Journalism will face Fierceness on Saturday in Pacific Classic

As was widely expected, Journalism will be entered to face older horses Saturday in the Grade 1, $1 million Pacific Classic at Del Mar.

“All set for Pacific Classic,” lead owner Aron Wellman of Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners said in a text message Sunday to Horse Racing Nation.

Click here for Del Mar entries and results.

Wellman confirmed what he said Sunday morning on the Thoroughbred L.A. show on KLAA radio.

“All set to go,” Wellman told host Mike Willman. “He cleaned up real good. ... He’s looking for a fight, so we’re going to put him in the ring.”

Wellman floated the idea last month that he and trainer Michael McCarthy might test the Preakness and Haskell (G1) winner outside the 3-year-old division while keeping him home in Southern California.

“It would be his home track at Del Mar this summer, which is appealing,” Wellman said in mid-July. “He has been on the road the better part of this year playing road games.

“It would be very nice to be able to run out of his own stall and keep him home ... leading up to the Breeders’ Cup (Classic) and let everybody else come to him on his turf for a change.”

Wellman made those comments in the buildup to the Haskell at Monmouth Park, where Journalism added his third Grade 1 victory. Now the 3-year-old Curlin colt who has earned $3,798,880 is in line to face 4-year-olds like former division champion Fierceness and trainer Bob Baffert’s locally based Nysos, both multiple graded-stakes winners.

Pletcher told the Del Mar media department that Fierceness “is scheduled to fly out on Wednesday. He’ll gallop a couple of days at Del Mar and then run.”

The 1 1/4-mile Pacific Classic will come one week after Sovereignty’s 10-length win over rival 3-year-olds in the Travers (G1) at Saratoga. Journalism finished second to Sovereignty in both the Kentucky Derby and Belmont Stakes, stoking a rivalry that is expected to be renewed Nov. 1 in the Breeders’ Cup Classic at Del Mar.

In the meantime Journalism could go Sept. 27 against older horses at Santa Anita in the 1 1/8-mile Goodwood Stakes, formerly the Awesome Again and California Crown. He also could train up to the Breeders’ Cup.

Entries will be taken and post positions drawn Tuesday for the Pacific Classic.