Justin Milano (Japanese: ジャスティンミラノ, foaled April 9, 2021) is a retired Japanese Thoroughbred racehorse.{{Cite web |title=Justin Milano(JPN) {{!}} JBIS-Search |url=https://www.jbis.jp/horse/0001340173/ |access-date=2024-05-07 |website=www.jbis.jp}}{{Cite web |title=Justin Milano {{!}} Horse Profile, Pedigree, Form, Race Record |url=https://en.netkeiba.com/db/horse/2021105795/ |access-date=2024-05-07 |website=netkeiba |language=en}} He won the Satsuki Shō (Japanese 2000 Guineas) in 2024.

His name is a combination of the Italian city Milan, and "Justin", the eponym used by the owner.{{Cite web |title=競走馬情報　JRA |url=https://www.jra.go.jp/JRADB/accessU.html?CNAME=pw01dud102021105795/02 |access-date=2024-05-07 |website=www.jra.go.jp}}

Racing career

= 2023: two-year-old-season =

Justin Milano debuted on November 11, 2023, at the Tokyo Racecourse in a two-year-old newcomer race on turf at a distance of 2,000 meters, ridden by Tom Marquand. He settled in front of the pack and pulled away fast at the final stretch to win his debut race.{{Cite web |date=2023-11-18 |title=【２歳新馬】キズナ産駒のジャスティンミラノが完勝マーカンド「強い馬ですね」 |url=https://tospo-keiba.jp/breaking_news/38930 |access-date=2024-05-07 |website=東スポ競馬 |language=ja}}{{Cite web |title=【東京5R新馬戦結果】キズナ産駒のジャスティンミラノがデビューV！ {{!}} 競馬ニュース |url=https://news.netkeiba.com/?pid=news_view&no=247843 |access-date=2024-05-07 |website=netkeiba |language=ja}}

File:Justin_Milano_20231118.jpg|Justin Milano winning his race debut

= 2024: three-year-old season =

Justin Milano would make his first graded stakes race debut at the Kyodo Tsushin Hai on February 11, 2024. Ridden by Keita Tosaki, he settled in just behind the leader and moved forward after entering the final stretch in response to Tosaki's urging to take the lead, managing to successfully hold off the previous year's Asahi Hai Futurity Stakes winner Jantar Mantar to win by one and a half horse length.{{Cite web |title=【共同通信杯結果】ジャスティンミラノが無傷2連勝！ 2歳王者ジャンタルマンタルは2着 {{!}} 競馬ニュース |url=https://news.netkeiba.com/?pid=news_view&no=255772 |access-date=2024-05-07 |website=netkeiba |language=ja}} On February 28, it was announced by his connections that he was registered to compete in the Epsom Derby.{{Cite web |last=INC |first=SANKEI DIGITAL |date=2024-02-28 |title=共同通信杯を制したジャスティンミラノが英ダービーに登録 |url=https://www.sanspo.com/race/article/general/20240228-75BBC345NBLPND6XC3CRQL5ERI/ |access-date=2024-05-07 |website=サンスポZBAT! |language=ja}}

