Wellman ponders choices for Journalism after Haskell 2025

Even before Journalism races for the $600,000 winner’s share Saturday in the Grade 1, $1 million Haskell Stakes, his plans for the rest of 2025 are being mapped in the minds of fans and horseplayers and, of course, the media.

Aron Wellman patiently hears all of it and distills it and even respects it. And then he says what any good horse owner would say.

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“I don’t think we’re looking too far past Saturday,” said Wellman of Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners, the first name on Journalism’s papers. “Saturday is an extremely important race for him, for our partnership and in general. So yes, of course, in the back of our minds, we would love to work backwards from the Breeders’ Cup Classic. But that being said, Saturday is our main focal point.”

Carrying 4-5 odds in the program, Journalism carries the expectation he will earn the Haskell’s automatic entry into the Breeders’ Cup Classic. That $7 million target is the holy grail for Journalism. How the Preakness winner who finished second in both the Kentucky Derby and Belmont Stakes gets from this weekend at Monmouth Park to Nov. 1 at Del Mar reaches an important fork in the road next month.

Will Journalism follow a traditional path to face his Derby and Belmont conqueror Sovereignty in the $1.25 million Travers (G1) on Aug. 23 at Saratoga? Or will he take on older horses for the first time Aug. 30 in the $1 million Pacific Classic (G1)?

“All options are on the table,” trainer Michael McCarthy told the Del Mar media team. “All of his options will be open after the Haskell.”

With the Pacific Classic offering the same 1 1/4-mile course and distance and maybe some of the same competition as the Breeders’ Cup Classic, Wellman said it might be nice for Journalism to race for a change just steps from his own stall in McCarthy’s barn.

“It’s certainly on our radar, for sure,” Wellman said this week on Horse Racing Nation’s Ron Flatter Racing Pod. “It would be his home track at Del Mar this summer, which is appealing. He has been on the road the better part of this year playing road games.”

A lot of games, period, in a short amount of time. The Haskell will be Journalism’s sixth race within five calendar months. The Travers or Pacific Classic could be followed quickly by the $1 million Pennsylvania Derby (G1) on Sept. 20 at Parx or the $300,000 Goodwood (G1), formerly the California Crown on Sept. 27 at Santa Anita. The Breeders’ Cup lurks five or six weeks later.

“He’s a very hearty individual with a remarkable constitution both physically and mentally,” Wellman said about his 3-year-old Curlin colt out of Uncle Mo mare Mopotism. “I feel like I just talk about his incredible attributes and trains ad nauseum, but he deserves it. They don’t make them like this too often, and when they do, you know it. They make life very easy in terms of the decision-making and management process.”

Wellman knows full well these are the quintessence of first-world problems. For the next two races after the Haskell, do he and McCarthy pit Journalism against 3-year-olds in the east or older horses at home in the west?

“Everybody knows what the race options are after (the Haskell),” Wellman said. “If we’re so fortunate enough to be in a position to consider more races after Saturday, and we certainly hope we will be, then he’ll tell us when and where he’s ready to rock.”

Saying “our lean right now is to Monmouth,” Wellman said his team is not favoring any particular choice for Journalism’s race next month. Answering the direct question about the Pacific Classic, though, Wellman had no problem finding pluses.

“It would be very nice to be able to run out of his own stall and keep him home for the next three months leading up to the Breeders’ Cup and let everybody else come to him on his turf for a change,” Wellman said. “So all of these factors will be considered with Michael McCarthy at the top of the food chain and then our partnership which includes Bridlewood Farm, Bob LaPenta, (breeder) Don Alberto, (Elayne Stables Five) and of course Coolmore. We just want to get through Saturday and feel fortunate to be in a position to have to make that decision in the future.”

Even this weekend’s choice provided a dilemma between the Haskell and the $500,000 Jim Dandy (G2) next Saturday at Saratoga.

Wellman said Journalism was shipped to the Haskell because “it’s a Grade 1. It’s a very prestigious and coveted race. It’s worth $1 million. It’s a Breeders’ Cup win-and-you’re-in event. All those factors really directed us towards the Jersey Shore.”

It was no surprise Journalism and Sovereignty would not meet again so soon after their Belmont Stakes showdown last month. Sovereignty, who is the consensus futures favorite overseas for the Breeders’ Cup Classic, has been pointed by Godolphin and trainer Bill Mott to the Jim Dandy.

“A lot of people have asked the question are you ducking Sovereignty?” Wellman said. “No. We’re just going to the race that we feel makes more sense for our horse. Certainly the scoreboard reads 2-0, Sovereignty, in his favor right now, and all credit to him and Bill Mott, (jockey) Júnior Alvarado, Godolphin, their whole team. But a Grade 1 for a million vs. a Grade 2 for a half a million, when the horse is ready to run, it seems to add up.”

So Umberto Rispoli again will get the leg up from McCarthy on Saturday afternoon as Journalism continues to take them on a thrill ride. Bought by Wellman as an $850,000 yearling, he has earned $3,198,880 from a record of 8: 5-2-1. He and Sovereignty make up the short list right now of would-be champions in the 3-year-old male division. If either were to win the Breeders’ Cup Classic, a horse-of-the-year trophy may follow.

And yes, Wellman said, he and team Journalism entertain thoughts about the Eclipse Awards.

“Of course,” he said. “We’re competitive people. We’re competitive owners. We’re aligned with a very competitive trainer in Michael McCarthy. We’ve got a horse that’s proven he’s a competitor. Umberto Rispoli is a world-class jockey. The entire team is extremely competitive, and we want to win every race, and we would love to be in a position to win an esteemed award like the Eclipse.”

That said, it is not the be-all, end-all in penning Journalism’s script.

“That’s not how we’re going to craft his season,” Wellman said. “Journalism will write his story, no pun intended.”