Zipse: Extra, extra; Journalism is Kentucky Derby contender

The news is clear.  With a convincing score in the Los Alamitos Derby on Saturday, Journalism established himself as a major player on the road to Kentucky Derby 2025.

One of the race’s only two horses not trained by Bob Baffert, the son of Curlin impressively dispatched graded-stakes winners Getaway Car and Gaming on the way to a 3 1/2-length victory. The manner in which he did so promises big things for his upcoming 3-year-old season.

Journalism authors winning story in Los Al Futurity.

Showing good speed right from the gate, he soon relaxed to gain a comfortable stalking position behind the top two Baffert runners early. The well backed, 5-2 second choice always looked in good shape until he was ready to make his move. The leader Getaway Car, who had set moderate early fractions, fought on down the lane but had no answer for the stakes newcomer late.

Crossing the wire a decisive winner, Journalism completed the 8 1/2 furlongs on the fast track with a solid time of 1:43.04 under rider Umberto Rispoli.

As a qualifying-points race, Journalism made his way onto the leaderboard for entry into the spring classic, but there is more to this story than the 10 points he earned. Easily taking care of a pair of horses who figured prominently in last month’s Breeders’ Cup Juvenile gave instant credibility to his level of class, and he should only get better.

Carrying on a rich tradition established at beloved Hollywood Park, the 1 1/16-mile, Grade 2 affair at Los Alamitos has continued to be a launching pad for future success. Since the raced was moved, standout winners like Dortmund, McKinzie, Improbable and Practical Move have kept the late-season race on the map. 

No Los Alamitos Futurity runner has gone on to win the following spring’s run for the roses, however. That could change with Journalism, a horse who gives every indication of getting better the farther he runs.

A son of a two-time horse of the year and top sire, Journalism is out of durable, graded-stakes-winning Uncle Mo mare Mopitism. 

Bred to be a runner, 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 group that also includes Bridlewood Farm, breeder Don Alberto Stable, Elayne Stables and Robert LaPenta.

Sent to trainer Michael McCarthy, the bay colt made it to the races too late to get into the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile but quickly has been making up for lost time. He has shown a strong progression of improvement in his first seven weeks on the track.

First came a six-furlong, maiden special weight at Santa Anita on Oct. 27. Sent to the post at odds of 9-2, he was back in last most of the way before rallying to be third, beaten by fewer than three lengths in a pretty fast race.

Three weeks after that he was stretched to two turns for a maiden race at Del Mar and responded like a talented horse quickly figuring things out. Closer to the pace in that one, he came off the rail and powered by the leader on the outside for a promising victory.

On supplementing to the Los Alamitos Derby off the score in the one-mile maiden race, Journalism’s trainer hinted at his confidence in the well-bred colt.

“It was either a race like this or the San Vicente (G2) at seven furlongs,’’ McCarthy said. “We gave this horse every opportunity not to run today, but he had two wonderful works, and he was very cool and composed in the paddock. He’s picking things up fast.

“(Rispoli) bounced out of there and put him in the game early. He found himself a little wide on the first turn, but he was always cruising up the backside. Around the three-eighths pole Umberto was asking him to pick it up a bit, and he was slowly getting there. You could see it took him a bit to get his feet underneath him, but once he leveled off in the lane, he was very good.’’

He was very good, indeed. After an excellent start to his career, Journalism will get a brief rest before gearing up for the big races of the spring. Improving with each start, proven for class, and very likely to appreciate added distance, his future would seem as bright as can be.

Kentucky Derby 2025 is still a long way out, but as of now, 139 days out, there is no horse I would rather have in my barn over Journalism.