Canceling the previous plan to enter the Epsom Derby, he was instead scheduled to race at the Satsuki Shō (Japanese 2000 Guineas) on April 14.{{Cite web |last=松田直樹 |title=ジャスティンミラノ２歳王者止めた！皐月賞直行、友道厩舎から今年もクラシック候補／共同通信杯 - ３歳馬特集 {{!}} 競馬 : 日刊スポーツ |url=https://www.nikkansports.com/keiba/news/202402110001547.html |access-date=2024-05-07 |website=nikkansports.com |language=ja}} He broke well off from the gates at the start of the race and settled in at the middle of the pack near the front. Entering into the final straight, he overtook Jantar Mantar who took the lead early and managed to hold off the fast-finishing Cosmo Kuranda, breaking the track record by 0.7 seconds with a time of 1:57.1 seconds. This was his first grade one stakes victory. A week before the race, jockey Kota Fujioka, who rode for him whenever he was training, died in a horseracing accident.{{Cite web |last=日本放送協会 |date=2024-04-14 |title=皐月賞ジャスティンミラノが優勝落馬で死去の藤岡騎手が調教 {{!}} NHK |url=https://www3.nhk.or.jp/news/html/20240414/k10014421621000.html |access-date=2024-05-07 |website=NHKニュース}} His jockey, Keita Tosaki, said, "Kota was the one who trained with this horse a few weeks ago. He gave me the information I needed about the horse. I won this race because of him."{{Cite web |last=日刊スポーツ |title=【皐月賞】藤岡康騎手が調教つけたジャスティンミラノ無敗Ｖ「康太が後押ししてくれた」戸崎騎手 - ３歳馬特集 {{!}} 競馬 : 日刊スポーツ |url=https://www.nikkansports.com/keiba/news/202404130001820.html |access-date=2024-05-07 |website=nikkansports.com |language=ja}} His trainer, Yasuo Tomomichi, said with tears in his eyes, "I owe this victory to him (Kota)."{{Cite web |last=松田直樹 |title=【皐月賞】「康太っ！康太っ！」ジャスティンミラノの友道師叫んだ「彼のおかげ」 - 競馬 : 日刊スポーツ |url=https://www.nikkansports.com/keiba/news/202404140001950.html |access-date=2024-05-07 |website=nikkansports.com |language=ja}} This victory marked the first time that a Kizuna offspring won one of the eight major races{{NoteTag|{{Interlanguage link|Eight major races (japan)|lt=Eight major races|ja|八大競走}} include the five original classics namely: Oka Sho, Yushun Himba, Satsuki Shō, Tōkyō Yūshun, and Kikuka-shō, and three senior races: Tenno Sho Spring and Autumn editions, and the Arima Kinen.}} in Japanese horseracing.{{Cite web |last=INC |first=SANKEI DIGITAL |date=2024-04-14 |title=【皐月賞】ジャスティンミラノが１分５７秒１の驚愕レコードタイムで１冠目奪取 |url=https://www.sanspo.com/race/article/general/20240414-4B6ZGVPYNNF43DC2O67322C3ZM/ |access-date=2024-05-07 |website=サンスポZBAT! |language=ja}}

He ran in the Tōkyō Yūshun as scheduled on May 26. He was the most favored horse to win by post time. After settling in near the front throughout the early and middle parts of the race, he moved up in the final straight but failed to pass Danon Decile, who had burst out from the inner lane near the fence. He finished in second place, trailing by two lengths.{{Cite web |title=Norihiro Yokoyama scores historic G1 Japanese Derby win aboard Danon Decile {{!}} Horse Racing News |url=https://en.netkeiba.com/news/news_detail.html?id=1154 |access-date=2024-05-26 |website=netkeiba |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=木南友輔 |title=【ダービー】ジャスティンミラノ２着で無敗２冠ならず「内から１頭来られて…申し訳ない」 - ３歳馬特集 {{!}} 競馬 : 日刊スポーツ |url=https://www.nikkansports.com/keiba/news/202405260000856.html |access-date=2024-05-26 |website=nikkansports.com |language=ja}}

File:2024年皐月賞ゴール直後.jpg|Justin Milano wins the Satsuki Sho with Cosmo Kuranda finishing second.

File:2024年皐月賞.jpg|Justin Milano with his connections right after winning Satsuki Sho.

After the Tōkyō Yūshun, it was initially announced that the horse would be entered into the Autumn Tenno Sho rather than the Kikuka-shō, the third leg of the Triple Crown.{{Cite web |date=2024-07-09 |title=ジャスティンミラノは天皇賞・秋に直行鞍上は戸崎圭友道調教師「距離適性も考えて」【次走報】 |url=https://tospo-keiba.jp/breaking_news/47015 |access-date=2024-11-16 |website=東スポ競馬 |language=ja}} However, while the horse was being prepared for the race, it was discovered that the horse had developed tendinitis, leading to the plan being scrapped.{{Cite web |date=2024-10-11 |title=【注目馬動向】皐月賞馬ジャスティンミラノが右前浅屈腱炎天皇賞・秋は回避全治９か月以上 |url=https://hochi.news/articles/20241011-OHT1T51140.html?page=1 |access-date=2024-11-16 |website=Sports Hochi |language=ja}} It was ultimately decided on November 14 that the horse would be retired to stand stud at the {{Interlanguage link|Breeders Stallion Station|ja|ブリーダーズ・スタリオン・ステーション}} in Hidaka, Hokkaido.{{Cite web |date=2024-11-14 |title=皐月賞馬ジャスティンミラノが右前浅屈腱炎で引退ブリーダーズSSで種牡馬入り／有力馬情報 |url=https://www.nikkansports.com/keiba/news/202411140000772.html |access-date=2024-11-16 |website=Nikkan Sports |language=ja}}{{Cite web |date=2024-11-14 |title=皐月賞馬ジャスティンミラノが引退、今後は種牡馬に友道師「長所を子供たちに伝えていってくれれば」 |url=https://www.sanspo.com/race/article/general/20241114-V657YB34IFP7ZGRRSDDVJRSMAQ/ |access-date=2024-11-16 |website=サンスポZBAT! |publisher=Sankei Shimbun |language=ja}}

