By Jill Williams
Journalism (c, 3, Curlin–Mopotism, by Uncle Mo) lived up to his billing and then some.
In possibly the most anticipated Derby prep of this year, Journalism proved he was the real deal Saturday in the GI Santa Anita Derby and will go to Louisville as the GI Kentucky Derby favorite. The Santa Anita Derby rewarded points on a scale of 75-37.5-18.75 on the Road to the Derby (reduced due to a smaller field), giving Journalism 122.50 points total and a guaranteed spot in the starting gate at Churchill Downs.
In the biggest surprise of the Santa Anita Derby Saturday, the 2-year-old champion and GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile winner Citizen Bull (Into Mischief) finished off the board, as did his highly regarded Bob Baffert stablemate and $3.2-million Fasig-Tipton Saratoga purchase, the GII San Vicente Stakes winner Barnes (Into Mischief).
It was a field of just five in Arcadia for the 88th running of the key Derby prep, but it was a field bursting with quality, as the group brought a collective $6.6 million as yearlings in August and September of 2023. They all broke from the gate evenly with Journalism leaving from the first stall as the 1-1 choice. While they stayed extremely compacted throughout, the ambitiously placed, but promising maiden Westwood (Authentic)–ostensibly a rabbit for his John Shirreffs stablemate Baeza (McKinzie), the half to Classic-winning Good Magic full-brothers Mage and Dornoch–was the first to show the way. With Citizen Bull threatening to his outside, Westwood scorched a first quarter in :22.25 while Journalism bided his time as a joint third from the rail.
Citizen Bull, who won his last three on the front end, including the Feb. 1 GIII Robert B. Lewis Stakes, had his head in front at the :47.14 half while Westwood held tough and Journalism dropped back to fifth and last. As they entered the turn, Umberto Rispoli had to take a hard hold of Journalism, who looked to be crowded and bumped with Barnes. Soon after Citizen Bull sloughed off Westwood and finally got things his own way up front, Baeza loomed to his outside and Rispoli began to pump on Journalism. After six furlongs in 1:11.42, Baeza drew alongside Citizen Bull while Journalism finally found clear sailing, tipping out and off the rail. Baeza looked to gawk at the crowd briefly while alongside Citizen Bull, but soon had Journalism to eye instead, as the bay reeled him in and went right by with powerful strides, looking for all the world like he'll only get better as the distances increase. Journalism finished three-quarters of a length to the best but did it with such authority that Rispoli stood up right before the wire. Baeza was another 8 1/2 lengths in front of Westwood. The final time for the 1 1/8 miles was 1:49.56.
“That's such a good animal to be able to get out of there,” said Rispoli after the race. “It's rare for a horse to get held up at the three-eighths pole and to get back in the race in that way. It's always difficult, especially for such a big horse. But he has such an amazing style and is just an amazing horse.”
Journalism | Horsephotos
Don Alberto Corporation bred Journalism in Kentucky and sold him for $825,000 at the Fasig-TIpton Saratoga sale, then stayed in the ownership partnership, which also consists of Bridlewood Farm, Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners, Elayne Stables 5 LLC, Robert V. LaPenta, Mrs. John Magnier, Derrick Smith, and Michael B. Tabor. The latter three joined the ownership when it was announced earlier this week Journalism will stand at Coolmore America's Ashford Stud following his racing career.
Trainer Michael McCarthy started Journalism last October at Santa Anita, where he finished third in a six-furlong maiden special weight. The colt hasn't been beaten since, first visiting the winner's circle at a mile at Del Mar Nov. 17, then taking the GII Los Alamitos Futurity Dec. 14 and capturing the GII San Felipe Sakes Mar. 1. In the latter, he notched a 108 Beyer Speed Figure, which equaled the highest figure awarded to a sophomore this year.
“It's pretty exciting,” said McCarthy about Journalism's latest win. “It's a huge day on the Santa Anita calendar, a huge day on any calendar or any kind of Derby before the Kentucky Derby, so to go ahead and be a part of this and be lucky enough to win, it is special.”
Pedigree Notes:
If there's a horse on paper and in running style who is most likely to thrive at the 10 furlongs of the Kentucky Derby this year, it's undoubtedly Journalism and it's because of his sire, Curlin. The Hill 'n' Dale sire churns out Classic-type horses at a dizzying rate. Journalism is one of 64 graded winners and 109 black-type winners for the two-time Horse of the Year whose own journey through the Classics included a GI Preakness win and placings in both the Derby and the GI Belmont Stakes. Curlin has had two sons place in the Derby and has had seven wins or placings by sons in the Preakness and Belmont.
Journalism's dam, Mopotism, won the 2018 GII La Canada Stakes over the Santa Anita surface and placed in another 10 graded events around the country, including four Grade Is. Don Alberto Corp. signed the ticket for her at the 2019 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky 'Night of the Stars' sale for $1.05 million. Journalism, one of 25 stakes winners out of daughters of the late Uncle Mo, is her first foal. She also has a 2-year-old Tapit colt named Nitro Tap, who fetched $1.5 million from Flying Dutchmen at the 2024 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga sale, and a yearling filly by Into Mischief. She was covered by both Flightline and Tapit for this term.
Although he is the first stakes winner for Curlin out of an Uncle Mo mare, Journalism is bred on the same cross as Curlin's GSW and GISP Souper Sensational, who is out of a daughter of Uncle Mo's sire Indian Charlie.
Take notes, folks! ✍️
An impressive battle down the stretch with Journalism (Curlin) ultimately surging past Baeza to win the GI Santa Anita Derby at @santaanitapark.
Full steam ahead to the @KentuckyDerby 🌹 pic.twitter.com/ICPChQW9AV
— TDN (@theTDN) April 6, 2025
Saturday, Santa Anita
SANTA ANITA DERBY-GI, $500,000, Santa Anita, 4-5, 3yo, 1 1/8m, 1:49.56, ft.
1–JOURNALISM, 124, c, 3, by Curlin
1st Dam: Mopotism (GSW & MGISP, $876,090), by Uncle Mo
2nd Dam: Peppy Rafaela, by Bernardini
3rd Dam: Peppy Lapeau, by French Deputy
1ST GRADE I WIN. ($825,000 Ylg '23 FTSAUG). O-Bridlewood
Farm, Don Alberto Stable, Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners,
Elayne Stables 5 LLC, LaPenta, Robert V., Magnier, Mrs. John,
Smith, Derrick and Tabor, Michael B.; B-Don Alberto
Corporation (KY); T-Michael W. McCarthy; J-Umberto Rispoli.
$300,000. Lifetime Record: 5-4-0-1, $638,880. Werk Nick
Rating: A++. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Baeza, 124, c, 3, McKinzie–Puca, by Big Brown. 1ST BLACK
TYPE, 1ST GRADED BLACK TYPE, 1ST G1 BLACK TYPE.
($1,200,000 Ylg '23 KEESEP). O-C R K Stable LLC and Grandview
Equine; B-Grandview Equine (KY); T-John A. Shirreffs.
$100,000.
3–Westwood, 124, g, 3, Authentic–Indian Bay, by Indian
Charlie. 1ST BLACK TYPE, 1ST GRADED BLACK TYPE, 1ST G1
BLACK TYPE. ($700,000 Ylg '23 KEESEP). O-C R K Stable LLC;
B-Hinkle Farms (KY); T-John A. Shirreffs. $60,000.
Margins: 3/4, 8HF, HF. Odds: 1.00, 14.30, 44.00.
Also Ran: Citizen Bull, Barnes. Click for the Equibase.com chart and the TJCIS.com PPs. VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.
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