(Highspeed Justice gives new owner, Tom Congalosi, first win / All Photos by Coady Media)

From the Horseshoe Indianapolis Media Team / Tammy Knox:

Highspeed Justice scores first win for new owner Tom Congalosi at Horseshoe Indianapolis

 

SHELBYVILLE, Ind. (Tuesday, April 22, 2025) — Donning the new silks that Pat and Tom Congalosi designed last fall to honor their ties to Italy, Highspeed Justice made her racing debut a winning one for first time owner Tom during the $38,500 three-year-old maiden race Tuesday, April 22 at Horseshoe Indianapolis. The horse was part of the 2023 Road to Louisville prize for Congalosi, who won the opportunity to buy a yearling out of the Fall ITOBA Sale through the partnership with Horseshoe Indianapolis and ITOBA (Indiana Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association).

Unraced at two, Highspeed Justice, nicknamed “Speedy” by the Congalosi family, has been training all year in preparation for her first race. Trainer Tim Eggleston detected some talent early on in the filly.

“I’m really excited to see what she will do,” noted Eggleston before the race. “She has been training well, and I think she’s got a lot of speed.”

Speed is what she showed out of the starting gate. Breaking from the inside post one, she was a step or two slow at first for jockey Andres Ulloa but quickly rallied back up and maintained her spot on the inside, taking over the lead midway through the backstretch. The sophomore daughter of Harry’s Holiday was holding down the lead around the turn and was joined by Foxy Justice and Sammy Bermudez at the head of the stretch.

The two fillies came down the stretch together. Room was tight and contact was made but Highspeed Justice dug back in gamely and got the win by one-half length over Foxy Justice. The victory celebration was delayed slightly as there was both an inquiry and objection concerning the stretch drive, but in the end, there was no change in the order of finish and Tom and Pat Congalosi could officially celebrated their victory with Highspeed Justice.

Tom, who is a retired supply chain professional, is an avid handicapper, and a good one at that. He bested a field of more than 500 individuals during the 2023 Road to Louisville contest to earn prize money and the $30,000 bankroll to go to the ITOBA Fall Sale and purchase an Indiana yearling. Highspeed Justice is the first opportunity he ever had to become an actual Thoroughbred owner.

“This is well over our expectations,” said an elated Tom following the win. “I did my own regular handicapping on this race, and didn’t think she would be better than fifth, so this was a great surprise. Tim (Eggleston) said she was starting to put on some weight and was training really well. And I found out how he chose the jockey. Andres (Ulloa) has been working her in the mornings, so that was important to me to know he had been working her. This experience has been more than we expected.”

Tom and Pat drove up with friends from Georgetown and visited the Eggleston barn before the races. They had a talk with her about her racing debut.

“We talked to her before the race,” added Pat. “We told her ‘Don’t embarrass us.’ She ran so great. We are really shocked.”

Highspeed Justice was also a bit of a surprise to the public, paying $14.80 for the win. She was purchased by Tom out of the ITOBA Sale for $6,700 from the Justice Farm consignment. She earned more than $23,000 with her victory in her racing debut, making the drive home to Georgetown a little sweeter for the Congalosis.

The 23rd season of live Thoroughbred and Quarter Horse racing runs through Thursday, Nov. 13. For more information on racing at Horseshoe Indianapolis, visit www.caesars.com/horseshoe-indianapolis/racing or find details on social media @HSIndyRacing.