Journalism thrills with victorious rally in Haskell 2025
Oceanport, N.J.
Journalism rallied from farther behind than usual to win the Grade 1, $1.017 million Haskell Stakes at Monmouth Park on Saturday. He returned from running in all three jewels of the Triple Crown to win a Grade 1 stakes for the third time while getting his sixth victory overall.
Journalism finished second in the Kentucky Derby, won the Preakness and just last month at Saratoga was second in the Belmont Stakes. Trainer Micheal McCarthy sent him back to Santa Anita, and after three impressive workouts, shipped him cross-country once again to run at Monmouth in its signature race.
Click here for Monmouth Park entries and results.
The Haskell served as a rematch between Journalism and Gosger, who met in the Preakness in May. This time Journalism was the 2-5 favorite, and Gosger was the 6-1 third choice in the wagering, but the result was the same. Journalism had to close from seventh position to catch Gosger, who had gotten from fifth place to the lead by a head at the stretch call.
“You can ride him from behind. You can ride him from everywhere,” Journalism’s jockey Umberto Rispoli said. “But today I think he was most special, probably more than the Preakness.”
The 1 1/8-mile Haskell began with 53-1 long shot Kentucky Outlaw setting the pace with 27-1 Bracket Buster and Bob Baffert’s Goal Oriented, who was the 7-2 second choice, next to each other about a length behind the leader. Those three stayed in that order as the early fractions went in 23.33, 46.83 and 1:10.75.
Journalism was kept clear racing three wide. Rispoli asked the son of Curlin to begin moving They were fifth at the three-quarter pole and third at the top of the stretch, only about a length behind the lead.
Gosger moved forward sooner and found himself in a battle down the stretch with Goal Oriented, who was trying to get Baffert his 10th victory in the big race at the Jersey Shore. Gosger got his neck in front of Goal Oriented, but Journalism had all the momentum at that point and pulled away to win by a half-length.
The final time for the Haskell, which was run before an crowd announced by track management to be 41,876, was 1:48.15.
“He was a little bit farther back than we would have like going into the first turn,” McCarthy said. “Umberto pulled his stick going through the first turn and kind of gave him a slap and got him up in there. Up the backside he started picking off horses, and he came with that long, measured run. It was long, and it was steady. I looked at the wire, and I looked at Journalism, and I looked at the leaders (Gosger and Goal Oriented), and I’m glad we had a couple of extra jumps there to get the job done.”
Journalism improved his career record to 8: 6-2-1. With the $600,000 winner’s share of the purse, he moved his career earnings to almost $3,798,880. For the betting public Journalism returned $2.80, 2.20 and 2.10 for a win, place and show wager. Gosger completed a $2 exacta that paid $11.80. Goal Oriented finished 7 1/4 lengths ahead of Bracket Buster and finished a $2 trifecta of $25.60.
Trainer Brendan Walsh complimented Luis Sáez, who has ridden Gosger’s last two starts.
“Luis rode a fantastic race, and we got nailed at the wire again by a really good horse,” Walsh said. “I’m not disappointed in the horse. It’s just that we were so close to winning. He ran great. He’s just been unlucky to run into this horse twice.”
The Haskell was part of the Breeders’ Cup challenge series earning Journalism and his owners Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners, Bridlewood Farm, Don Alberto Stable, Bob LaPenta, Elayne Stables Five and Coolmore a spot in the $7 million Classic at Del Mar on Nov. 1.