Darley stallion Lonhro attempts a rare international double

So much surrounding the quest for a 13th American Triple Crown winner depends on Justify’s stamina reserves, and even this brilliant racehorse’s most loyal followers acknowledge this as the obstacle in his path to greatness.

Few horses could have coped better with the adverse weather the Bob Baffert-trained colt encountered at Churchill Downs on G1 Kentucky Derby Day.

A deluge lasting six hours made it the wettest Derby in history. Then, Justify travelled to Baltimore to find Pimlico racetrack shrouded in fog.

He shrugged off the inconvenience much as he had the downpour in Louisville, again proving too strong for his rivals in the G1 Preakness.

But, what about Saturday’s G1 Belmont Stakes? The distance of a mile and a half is the big question mark hovering over Justify.

His brilliance and class is not questioned, nor is his toughness and durability.

Based on pedigree, though, the suspicion that he will not stay is justified, if you will pardon the pun.

He is by Scat Daddy (18th in the Kentucky Derby), an overall influence for speed, who was by Johannesburg, a prolific winner at two, including the G1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile at Belmont, and he is out of a mare by Ghostzapper, a Breeders’ Cup Classic winner.

The bloodlines highlight an effectiveness up to a mile and a quarter— but with no guarantee a mile and a half would be in his comfort zone.

There is also the added disadvantage that Justify has drawn gate 1, which virtually compels jockey Mike Smith to use the colt’s great speed early in the race, merely to get a prominent position and hold it.

I believe that Hofberg and Vino Rossi, who both bypassed the Preakness after running with credit in the Derby, could come to the fore this time.

A notable sidestory to this year’s Belmont is that Darley stallion Lonhro is represented by Gronkowski, the winner of four (all on British all-weather tracks) of his six starts when trained by Jeremy Noseda.

The colt was recently switched to Chad Brown, for which the Classic will be the inaugural target.

Noseda had always believed Gronkowski to be up to this level.

It is a fine opportunity to celebrate Lonhro’s diverse influence as a sire, as Godolphin’s brilliant Kementari is an outstanding prospect for James Cummings in Australia while another son, Pierro, is doing well as a stallion.

If Impending (Lonhro) can shoulder top weight to record a second successive win in Saturday’s G1 Stradbroke Handicap at Doomben, it will set up the opportunity for Gronkowski to complete a glorious international double on the same day for his sire.

The Stradbroke is Brisbane’s biggest race and Impending comes to the contest off the back of a win in the G1 Kingsford Smith Cup two weeks ago.