Heartland

Heartland is by Triple Crown winner Justify and is a half-brother to Champion Two-Year-Old Colt and grade one sire Classic Empire. Classic Empire is by Pioneerof the Nile, a son of Empire Maker, from the Fappiano branch of Mr. Prospector. Scat Daddy, the sire of Justify, is by Johannesburg, who is something of a reverse cross to Fappiano, and Justify has a BTW out of a mare by Fappiano line stallion, Candy Ride (whose son, Twirling Candy, is sire of a stakes winning half-sister to Heartland). This also suggests other representatives of the Empire Maker line, like Bodemeister and Cairo Prince, and from another branch of Fappiano, mares by Unbridled’s Song and sons. The Gone West branch of Mr. Prospector is already working well under Justify, this cross supplying a G1W from a mare by Quality Road, a son of Elusive Quality (also grandsire of the dam of a Justify Champion) and a GSW out of a mare by Proud Citizen. From other branches of Mr. Prospector, Justify has a Champion out of a mare by Street Cry (sire of Street Sense), a G1W out of a mare by Distorted Humor and BTWs from daughters of Curlin, City Zip and Lemon Drop Kid. Looking at the Northern Dancer line, Justify has a European Champion and five other BTWs out of mares by Galileo, and a Champion out of a mare by Galileo’s sire, Sadler’s Wells. In the U.S. it would be possible to introduce Sadler’s Wells through El Prado (sire of Medaglia d’Oro and Kitten’s Joy). Justify has already been very successful with mares from the Danehill branch of Danzig, getting five BTWs, all from mares by Fastnet Rock or Danehill Dancer. This would encourage mares by other sons of Danzig, including Hard Spun, War Front and Exchange Rate. Out of A.P. Indy line mares, Justify has three BTWs from daughters of Bernardini and another out of a mare by Tapit. Justify also has a G1W out of a mare by More Than Ready. – Alan Porter