Racing statistics

Below data is based on data available on JBIS Search,{{Cite web |title=Race Records {{!}} Justin Milano(JPN) {{!}} JBIS-Search |url=https://www.jbis.jp/horse/0001340173/record/ |access-date=2024-05-07 |website=www.jbis.jp}} and NetKeiba.{{Cite web |title=Justin Milano Race Record and Form {{!}} Horse Profile |url=https://en.netkeiba.com/db/horse/result/2021105795/ |access-date=2024-05-07 |website=netkeiba |language=en}}

class="wikitable" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-size: 90%; text-align: center; white-space: nowrap"

!Date

!Track

!Race

!Grade

!Distance
(Condition)

!Entry

!HN

!Odds
(Favored)

!Finish

!Time

!Margins

!Jockey

!Winner
(Runner-up)

style="background-color:white"

| colspan="13" align="left" |2023 – two-year-old season

Nov 18

|Tokyo

|2yo Newcomer

|2,000 m (Firm)

|14

|11

|3.5 (2)

|{{Color|darkred|1st}}

|2:02.0

| -0.3

|Tom Marquand

|(Redentor)

style="background-color:white"

| colspan="13" align="left" |2024 – three-year-old season

Feb 11

|Tokyo

|Kyodo Tsushin Hai

|1,800 m (Firm)

|10

|6.6 (4)

|{{Color|darkred|1st}}

|1:48.0

| -0.2

|Keita Tosaki

|(Jantar Mantar)

Apr 14

|Nakayama

|Satsuki Shō

|2,000 m (Firm)

|17

|13

|4.8 (2)

|{{Color|darkred|1st}}

|{{Color|darkred|1:57.1}}{{efn|Set a track record for the event}}

|0.0

|Keita Tosaki

|(Cosmo Kuranda)

May 26

|Tokyo

|Tōkyō Yūshun

|2,400 m (Firm)

|17

|15

|2.2 (1)

|{{Color|darkblue|2nd}}

|2:24.7

|0.4

|Keita Tosaki

|Danon Decile

Legend:

;Notes:

Pedigree

{{Pedigree|name=Justin Milano (JPN), bay colt, 2021{{Cite web |title=Five-generation Pedigree Table {{!}} Pedigree {{!}} Justin Milano(JPN) {{!}} JBIS-Search |url=https://www.jbis.jp/horse/0001340173/pedigree/ |access-date=2024-05-07 |website=www.jbis.jp}}|f=Kizuna
br. 2010|ff=Deep Impact
b. 2002|fff=Sunday Silence (USA)|ffff=Halo|fffm=Wishing Well|ffm=Wind in Her Hair (IRE)|ffmf=Alzao (USA)|ffmm=Burghclere (GB)|fm=Catequil (CAN)
b. 1990|fmf=Storm Cat (USA)|fmff=Storm Bird (CAN)|fmfm=Terlingua|fmm=Pacific Princess (USA)|fmmf=Damascus|fmmm=Fiji (GB)|m=Margot Did (IRE)
b. 2008|mf=Exceed And Excel (AUS)
b. 2000|mff=Danehill (USA)|mfff=Danzig|mffm=Razyana|mfm=Patrona (USA)|mfmf=Lomond|mfmm=Gladiolus|mm=Special Dancer (GB)
b. 1997|mmf=Shareef Dancer (USA)|mmff=Northern Dancer (CAN)|mmfm=Sweet Alliance|mmm=Caraniya (IRE)|mmmf=Darshaan (GB)|mmmm=Callianire (GB) (Family: 13-c){{Cite web |title=Thoroughbred Bloodlines - Stray Shot - Family 13-c |url=https://www.bloodlines.net/TB/Families/Family13c.htm |access-date=2024-05-07 |website=www.bloodlines.net}}}}

Footnotes

= Notes =

= References =

Category:2021 racehorse births

Category:Racehorses trained in Japan

Category:Racehorses bred in Japan

Category:Thoroughbred racehorses

Category:Thoroughbred family 13-c