The new king of the sport of kings is from southern Illinois.
Mt. Vernon native Kenny Troutt's Winstar Farms is the primary owner of Triple Crown winner Justify.
On NBC soon after the Belmont Stakes win Saturday, Troutt said this is an overwhelming moment.
"It was one of the greatest earthly feelings, horse racing, feelings I ever had when that horse was leading down the stretch. It was unbelievable. Yes, I did have butterflies down the stretch."
Justify will get a well-deserved break and then race again this year, although no date or location has been targeted yet after the colt came out of his Belmont Stakes victory in good condition.
A plan will be formulated once Justify recovers from a compressed schedule that saw him win six races since his debut on February 18.
The Troutt-Wittmann Athletic and Training Center at SIU-C bears his name along with his good friend and former Saluki teammate Pete Wittmann.
