Pending a weekend workout, Preakness winner Journalism seems likely to ship to New Jersey from Santa Anita for the Haskell Stakes on July 19 at Monmouth Park.
Journalism has posted two half-mile drills, on June 29 and July 6, since returning to trainer Michael McCarthy’s barn at Santa Anita following his second-place finish behind Sovereignty in the Belmont Stakes on June 7 at Saratoga. Aron Wellman, president of Eclipse Thoroughbreds, said that the Grade 1, $1 million Haskell is the leading option for Journalism’s next start, provided Journalism breezes to expectations this weekend.
Journalism, by Curlin, started his season winning the San Felipe Stakes and went on to capture the Santa Anita Derby. Favored in the Kentucky Derby, Journalism finished second after Sovereignty ran him down in the final furlong, circumstances all but duplicated in the Belmont. Journalism contested all three legs of the Triple Crown, while Sovereignty’s connections passed on the Preakness to await the Belmont with a fresh horse.
Gosger, the colt Journalism nailed at the wire after his dramatically troubled Preakness trip, is among the other horses that the Monmouth racing office – at least prior to the news regarding Journalism – expected for the track’s signature race. The other candidates for the 1 1/8-mile Haskell are Bracket Buster, winner of the Pegasus Stakes, the local Haskell prep; Burnham Square, a troubled sixth in the Derby and a subtly solid second in the Matt Winn on June 8; the Bob Baffert-trained Goal Oriented; Kentucky Outlaw; Ohio Derby winner Mo Plex; National Law; and Wildncrazynight.
The number of horses that enter the race could dwindle, however, if Journalism’s camp elects to send him to Monmouth. Entries for the Haskell card will be taken on July 15.
- Additional reporting from David Grening
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