In an impressive debut in stakes competition, Totally Justified secured her first victory in the Listed $150,000 P. G. Johnson at Saratoga, a race specifically for juvenile fillies run at 1 1/16 miles on turf. Trained by Rusty Arnold and ridden by Manny Franco, the horse transitioned to turf for the first time after a credible performance on dirt, where she placed third in her previous outing at Ellis Park.
Arnold credited her owner, MLB player Alex Bregman of the Houston Astros, for his bold decision to enter a maiden in such a competitive race. Arnold acknowledged that while he typically avoids such moves, Totally Justified's performances hinted that she was ready for a significant step-up in competition, especially on turf given her breeding.
The bay filly broke well from post 6, sitting just behind the early leader, Second Chance, who set a slow pace of 24.80 and 50.28 seconds. As the race progressed, Franco encouraged Totally Justified to make her move in the final turn, leading to a fierce stretch duel with challengers Virgin Colada and Reining Flowers. Despite drifting out towards the end, Totally Justified managed to hold off Virgin Colada, finishing a half-length ahead with a final time of 1:43.87.
Franco praised his mount's effort, noting that she responded well when challenged and felt comfortable during the race. Arnold expressed satisfaction with the way she handled her turf debut, commending Franco's ride and her strong finish.
In the aftermath, Arnold indicated that discussions would take place with Bregman regarding Totally Justified’s next race, possibly targeting the Grade 2 Miss Grillo or the Jessamine, both scheduled for late September and early October, respectively. Totally Justified earned $82,500 for her victory, improving her record to 3 starts with 1 win and 1 place. She paid $14.60 for a $2 bet to win.