Journalism sure has a flair for the dramatic.
The star 3-year-old colt delivered a perfectly timed closing run and won the $1 million Haskell Stakes (G1) at Monmouth Park on Saturday.
Looking as if he was beaten while Gosger and Goal Oriented dueled for the lead in deep stretch, Journalism rallied in the middle of the track and won by a half-length in the final strides.
When he won the Preakness Stakes (G1), Journalism bulled his way between horses, made up five lengths on Gosger in deep stretch and won in the final yards. Gosger was a tough-luck second again in the Haskell, with Bob Baffert-trained Goal Oriented third.
Journalism, trained by Michael McCarthy and ridden by Umberto Rispoli, earned an all-fees paid berth in the Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) at Del Mar on Nov. 1 as part of the BC “Win and You’re In’’ challenge series.
“Funny thing, at the top of stretch I think I'm out of the horse but the more you ride him harder the more he gives you,’’ Rispoli said. “What a horse! His heart is bigger than his class. You feel like you’re on a diesel. He keeps on motoring and motoring.”
Sent off as the 2-5 favorite in the field of eight, Journalism returned $2.80 on a $2 win bet. A son of two-time Horse of the Year won for the sixth time in nine races and improved his earnings to nearly $3.8 million.
Winning time for the 1 1/8 miles was 1:48.15.
Journalism could now move on to the $1.25 million Travers Stakes (G1) at Saratoga, where he could face Kentucky Derby (G1) and Belmont Stakes (G1) winner Sovereignty, who runs next week in the $500,000 Jim Dandy Stakes (G2). Journalism ran second to Sovereignty in the Derby and the Belmont.
“He didn’t look like he broke well, and around the first turn Umberto pulled the stick on him to pay attention,’’ McCarthy said in recapping the race. “He was engaged [on the backside] and started picking them off slowly but surely. It took a little while to get to the front and I’m not sure it was by design by Umberto, but with a target in front of him he’s a different horse.”
Bracket Buster was fourth, followed by Burnham Square, National Law, Kentucky Outlaw, and Wildncrazynight.
Scottish Lassie came through with a command performance romping by 15 ½ lengths over champion Immersive in the $500,000 Coaching Club American Oaks (G1).
Ridden by Joel Rosario, the 3-year-old filly came up with a breakthrough victory for trainer Jorge Abreu.
"Turning for home, I was just walking down the stairs crying,” Abreu said. “I'm not going to lie to you. On the backside, when I saw them making a little run at her, I said there's no way we are going to get beat now, but when she drove away, that was it."
The field was reduced to four after top contender La Cara was scratched after the barn she was stabled in was quarantined.
Immersive and Scottish Lassie made things interesting early, but the 2-1 second choice led from gate-to-wire and began pulling away heading into the stretch.
Winning time for the 1 1/8 miles was 1:50.23.
Scottish Lassie improved to 6-2-0-3 and could run next in the Alabama Stakes (G1).
Book’em Danno ($4.80) won a third graded stakes win at Saratoga with a 2 ½-length victory over Mullikin in the $400,000 Alfred G. Vanderbilt (G2), a 6-furlong sprint for older horses.
Trained by Derek Ryan and piloted by Paco Lopez, the 4-year-old topped Mullikin last time out in the True North Stakes (G3). He also has a victory in the Woody Stephens (G1).
“Well, he won very good, the last time he won at Saratoga, I was pretty sure that horse loves Saratoga,” said Lopez, who won the Caress Stakes (G3) earlier on the card with Future Is Now. “He really, really likes that track and this is a very nice horse.”
As for his running style, Ryan noted: He's 4-for-4 now going six [furlongs]. He [Lopez] rides him so good, he gets him to the outside, and that is key. That's the way he likes to be ridden. He likes to see the target on his inside. When's he's inside, he's always getting late on him, but that was perfect, and they ran pretty fast.”
Book’em Danno could run next in the 7-furlong Forego (G1) on Aug. 23, a BC “Win and You’re In” race. He improved his record to 15-9-3-1. He returned $4.80 for a $2 win bet as the 7-5 mutuel favorite.
Redistricting ($4.60) sailed home to a 1 ½-length victory over Grand Sonata in the $600,000 United Nations (G2), giving trainer Chad Brown his fourth win of the day at Monmouth Park and his sixth win in this 1 3/8-mile race on turf.
“He showed that he really liked this turf course in his last start [a five-length win in the Monmouth Stakes on June 14]. He won very easily – actually, today he was pretty good, too,” said Luis Cabrera, who oversees Brown’s division at Monmouth Park. “The trip was perfect. He likes to run in front but if someone else goes he can sit there off the pace. I think the key was the turf course. He really liked it.”
Randomized ($6) cruised to a three-length victory over Majestic Oops in the $500,000 Molly Pitcher Stakes for trainer Chad Brown and jockey Flavien Prat.
It was the 5-year-old mare’s first win since the 2024 Ogden Phipps (G1). He four previous races were against Grade 1 company.
Randomized covered the 1 1/16 miles in 1:42.75. Majestic Oops, making her graded stakes debut in her 30th career start, was second. Candied ran third, another nose back.
The field was reduced to six after the scratches of Leslie’s Rose, Power Squeeze and Regaled.
A huge upset in the $400,000 Monmouth Cup as 19-1 longshot Surface to Air ($41.40) stunned Just a Touch by holding off the 1-10 favorite by a half-length.
The 5-year-old Surface to Air won a graded stakes for the first time in 21 career starts. A year ago, the horse was seventh in the Monmouth Cup.
Just a Touch, who appeared to be the class of the field, came on strong at the end but it was not enough. The 4-year-old colt trained by Brad Cox ran third in the Metropolitan Handicap (G1) in his previous race, while Surface to Air ran third in the Salvator Mile (G3) prior to the Monmouth Cup.
Winning time for the 1 1/8 miles was 1:49.29
A game Segesta ($7.60) stalked the leader No Mo Candy, took the lead in the stretch and held off favorite Sacred Wish by a neck in the $300,000 Matchmaker Stakes (G3).
Winning time for the 1 1/8 miles on the turf was 1:49.17. The winner was ridden by Irad Ortiz, Jr. For trainer Chad Brown.
Last out, Segesta had traffic trouble turning for home in the Just a Game (G1), costing her position and momentum. Winning here was far from a surprise.
