Preakness notes: No Belmont confirmation yet for Journalism

What’s next for Journalism, the remarkable winner of Preakness 2025 on Saturday?

It was t.b.d. Sunday morning at Pimlico. Stay tuned.

For sure, the Curlin colt trained by Michael McCarthy and co-owned by Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners, Bridlewood Farm, Don Alberto Stable, Bob LaPenta, Elayne Stables 5, and the Coolmore trio Susan Magnier, Michael Tabor and Derrick Smith will be leaving Pimlico in a day or two. The historic facility is being demolished and rebuilt, and there will be no horses training on the grounds for close to two years during construction of a new facility.

Preakness 2025: Journalism squeezes his way to win.

McCarthy and Aron Wellman, founder and president of Eclipse Thoroughbreds and the managing partner of the ownership group, said that since Journalism will be considered for the Belmont Stakes on June 7 at Saratoga, he could be shipped to Saratoga or to McCarthy’s Kentucky base at Churchill Downs. McCarthy, whose main stable is at Santa Anita in Southern California, said a decision on where to go will be made in a day or two.

In McCarthy’s remarks Sunday morning, Saratoga sounded like a more likely destination.

“It puts him in a position to run,” McCarthy said. “He could go back to Churchill Downs and hang out for a week or two and then make his way to Saratoga. But it seems a little counterproductive to go 12 hours by van back to Kentucky to head back to New York, whether it be by plane or by van. Aron’s here to talk about it.”

In the Belmont, Journalism could meet Sovereignty, who won their duel by 1 1/2 lengths in the Kentucky Derby on May 3.

“We’ll go through the same analysis as we went through between the Derby and the Preakness,” Wellman said. “That horse in stall 33 will tell us whether he’s ready to go back in three weeks. It’s something we’d like to do. It’s something that we’re going to prepare for logistically in the event he does give us the green light. But whereas from the Derby to the Preakness, we really had a week to make that decision, we’ll have two plus weeks to assess him.”

McCarthy examined the horse Saturday night and again Sunday morning and said he had come through a pivotal physical incident at the top of the stretch unscathed.

Under jockey Umberto Rispoli, Journalism bulled his way between Goal Oriented and Clever Again to get running room and pursue long shot Gosger, who had a clear lead near the rail. Despite that problem that prompted a stewards review, Journalism overtook Gosger approaching the wire and won by a half-length with a time of 1:55.47.

Wellman said he was stunned by what he saw in the last quarter of a mile of the 1 3/16-mile Preakness.

“I know I started the race standing up,” he said. “I might have sat down at the eighth pole, sort of head in my lap, you know. I thought he was done. Heartbroken. My daughter (17-year-old Sadie), who’s my sidekick, she gets so emotionally attached in these horses, so invested. She just started hysterically crying when the real physicality ensued, because she was so worried about the horse.

“I was just feeling hopeless and devastated for the horse and everybody. When he got clear and shook free and he started to extend his stride, I just started saying, audibly, make a miracle happen, and he did.”

McCarthy said he thought he was about to watch a repeat of the Derby, in which Journalism turned in an impressive performance only to finish second.

With one classic race win on his résumé, the prospect of meeting Sovereignty again is tantalizing, but Journalism’s connections said they will be very careful when deciding how to proceed.

“I think I’d like to see what he’s kind of telling us,” McCarthy said. “Now it’s two races in two weeks. Ate up last night. Seems like he’s pleased with himself. We’ll weigh the pros and cons.

“I said to Aron last night as we were walking down the stairs (that) part of me feels like we could have been here 2-for-2. But winning any of these three races is quite an accomplishment, so just happy to grab one of them. He’s acting like he’s wanting some more here. By going to New York, at least, it puts us in a position.”

The Journalism team said it celebrated until the wee hours of Sunday morning what was an unlikely comeback by their gutty colt, who looked like a sure loser in the stretch.

“It really defied logic,” Wellman said. “I think anybody that’s watched any number of races and has any appreciation for what these magnificent animals can do, what he did there as a matter of guts and courage and bravery to begin with, and then to have the physical ability to accelerate again and mow a good horse down like Gosger, you just don’t see it happen.

“I hate to use the term impossible, but it was impossible what he did. And if you watch it again, Umberto didn’t hit him for the last I want to say 75-100 yards. That was strictly willpower on the part of the horse, and then to win by three quarters of a length or whatever the margin of victory (actually a half-length), it was an extraordinary performance.”

Sandman. After watching Sandman finish third in the Preakness under his first-time rider John Velázquez, Hall of Fame trainer Mark Casse talked about how proud he was of his colt’s effort. But there was frustration, too.

“Johnny said that at the three-eighths pole, he thought he was going to win,” Casse said. “But then he lost focus.”

The Preakness was the 10th career start for Sandman, owned by D J Stable, St. Elias Stable, West Point Thoroughbreds and CJ Stables. This year he is 5: 1-2-2 has gone to the starting gate five times and has a win, a second and two thirds. Casse said it is “not likely” to be the Belmont, but the next time we see Sandman, the colt could have an equipment change.

“I don’t like doing it, but we may put blinkers on,” Casse said. “I have given him plenty of time to grow up. (Velázquez) said all the way down the lane he wasn’t focused.”

Sandman was scheduled to ship to Belmont Park on Sunday and, after a week there, will head to Saratoga for the summer. His next start, Casse said, could be in the Jim Dandy Stakes (G2) on July 28 with the Travers Stakes (G1) on Aug. 23 the ultimate destination.

Before the Preakness, Sandman finished a disappointing seventh in the Kentucky Derby following a win in the Arkansas Derby (G1).

“We want to give him a little break,” Casse said.

Goal Oriented. After exchanging bumps with Journalism in the stretch and finishing fourth in the Preakness, Goal Oriented will head back home to Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert’s Santa Anita base in Southern California.

The son of Not This Time who made his stakes debut in the Preakness in only his third career start will not run in the Belmont Stakes. Baffert will take his time before deciding what’s next for Goal Oriented, who is owned by SF Racing, Starlight Racing, Madaket Stables, Stonestreet Stables, Dianne Bashor, Determined Stables, Bob Masterson, Tom Ryan, Waves Edge Capital and Catherine Donovan.

“I know he is a good horse,” Baffert said. “(Journalism) was the best horse. He showed it. The way he is made, he reminds me of (2014 Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner) California Chrome a little bit. He is nimble, light, athletic, and he moves that way in the morning when I watch him train. He just finds a way to get there.”

Rodríguez. After missing the first two legs of the Triple Crown with a sensitive foot bruise, Rodríguez will be pointed by Baffert toward the Belmont.

The son of Authentic has the same ownership group as Goal Oriented. Rodríguez won the Wood Memorial (G2) at Aqueduct after finishing third behind Journalism in the San Felipe (G2) at Santa Anita.