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Journalism surged from behind to win the 150th Preakness Stakes on Saturday, capturing the middle jewel of the Triple Crown in the final race before Pimlico Race Course is demolished and rebuilt.
Trained by Michael McCarthy and ridden by Umberto Rispoli, Journalism left things late before fulfilling his status as the 8-5 morning-line favorite, bursting through a gap and accelerating past the half of the field over a thrilling stretch run to claim victory. The win marked McCarthy’s second Preakness triumph and Rispoli’s first Triple Crown victory, making him the first Italian jockey to secure a win in one of America’s marquee races.
Gosger finished second, Sandman took third, while Goal Oriented, trained by Hall of Famer Bob Baffert, came in fourth. Gosger, who was passed by Journalism just before the wire, finished a half-length behind the winner. Journalism completed the 1 3/16 miles in 1:55.37, a strong showing on a day that saw the track dry out after a week of heavy rain.
Clever Again shot out to an early lead, breaking sharply out of the gates and setting the pace into the first turn. Journalism was tucked along the inside, boxed in and trailing by five lengths at the final turn. Rispoli swung him outside, and the colt responded with a powerful stretch drive, overtaking Clever Again and Gosger in the final strides. Stewards reviewed the race after a bump between Journalism, Clever Again and Goal Oriented, but no changes were made to the result.
“I still can’t realize what this horse did today,” an overwhelmed Rispoli said afterwards. “I got in trouble at the corner pole. But it’s all about him. It’s a pleasure and a privilege to ride a horse like him. It’s just unbelievable. I won one of the legs of the Triple Crown and I’m crying like a kid.”
The victory marked redemption for Journalism, who finished second to Sovereignty in the Kentucky Derby two weeks ago. Sovereignty’s connections opted to skip the Preakness and target the Belmont Stakes instead, citing the short turnaround. That decision marked the fifth time in seven years that the Preakness was contested without a Triple Crown on the line.
Also bidding for history at Pimlico was Saffie Osborne, who came in fifth aboard Heart of Honor. The 23-year-old Briton was attempting to become only the second female jockey to win a leg of the Triple Crown after Julie Krone in the 1993 Belmont Stakes. Heart of Honor, trained by her father Jamie Osborne, had shown promise in Dubai earlier this year, finishing second in the UAE Derby. “It’s an adventure for us,” Jamie Osborne said before the race. “We didn’t set out for the Triple Crown, but here we are.”
The Preakness, staged at Pimlico since 1873, is set to move to Laurel Park in nearby Prince George’s County next year while the Baltimore track undergoes a $400m redevelopment. The race is expected to return to a new Pimlico in 2027. A violent Friday night thunderstorm had soaked the surface, but warm weather on Saturday dried the track, setting the stage for the dramatic stretch duel in the 11th race.
Journalism’s connections have not yet decided if he will enter the Belmont Stakes for a rematch with Sovereignty, but anticipation is already building for a showdown in New York. The Triple Crown’s final leg, held at Saratoga Race Course this year due to construction at Belmont Park, could serve as the defining race of the three-year-old bay colt’s season.
As the dust settled on Saturday night by Pimlico’s rickety grandstand, fans were left to savor one final memory: Journalism’s powerful surge to the wire, etching his name into the storied history of Old Hilltop before its doors close for good.
