes debut. His career mark now reads 7-6-0-0, $317,400.

A half-brother to 2006 champion juvenile filly Dreaming of Anna and multiple
Grade 2 winner Lewis Michael, full siblings by Rahy, Justenuffhumor is the
latest graded stakes winner produced from the multiple stakes winner
Justenuffheart (Broad Brush), herself a half-sister to 2004 turf champion male
Kitten’s Joy (El Prado [Ire]) and multiple Grade 1 winner Precious Kitten
(Catienus). Bred by Mt. Brilliant Farm in Kentucky, Justenuffhumor was a
$550,000 Keeneland September yearling and also counts as half-siblings the
unraced juvenile filly Justenufftime (Giant’s Causeway) and an unnamed yearling
colt by Storm Cat. In addition to the luminaries in Justenuffhumor’s immediate
family, this female line is also responsible for Hall of Famer Spectacular Bid
(Bold Bidder) and Grade 1 winners Down the Aisle (Runaway Groom) and Road
Princess (*Gallant Man).