Just Aloof Tops Good Week for Justify In G3 Jimmy Durante

Just Aloof (2f Justify x Aloof, by Galileo) was the cherry on top of a big week for Justify when the Whisper Hill Farm homebred won the Gr.3 Jimmy Durante S. as one of four stakes performers in three days for the stallion.

Impressive in her debut last out, Just Aloof shipped to California for this one-mile turf race and was sent off as the race favorite despite making only her second start. She let Bourbon and Ginger set the pace while shadowing that one in second around the track.

Approaching the quarter pole, Just Aloof collared the longtime leader and engaged in a brief duel before taking over the lead in upper stretch. Kept focused to the line, Just Aloof won by 2 ½ lengths to stay perfect in two starts.

Trained by Chad Brown, Just Aloof is one of five winners out of the Gr.3 winner Aloof. That mare is out of the champion Airwave, whose five stakes winners include the stakes winning dam of champion Churchill and the dam of Justify’s stakes winning Unless. Just Aloof one of 14 stakes performers under her first two dams.

Aloof visited Tiz The Law this year.

Justify’s other stakes performers in the past few days include Gr.1 Hollywood Derby second Tom’s Magic, Gr.2 Golden Rod third Just Singing, and Cardinal S. third Fleetingly.

In all, Justify has 17 stakes winners and 29 stakes performers in 2025, led by two Gr. 1 winners and six Gr.1 performers.