After Hillstar and Caspar Netscher prevailed in the Canadian International and Nearctic Stakes, respectively, Just the Judge completed the sweep for British shippers in Sunday's Grade 1, $452,117 E.P. Taylor Stakes at Woodbine. Trained by Charlie Hills for Qatar Racing Ltd. and the Sangster Family, the 8-5 favorite muscled her way clear in her intended stepping stone to the Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf at Santa Anita.
Just the Judge was giving Qatar Racing, and retiring rider Jamie Spencer, another major success at this venue, following Trade Storm's victory in the September 14 Woodbine Mile. Spencer is hanging up his saddle at season's end to take an advisory position in the organization, but he continues to showcase his jockeyship.
The clear form choice off her third in the August 16 Beverly D. at Arlington, Just the Judge didn't get away alertly on Sunday, and Spencer found himself buried behind horses much of the way.
As expected, fellow British raider Wall of Sound motored to her customary spot on the front end through an opening quarter in :24 2/5 seconds. Her jockey Richard Kingscote, who shrugged off his unceremonious dumping by Brown Panther prior to the Canadian International, masterfully slowed the tempo down. Wall of Sound waltzed through splits of :50 4/5 seconds and 1:16 2/5 on the good turf, tracked first by Royal Fury and then by Deceptive Vision.
Turning for home, Deceptive Vision threw down her challenge to Wall of Sound, and Meri Shika briefly loomed wider out. Just the Judge was full of run behind them, but needed a seam. The favorite made one for herself by barging Meri Shika out of the way and struck the front.
Just the Judge wasn't home free yet, for Odeliz, still another of the British party, was producing a terrific charge down the center of the course. With Spencer craftily changing his whip hand late, Just the Judge denied Odeliz by a half-length and finished 1-1/4 miles in 2:03 2/5.
Locally-based Deceptive Vision reported home third, a neck up on the one-paced Wall of Sound, and thereby prevented an all-British trifecta. Eyeful, flying the flag for France, wound up fifth. Angel Terrace, Royal Fury and Meri Shika completed the order under the wire.
Just the Judge, who paid $5.20 to win, now sports a mark of 13-5-1-4, $893,486. Undefeated as a juvenile, the Lawman filly beat the boys in the Washington Singer Stakes and concluded her 2012 campaign with a score in the Rockfel. She lost her perfect record by a mere half-length to Sky Lantern when reappearing in the 2013 One Thousand Guineas, and earned a deserved classic victory next time in the Irish One Thousand Guineas. No match for Sky Lantern when third in the Coronation at Royal Ascot, Just the Judge was well below her best in the Nassau and Sun Chariot.
Resurfacing in the April 17 Earl of Sefton, Just the Judge was a useful fifth versus males. She went on to post a trio of thirds, in the June 6 Princess Elizabeth, June 29 Pretty Polly and the aforementioned Beverly D., before her appearance at Woodbine.
Just the Judge was bred by Mrs. J. Dempsey in Ireland and sold for $67,270 as a Goffs September yearling. The dark bay is a half-sister to current stakes-placed sophomore Obliterator. Both are out of the Rainbow Quest mare Faraday Light, who is a half-sister to Group 3 winner and classic-placed High Heeled. Just the Judge's second dam is multiple Grade 2 victress Uncharted Haven, and she hails from the family of Grade/Group 2 scorers Ferneley and Chancellor.