Triple Crown hopeful JUSTIFY was the first horse loaded onto a Brook Ledge van stationed in the Churchill Downs stable area at 8:31 ET as the trip to New York and his date with destiny got under way this morning.

A Tex Sutton plane was waiting at nearby Louisville International Airport (SDF) to fly Justify and another 20 or so horses to Long Island MacArthur Airport in Islip, N.Y. Takeoff from SDF was scheduled for around 10 ET, with a noonish arrival in Islip. If all goes as planned, Justify should be coming through the Belmont Park stable gate no later than 2 ET.

Justify will break from post 1 Saturday as a heavy favorite in the 150th Belmont Stakes when looking to become just the second horse to ever sweep the Triple Crown while still unbeaten, following Seattle Slew (1977).