Zipse: Journalism earns champ’s stripes in Preakness

Sovereignty may have won the Kentucky Derby, but for my money Journalism is the best 3-year-old in the country, bar none.

Much like his champion sire Curlin had done 18 years earlier, Journalism finished off the Preakness Stakes with a powerhouse closing charge that snatched victory from the jaws of defeat.

The fact that he had the chance to fly by Gosger in the final yards was only after an outstanding display of athleticism and bravery.

Attempting to thread the needle with the even-money favorite, rider Umberto Rispoli found himself between a rock and a hard place early in the stretch of the middle jewel of the Triple Crown.

Flavien Prat aboard Goal Oriented did his best or worst, depending on your point of view, to deny Journalism the room needed to get by.

Given no quarter by the Eclipse Award-winning jockey, Journalism simply would not be denied.

Like an NFL running back busting through the tiniest of seams and with his rider showing no fear, the favorite in both the Kentucky Derby and Preakness came through to the other side to get clear sailing on the long-shot leader.

Still, it looked like Gosger was home free. The Grade 3 Lexington Stakes winner in his third career start had stalked the early pace and had taken over the race as the field of nine turned for home.

By the time Journalism had parted the sea, the 15-1 shot had opened up a seemingly insurmountable advantage.

Suddenly free to roll after his misadventure, Journalism began writing an alternate ending to this compelling story.

Closing with giant racehorse strides, the Michael McCarthy-trained colt reeled in Gosger and won his fourth graded stakes race in his last five starts.

Crossing the wire a courageous and popular half-length winner, Journalism completed the 9 1/2 furlongs on a fast track at Pimlico in a solid time of 1:55.47.

With the pedigree to be a very good one, Journalism is son of the two-time horse of the year and top sire Curlin and is out of the durable, graded-stakes winning Uncle Mo mare Mopitism. He was plucked out of the Fasig-Tipton Saratoga select yearling sale for $825,000 by Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners and is now owned by a large partnership. 

Sent to trainer Michael McCarthy, who also won the Preakness in 2021 with Rombauer, the handsome bay colt made it to the races too late to make the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile but has been a force since rallying too late in his six-furlong debut in late October.

The Preakness Stakes was Journalism’s fifth win in seven career starts and pushed his lifetime earnings to $2.68 million.

His biggest win to date joins the Santa Anita Derby as his second Grade 1 victory. Journalism also overcame trouble that afternoon, but nothing like we saw on Saturday at Pimlico. It was reminiscent of Afleet Alex in the Preakness and Alysheba in the Kentucky Derby.

The impressive win could set up a very interesting rematch in three weeks with Sovereignty, who skipped the Preakness to wait for the Belmont Stakes. But the final leg of the series is not set in stone for Journalism.

After two very tough races in the Kentucky Derby and Preakness, he will need to prove to his connections that he is still fit before starting in all three legs of the Triple Crown.

Sovereignty and Baeza obviously are very good, and perhaps the Belmont will be a race where horses such as Rodriguez, Hill Road or Grande can step up. And let’s not forget about Gosger, who is improving with each start. But I don’t believe any of them are as good as the Preakness winner. There is just something about Journalism.

If you want to tell me that Sovereignty defeated Journalism in their only meeting to date and that the Kentucky Derby is a more prestigious race with a better overall field, you would not be wrong.

But as is most often the case after the golden age of Secretariat, Seattle Slew, Affirmed and Spectacular Bid, I do not believe this year’s Kentucky Derby will be the race that defines this crop of 3-year-olds.

Instead, I suspect we will look back at the 2025 Preakness and a spectacular performance by Journalism as the day a champion was born.