A pair of marquee runners who should have nothing to prove will try to reinvigorate their well-earned reputations July 18 when major stakes action kicks off at Del Mar in the $300,000 San Diego Handicap (G2).
The San Diego and the supporting San Clemente Handicap (G2T) on Saturday's 11-race card are among 21 graded stakes events scheduled for the 32-day summer meet, highlighted by the $1 million Pacific Classic Stakes (G1) Aug. 22.
At a mile and one-sixteenth on Del Mar's main track, the San Diego has drawn a field of seven, and provides both 4-year-old Journalism and 7-year-old Full Serrano a chance to spread their wings at a place where their high-profile stories began in 2024.
That summer, after 14 races in his native Argentina, Full Serrano made his North American debut for Hronis Racing and trainer John Sadler with an allowance optional claiming victory. In his next race, the son of Full Mast came within a half-length of taking the Pacific Classic, then confirmed his form at Del Mar that fall by winning the Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile (G1).
Two weeks later, Journalism won a Del Mar maiden race at 1 mile, a baby step that led to his ascension in 2025 to the upper ranks of his division. The son of Curlin , trained by Michael McCarthy, won the Preakness Stakes (G1), Santa Anita Derby (G1), and Haskell Stakes (G1) to be ranked second only to Horse of the Year Sovereignty among the nation's 3-year-old males.
Journalism will carry 125 pounds in the San Diego, including Umberto Rispoli, while Full Serrano packs 122 and Joel Rosario, even though the more recent past has done little to embellish their records. Full Serrano has won only an allowance optional claiming race in five appearances since his Breeders' Cup triumph, while Journalism has gone 0-for-4 since his Haskell score of a year ago.
"He continues to run good numbers against the best of his division, so there's no reason to be discouraged," McCarthy said this week, shortly after Journalism and the rest of his string settled into Del Mar.
After making his 4-year-old debut with a third-place finish in the Oaklawn Handicap (G2), Journalism traveled to Saratoga for the Metropolitan Handicap (G1) June 6. Breaking from outside post in a field of seven runners, the McCarthy colt was compromised by the oddly configured Wilson Chute and found himself losing vital position as the field made the half turn to join the backstretch of the main course.
"With a world-class miler like Nysos breaking from the inside that day, our horse had a lot more work to do," McCarthy noted. "No excuses, and it was a very good effort. Let's just say he was a victim of circumstances."
While Nysos ran off to win by 4, Journalism just missed second money by three-quarters of a length to Knightsbridge. He comes into the San Diego having worked just twice since the Met Mile, including a smart five-eighths in :59 2/5 at Santa Anita Park July 11.
"Everything had to go perfect for him to make this race, and it did," said Aron Wellman, president of Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners, owner of Journalism along with Don Alberto Stable, Bridlewood Farm, Elayne Stables 5, Robert LaPenta, and group of individuals under the Coolmore banner.
"And for the first time this year, he will be playing a home game," McCarthy added, "running out of his own stall."
Full Serrano also has been a road warrior this year, commencing with a respectable third-place finish to White Abarrio in the Pegasus World Cup Invitational Stakes (G1) at Gulfstream Park and then a forgettable fourth in the Oaklawn Mile Stakes (G3), in which he lost all chance with a stumble at the break.
Video: Oaklawn Mile S. (G3)
"He needed a little time after that, but he's been training like gangbusters since then," Sadler said. "I don't know if he can handle Journalism. But I've seen no reason not to believe that he can't be as good as he was winning the Dirt Mile."
As part of the Breeders' Cup Dirt Dozen Bonus Series, the San Diego awards $15,000 to the winner, $7,500 to the runner-up, and $3,750 to the third-place finisher to apply toward entry fees for the $1 million Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile, or another eligible Breeders' Cup dirt race, Oct. 31 at Keeneland.
Sadler has also entered The Goat, a Chilean stakes winner of note, while the others in the San Diego include Mc Vay, a distant third to Forged Steel in the Hollywood Gold Cup Stakes (G2); the comebacking Mirahmadi, whose last start was a second to Nysos in the 2025 San Diego; and a pair from the Phil D'Amato barn—the grass specialist Iron Man Cal and Shea Brennan, winner of the recent Bertrando Stakes for Cal-breds at Los Alamitos Race Course.
"I've been wanting to try Iron Man Cal on the dirt for some time," D'Amato said. "If this doesn't work out, we'll head back to the grass."
The trainer did not sound all that positive.
"I saw Journalism gallop the other day," D'Amato explained. "He looked really good."
The trainer rightfully thinks he stands a better chance in the San Clemente, in which he has entered three of the 11 fillies going a mile on turf: allowance winner Peanutbutterbombe, stakes-placed Inbox, and Cortina d'Amprezzo, an impressive maiden winner.
The race gets added spice from Spirit Doll, who won the Honey Ryder Stakes at Gulfstream for the Saffie Joseph Jr. stable; Raiding Party, in from Kentucky for Brendan Walsh; and Ground Support, who returns to the scene of her bang-up third last fall in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (G1T) for trainer Kelsey Danner.
Del Mar, Saturday, July 18, 2026, Race 8Entries: San Diego H. (G2)
PP Horse Jockey Wgt Trainer M/L 1 Mc Vay (KY) Hector Isaac Berrios 118 Peter Eurton - 2 Mirahmadi (KY) Juan J. Hernandez 119 Bob Baffert - 3 Shea Brennan (CA) Armando Ayuso 118 Philip D'Amato - 4 Iron Man Cal (KY) Antonio Fresu 119 Philip D'Amato - 5 Journalism (KY) Umberto Rispoli 125 Michael W. McCarthy - 6 Full Serrano (ARG) Joel Rosario 122 John W. Sadler - 7 The Goat (CHI) Emisael Jaramillo 120 John W. Sadler -
Del Mar, Saturday, July 18, 2026, Race 9Entries: San Clemente H. (G2T)
PP Horse Jockey Wgt Trainer M/L 1 Raiding Party (IRE) Ben Curtis 120 Brendan P. Walsh - 2 Wild Like the West (KY) Hector Isaac Berrios 119 Richard Baltas - 3 Ground Support (FL) Adam Beschizza 123 Kelsey Danner - 4 Spirit Doll (KY) Rasheed Hughes 121 Saffie A. Joseph, Jr. - 5 Peanutbutterbombe (KY) Antonio Fresu 120 Philip D'Amato - 6 Light Won Up (KY) Emisael Jaramillo 121 Doug F. O'Neill - 7 Marjoram (KY) Juan J. Hernandez 121 Michael W. McCarthy - 8 Inbox (GB) Joel Rosario 119 Philip D'Amato - 9 Lookin At Diamond (KY) Umberto Rispoli 118 Leonard Powell - 10 Somerset West (KY) Armando Ayuso 117 John W. Sadler - 11 Cortina d'Amprezzo (IRE) Julien R. Leparoux 117 Philip D'Amato -
