BALTIMORE — There was little doubt going into the landmark 150th Preakness Stakes who was the best horse. And he more than proved it on Saturday as Journalism put forth a furious stretch drive to win in the second leg of the Triple Crown by a half-length.
The 3-year-old Santa Anita-based colt etched his name in history with a breathtaking rally after once again finding trouble when Goal Oriented leaned on him down the stretch. In the Santa Anita Derby, he was almost stopped when a horse backed up on him but he rallied, much like Saturday, to win.
“There was a lot of bouncing around there,” said winning trainer Michael McCarthy, who won his second Preakness in two tries. “I guess when I saw that, I kind of resigned myself to the fact that it was another fantastic effort, maybe come up a little bit short.
“It just goes to show the testament that this horse has. I couldn’t be prouder of him. In my mind, I thought we’d be two for two here, but you know what? I’m just happy to get one of these. They are very, very difficult to win one of these.”
Journalism went off at even money and paid $4 to win.
Clever Again broke on top and led down the backstretch with Gosger just behind him. Journalism was midpack, seemingly trapped on the rail. Entering the far turn, jockey Umberto Rispoli asked Journalism and he worked his way through the pack but couldn’t get a clear path to the outside.
“I can’t realize what this horse did today,” Rispoli said. “I got in trouble at the quarter pole but he made himself keep going. I mean it’s all about him. It’s all about him. It’s a pleasure [to ride him.]
“When I cross the [finish] line, it’s all 20 years of my career that pass in front of me. I had to wait so long to ride a champion like that.”
Gosger was second followed by Sandman, Goal Oriented, Heart of Honor, River Thames, Pay Billy, American Promise and Clever Again.
It marked the 21st consecutive Triple Crown race without a repeat winner. The last one to win more than one was Justify in 2018 when he won the Triple Crown. Of course, the Triple Crown is only for 3-year-olds, so there is a new set of horses every year.
This year’s Preakness lost a lot of star power — and possibly some interest — when trainer Bill Mott decided not to race Kentucky Derby winner Sovereignty. Instead, they believed the horse would be better served waiting for the Belmont Stakes.
It was the third time in the last seven years that the Derby winner did not come to the Preakness. It’s not a good thing when the chance of a Triple Crown is over even before the gates open at Pimlico Race Course.
It continued the debate about whether the spacing between the Triple Crown races should be changed. Many trainers believe the two-week turnaround between the Kentucky Derby and Preakness is too short. This year, only three Derby starters ran in the Preakness. The time between the Preakness and Belmont Stakes is three weeks.
The Preakness would certainly welcome even an extra week between the first two legs of the Triple Crown. The problem is the New York Racing Assn. seems opposed to changing the date of its big race. This year the Belmont Stakes will be held at Saratoga because Belmont Park is undergoing a massive rebuilding.
Pimlico is also set to undergo a huge construction project. There was an air of nostalgia on Saturday as this was the last Preakness at Pimlico, as it’s currently constructed. A lot of the pictures and mementos on the walls had already been taken down to keep scavengers from taking them.
The project, twice delayed, is supposed to cost about $500 million, which includes a training track. Most people think the price tag is too low considering the track, originally built in 1870, has not had a significant renovation since 1960. In 1966, a fire burned down the old clubhouse.
The Preakness will move to Laurel Park for at least the next two years. Laurel, about 30 miles from Pimlico, is where all of the Maryland racing is held except for the weeks around the Preakness.
But as Pimlico becomes a memory for the next couple years, all the attention will be focused on the Belmont Stakes and the rematch of Journalism and Sovereignty.
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