ELMONT, N.Y. – On Feb. 18, Justify made his first start. On Saturday, he made his sixth. The number of days since is 111. In other words, won, won, won. He won the Kentucky Derby. He won the Preakness. And on Saturday, before an appreciative crowd at Belmont Park, Justify led every step of the 150th Belmont Stakes, becoming the 13th horse to sweep the Triple Crown, the second this decade, the second to do so while undefeated, but the first to do so without ever having raced at age 2. Justify now will have his name on a list that includes Sir Barton, Gallant Fox, Omaha, War Admiral, Whirlaway, Count Fleet, Assault, Citation, Secretariat, Seattle Slew, Affirmed, and American Pharoah. After a drought of 37 years between Affirmed in 1978 and American Pharoah in 2015, the Triple Crown has now been won twice just three years apart. What American Pharoah and Justify have in common is that both are trained by Bob Baffert, who became the second person – following Sunny Jim Fitzsimmons more than 80 years ago – to train two Triple Crown winners. Baffert months ago had telegraphed the unique talent he believed Justify possessed. On the morning of his first start, after training wound down at Santa Anita, he said, “I’ve got big plans for that colt.” Less than four months later, Justify was draped in carnations in the winner’s circle at Belmont Park, having won the Triple Crown, a remarkable achievement for a horse who, with his late start, had to play catch-up. But talent trumped experience. “I wanted to see that horse’s name up there,” Baffert said. “He’s been brilliant from Day 1.” Baffert said he thought Justify could emulate American Pharoah because “he was showing me all the signs.” “He’s a superior horse,” said Baffert, adding that winning a second Triple Crown “feels pretty good.” Justify was ridden by Mike Smith, a Hall of Fame jockey who won the Triple Crown for the first time and, at age 52, became the oldest jockey to sweep the series. “He’s so gifted. He’s sent from heaven,” said Smith, a devoutly religious person who always begins his post-race interviews by citing his faith. “To win six races in this time, he’s an unbelievable horse,” Smith said. Both Baffert and Smith were emotional after the race, Baffert even more so. He said he “had a lot of help from upstairs,” a reference not only to his late parents but also to his close friend Brad McKinzie, an executive at Los Alamitos who died last year and whose namesake colt Baffert thought earlier this year might be his best Triple Crown hope. But after the colt McKinzie went to the sidelines in late March, Justify continued his rapid ascent, winning the Santa Anita Derby in his third start and then all three Triple Crown races. “He’s just a magnificent animal,” said Baffert, who called Justify “one of those all-time great horses.” Justify ($3.60) was favored, as he has been in all his starts. He exuded confidence before the race, never becoming rattled by the unfamiliar paddock nor the crush of people watching his every move. :: 2018 Belmont Stakes race chart There were few instructions from Baffert. “The gas tank’s full. Don’t use it all at once,” Baffert told Smith. Justify started from the rail, with nine rivals lined up to his outside. Because of his draw, he was the first loaded into the gate, and Smith was intent on leaving alertly for a race that starts in front of the grandstand and encompasses one lap around Belmont Park’s main track. “The whole time, he was so professional,” Smith said. “The crowd was screaming.” Smith said Justify left the gate “like he was going 440 yards at Ruidoso.” “He broke better today than the other two,” Smith said, referring to the Derby and Preakness, “which was very important. Then he got into that rhythm of his. I kept a leg on each side and my mind in the middle.” Justify went fast for the opening quarter, 23.37 seconds, but then Smith got him to go in a more sensible manner for the next half-mile, and they reached six furlongs in 1:13.21. Baffert’s other runner, the longshot Restoring Hope, had been in closest attendance early while being kept wide, with Bravazo also forwardly placed. As the field went around the far turn, Justify inched away from his rivals, and then they came closer. Smith was playing with them, and Justify was a willing partner. “He listens to you,” Smith said. Justify passed the mile mark in 1:38.09, then threw another 24-second-and-change quarter at his rivals to reach the quarter pole in 2:02.90. Restoring Hope and Bravazo were done. Justify entered the lane with a two-length lead, with Vino Rosso closest, but he was beginning to weaken after gaining ground on the far turn. It was the European import Gronkowski who then loomed the biggest threat. Last early, Gronkowski closed sharply on the far turn while saving ground under Jose Ortiz, then switched out in upper stretch to try to run down Justify. “Man, he dug back in,” Smith said of Justify. There was no catching him. Justify maintained a safe margin to the wire and crossed the finish 1 3/4 lengths in front of Gronkowski, who was 1 3/4 lengths in front of third-place Hofburg. Vino Rosso was fourth and was followed by Tenfold, Bravazo, Free Drop Billy, Restoring Hope, Blended Citizen, and Noble Indy. Justify completed the 1 1/2 miles on the fast main track in 2:28.18. His Beyer Speed Figure for the race is 101. Smith understood the magnitude of the moment. He brought Justify back toward the winner’s circle but then took him up the stretch, past the furlong pole – much as Victor Espinoza did with American Pharoah in 2015 – for a curtain call so the fans could show their appreciation. They knew they had witnessed something special. No horse has ever been on such an accelerated schedule to win the Triple Crown. But Justify – a big, strong colt – had the physical build and mental fortitude to handle it all. “He’s never had a break, like a Quarter Horse running every week, trials and finals,” said Baffert, who long ago began his training career with Quarter Horses. Justify, a colt by the late Scat Daddy, races for a partnership that includes the WinStar Farm of Kenny Troutt, China Horse Club, Starlight Racing, and Head of Plains Partners. It was WinStar president and chief executive Elliott Walden who decided last fall to send Justify to Baffert. Baffert knew what he had early on and never saw anything to make him change his mind. After his third start, he started calling Justify a “superior horse,” a phrase he had used for American Pharoah and Arrogate – another recent star – farther into their careers. The morning after the Preakness, Baffert took a reporter into Justify’s stall to admire the colt’s physical presence and then remarked, “You’ll never see another horse like this.” And then the day before the Belmont, Baffert said, “This is the best he’s been. If he’s great, he’ll win the Triple Crown.” “He’s just a magnificent animal,” Baffert said Saturday. In less than four months, all that has proven to be justified.