Journalism It’s a strong favorite of 150 days on Saturday Preakness Stakes Two weeks after the lack of Kentucky Derby favourites in Pimlico.
Saturday marks the final run of the Triple Crown Middle Jewel at the current Pimlico facility before it is demolished to make way for the modern building that is expected to be completed in time for Preakness in 2027. Laurel Park will be holding its 151st Preakness next year.
Endured traffic and wide travel while lagging behind sovereignty as the Kentucky Derby’s 3-1 favorite, journalism has been rated as the 8-5 morning line favorite on the nine fields where the Derby winners gathered for Preakness, not competing.
“He’s an incredible athlete. He has looks and size,” trainer Michael McCarthy said, glimpsing in the direction of journalism at a food stall in the Pimlico Stakes barn Wednesday morning. “He has a very good horse mechanism. His resume speaks for itself. He is a special and special talent.”
Journalism entered the Kentucky Derby, where he won four straight games in Southern California, including a gritty score at the Santa Anita Derby (G1).
“One of the things that can’t be measured and written down in the sales catalog is “Try” and “Heart.”
In addition to running the Journalism Derby, Humberto Rispoli, who was riding all four of his wins, has a return call from Post 2.
McCarthy achieved ultimate success with Pimlico in 2021, adding Rombauer for an upset 11-1 victory at Preakness.
“It seemed Rombauer was good at the right time. He had a great week showing up here in Baltimore. He seemed really, really well done,” McCarthy recalled. “The race was set for his favourite Preakness Day. He was definitely the best horse he’d run that day. Time was piled up. It was great to be in the triple crown race and win the triple crown race.”
The 54-year-old’s second quest for Preakness’ victory was former boss Todd Pleacher, Mark Cass, Steve Asmussen, Bob Baffert and D. Wayne Lucas encounters challenges from five Hall of Fame trainers who won 18 Preakness.
Pletcher, who was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2021, seeks a first Preakness victory against the Thames, which was withheld from the Derby to target Preakness. The Thames was beaten to the neck of a Gulfstream young man (G2) while finishing second in the Derby Hero Soverey, but came out from the third place finish in Keeneland’s Bluegrass (G1).
If McLean’s Music Son wins Preakness, he will complete the personal triple crown of Pletcher, who added two derby winners and four Belmont Stakes winners. He started only ten horses at Preakness.
“Whenever you have the opportunity to win a classic, that’s definitely something you want to achieve,” Pletcher said. “That’s something we want to do.”
Irad Ortiz Jr. is back on the Thames River. He ranks third in the morning line 9-2.
Kasse, who was inducted into the Hall of Fame a year after sadding Will’s War for a 2019 Preakness score, is set to saddle Sandman for Preakness. Tapit’s son, who finished second on the morning line 4-1, finished seventh in the derby. There, we finally returned after encountering early traffic before offering a 9-width rally.
“I hope you can draw a line through it,” said Terry Finley, CEO and president of co-owner West Point Thoroughbreds. “The journalism was clearly raging. If he runs the same race, we have a lot to make up for. We can probably fill in the gaps.”
Sandman entered the Derby from an eye-catching victory in the Arkansas Derby (G1), where he came from eighth place on a 9-horsepower field, pulling away to a 2-1/2-long score.
“This, in a nutshell, is taking a whirlwind with Sandman,” said Griffin Johnson, a mega-popular internet influencer who owns Sandman’s share. “When you own a horse, you never know what you’re trying to get. That’s part of the fun. Obviously, Sandman was a great horse with the best talent.
Hall of Fame jockey John Velazquez is scheduled to ride an impressive grey foal on Saturday.
Asmussen, who was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2016, once again seeks a clever third Preakness victory. He found a circle of Preakness winners with Carlin in 2007 and Rachel Alexandra in 2009.
Once again, wise, finishing fourth at the morning line 5-1, he makes his grade stakes debut with Preakness, with his fourth career start. The son of the 2015 Triple Crown Champion American Pharaoh, was slightly beaten in his only start at the age of 2 and made his debut at Keeneland, winning two races this year with Oak Lawn. After running at 1 1/16 miles with a score of 3 1/2, he ran off at Mile Hot Springs in four lengths. Jose Ortiz is wisely back.
Baffert, who was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2009, has the opportunity to expand the record for most of the trainers’ preakness winners when he saddles his goal towards his stakes debut.
Goal orientation is 2-2, entering Preakness from a 3 1/2-long debut score on 6 furlongs at Santa Anita on April 6, and a front-running victory with an optional 1/16-mile billing allowance on the Kentucky Derby undercard on May 3. Baffert is well aware of the challenges awaiting a goal directed at Preakness while he is competing with something like journalism.
“(Journalism) is a really good horse. I saw him and it was a great derby,” Baffert said. “These are important races. If you feel your horse suits this species of race… I think he’s the perfect fit. You have journalism. He’s a really good horse and ran a big race in the derby.
Flavieen Prat has a mount that returns to his son this time. He is 6-1 on the morning line.
Buffart established a prequeness record at National Treasure in 2023, establishing Justify (2018), American Faroar (2015), Lookin at Lucky (2010), War Emblem (2002), Point (2001), Real Cows (1998) and Silver Charm (1997).
1999 Hall of Fame Lucas set a buffat record with a performance where the American promise rebounded from the 16th place finish in the Derby, winning in Preakness.
The American promise won the food stall at the starting gate of the Derby by winning the Virginia Derby at the Colonial Downs. The son of 2018 Triple Crown Champion Justify, who was rated 20-1 on the morning line, will be back on Nick Juarez.
Lucas achieved his seventh prequeness success last year with Gray, the Oxbow, Charisma (1999), Timber Country (1995), Tabasco Cat (1994), Tank Outlook (1985), and Codex (1980) leading in 2013.
Heart of Honor is set to make his US debut with Preakness after a transatlantic flight from the UK. The Jamie Osborne-Trained Son of Honor AP was runner-up in the UAE Derby (G2) on April 5th.
Set at 12-1 on the morning line, Heart of Honor returns on board Osborne’s 23-year-old daughter Saffie Osborne.
Both Gosger and Pay Billy are rated 20-1 on the morning line.
The Brendan Walsh Training Gosgar, who won the last Lexington (G3) on April 12th at Keeneland, was riding for the first time by the Lewis Thirds on Saturday.
Michael Gorham trained Pay Billy, who won the Preakness anchorage in Laurel with the April 19th Federicotesio at Laurel, will be pulled back by Raul Mena.
