Following a June 1 breeze over the Saratoga Race Course main track, Preakness Stakes (G1) winner Journalism will be entered in the June 7 Belmont Stakes (G1), according to trainer Michael McCarthy.
Jockey Umberto Rispoli was in town from California Sunday morning as the Curlin colt logged his only workout since competing in the May 3 Kentucky Derby (G1). Going a half-mile in :47.54, Journalism posted an opening quarter in :23 4/5 and galloped out 1:00 for five furlongs and 1:12 4/5 for six furlongs, according to New York Racing Association clockers.
"I thought it was very good, more or less what we've seen all along," McCarthy told BloodHorse Sunday morning. "Got away from the pole nice and smooth, put in a decent run around the turn and finished up the final quarter shading 24 seconds and galloped out strong."
McCarthy said Journalism has recovered from the Preakness win, in which he encountered traffic while being bumped hard in the stretch, well and is thriving in upstate New York.
"He's enjoying himself up here. I think he's very relaxed," McCarthy said. "The cooler weather has him on his toes."
As the runner-up in the Derby and winner of the Preakness, Journalism will be the lone horse to compete in all three jewels of the Triple Crown in 2025. He aims to become the first horse to win the Preakness/Belmont double, not including Triple Crown winners, since Afleet Alex in 2005.
Sovereignty Works Half-Mile, Crudo Joins Belmont Field
Journalism's presence in the Belmont also sets up an exciting rematch with Godolphin's Sovereignty, who finished 1 1/2 lengths ahead of him on the sloppy Churchill Downs track. Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott opted to skip the Preakness with the Derby winner, choosing to rest the five weeks before the 1 1/4-mile Belmont.
Sovereignty recorded his third workout since the Derby Sunday morning, working a half-mile in :48.84 over the Oklahoma Training Track. NYRA clockers recorded early splits of :12 3/5 and :24 2/5 while galloping out in 1:02 for five furlongs and 1:16 3/5 for six furlongs.
"He went well," Mott told NYRA publicity. "We just wanted a nice breeze, in 48, 49, which is what we got. He galloped out good. He looked smooth. He came back good. It was a maintenance-type breeze, and that is what we got."
Also on the training track's work tab Sunday morning was a new contender for the Belmont Stakes, Bobby Flay and James Ventura's Crudo. The son of Justify worked a half-mile in :48.86 outside of Woody Stephens Stakes (G1) contender Gate to Wire.
Winner of the Sir Barton Stakes on the Preakness undercard, the decision was made to enter Crudo in the Belmont Stakes after his work, according to DRF's Dave Grening.
Crudo started a length behind his Todd Pletcher-trained stablemate and clocked splits of :12 4/5 and :24 4/5 before galloping out in 1:01 3/5 and 1:14 3/5.
"I thought it was an excellent move. He worked really well, galloped out nicely. I was very pleased with him. He's had a good couple weeks since he ran," Pletcher told NYRA publicity. "It's undoubtedly a pretty strong field. The top three from the Derby look to be really good colts. We've always been really high on the way the horse trained. His last two races have been very good."
Pletcher is also planning to enter WinStar Farm and Repole Stable's Uncaged in the Belmont. The son of Curlin was most recently sixth in the Peter Pan Stakes (G3) at Aqueduct Racetrack May 10.
