Bettors again will be challenged to cash in on Journalism in a million-dollar horse race. Can it be done?
Journalism was made a 4-5 formidable favorite for the $1 million Haskell Stakes (G1) in a field of eight 3-year-olds going 1 1/8 miles at Monmouth Park on Saturday.
Sent off as the favorite in all three Triple Crown races, Journalism finished second to Sovereignty in the $3 million Kentucky Derby (G1), won the $2 million Preakness Stakes (G1), and ran second to Sovereignty in the $2 million Belmont Stakes (G1).
This time, there’s no Sovereignty, and Journalism is the odds-on choice over 4-1 second choice Goal Oriented (fourth in the Preakness) – trained by nine-time Haskell-winning trainer Bob Baffert.
Journalism, trained by Michael McCarthy, will break from gate 2 under Umberto Rispoli. Goal Oriented, who has Flavien Prat aboard, leaves from outside gate 8.
While Sovereignty is scheduled to run in the Jim Dandy Stakes (G2) at Saratoga on July 26, Journalism faces a few other rivals. Gosger, who led the Preakness until overtaken in the final yards by Journalism, is the third betting choice at 9-2.
Also entered are Bracket Buster (10-1), Wildncrazynight (30-1), Burnham Square (5-1), National Law (20-1), and Kentucky Outlaw (15-1).
The Haskell, the signature race at the Jersey Shore track, is part of the Breeders’ Cup Challenge series with the winner earning a fees-paid automatic berth in the $7 million BC Classic at Del Mar on Nov. 1.
Journalism ships East following a solid 6-furlong work in 1:12.00 on July 12 at Santa Anita. McCarthy said the son of two-time Horse of the Year Curlin was “full of energy.”
If he’s on his game, Journalism will be hard to beat as the plan would likely to sit off the leaders, most likely the speedy Goal Oriented – who comes into the race off three bullet 5-furlong workouts at Santa Anita, the most recent 59.20 seconds on July 11 – the fastest of 72 at the distance.
Goal Oriented, 2-for-2 before the Preakness, is the likely pacesetter and will try to go gate-to-wire. Gosger led the Preakness by five lengths in mid-stretch before Journalism caught him.
A strong contender could be Burnham Square, winner of the Holy Bull (G3) and the Blue Grass (G1) before running sixth in the Derby. He ran second in the Matt Winn Stakes (G2) last month and could pull this off.
Journalism was the 7-2 Derby favorite, the even-money choice in the Preakness, and the 2-1 favorite in the Belmont.
“He moves well, it’s difficult to find something wrong. He’s professional,’’ McCarthy told drf.com after the colt’s workout. “When he goes out there, he knows what he has to do, and he does it the best way possible.”
Bracket Buster, trained by Vicki Oliver, won the Pegasus Stakes by seven lengths in the slop at Monmouth last out.
Wildncrazynight ran second in the Pegasus for trainer Dan Ward.
National Law is the local entry and ran fourth in the Pegasus for trainer Jorge Duarte, Jr. Irad Ortiz, Jr., has the call.
Kentucky Outlaw won the Long Branch Stakes and followed with a third in the Delaware Derby.
Post time for the Haskell is
1 Bracket Buster (John Velazquez, Vicki Oliver), 10-1
2 Journalism (Umberto Rispoli, Michael McCarthy), 4-5
3 Wildncrazynight (Dan Ward, Isaac Castillo), 30-1
4 Burnham Square (Brian Hernandez, Jr., Ian Wilkes), 5-1
5 National Law (Jorge Duarte, Jr., Irad Ortiz, Jr.), 20-1
6 Gosger (Brendan Walsh, Luis Saez), 9-2
7 Kentucky Outlaw (Felissa Dunn, Florent Geroux), 15-1
8 Goal Oriented (Flavien Prat, Bob Baffert), 4-1
