By Christina Bossinakis
The only horse to run in all three Triple Crown races this season, GI Preakness hero Journalism (Curlin) was tabbed the 4-5 favorite for Saturday's $1-million GI NYRA Bets Haskell Stakes during Monmouth Park's press conference and post-position draw Tuesday.
Co-owned by Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners, Bridlewood Farm, Don Alberto Stable, Robert LaPenta, Elayne Stables Five, and the Coolmore partners of Mrs. John Magnier, Michael Tabor, & Derrick Smith, Journalism was assigned post 2 in the nine-furlong 'Win and You're In' event for the GI Breeders' Cup Classic at Del Mar.
In preparation for the Haskell, Journalism, who was last seen finishing second behind Sovereignty (Into Mischief) in the GI Belmont Stakes, posted a bullet six-furlong work in 1:12.00 at Santa Anita on July 12.
“In these last three weeks, he's really thrived and excelled,” said Eclipse Thoroughbreds' Aron Wellman. “He told us that he's ready to get back on a plane and got across the country to run in the Haskell. We like the timing, we like all the factors and ingredients about the Haskell, and while we're not looking past the Haskell because it's going to be a severe challenge and we respect all of the competition, we do like the spacing from the Haskell to what his next objective might be.”
Journalism will have regular rider Umberto Rispoli aboard. This will be the first Haskell mount and first appearance at Monmouth Park for Rispoli.
Also among the eight contenders slated to run Saturday, Goal Oriented (Not This Time), fourth in a roughly run Preakness, was installed the 4-1 second choice on the morning line, and will break from post 8. The colt will try and give trainer Bob Baffert a record 10th win in Monmouth's marquee race for 3-year-olds.
“We threw something at him really quick,” Baffert said in reference to the Preakness. “He handled it well. He didn't go backwards on us. He's moving forward and handled it well. He's a much better horse now than he was at the Preakness. He needs to be. You'll see a lot of horses turn the corner and move forward at this stage of the summer.”
“I feel good about the way he's coming into this race,” he added. “Whether he's good enough we'll see. I have a lot of respect for Journalism. I get to watch him train every day and he still looks terrific. It should be a good race.”
Of Goal Oriented's outside post, Baffert explained, “You want him to break well and get into a nice rhythm, that's the key. He'll be forwardly placed somewhere.”
Caught in the late stages of the Preakness and only a half-length behind Journalist, Gosger (Nyquist) will try to turn the tables on his Classic rival. Breaking from post 6, the Brendan Walsh trainee was installed the 9-2 third choice on the morning line.
“He's improved with every race. We always thought he would get batter with time,” Walsh said of the GIII Lexington Stakes winner. “He was a bit of a late starter, and we brought the horse along. We took our time with him through the winter and the spring, but we've always liked the horse. We knew we weren't going to make the (Kentucky) Derby trail. We pointed him to the Preakness, and it nearly worked out. I still don't think we've got anywhere near the bottom of the horse.”
Trying to return to the form that saw Burnham Square (Liam's Map) win the GI Blue Grass Stakes earlier this season, trainer Ian Wilkes believes the colt has been making strides over his last couple of start, including the May 3 Kentucky Derby. He most recently was a close-up second behind the highly-regarded East Avenue in the GIII Matt Winn Stakes at Churchill Downs June 8.
“He's actually changed his style a little bit,” said Wilkes. “He's been a little bit closer the last couple of times, like even in the [Kentucky] Derby he was a lot closer than I thought he would be.
Exiting post 8, the Whitham Thoroughbreds homebred will be reunited with Brian Hernandez Jr. Saturday. He is 5-1 on the morning line.
“He's very adaptable. He can do whatever Brian wants to do,” added Wilkes. “He's very consistent in his training and seems to be getting better and better as he's matured. He's not making the mistakes he used to.”
- Bracket Buster (Vekoma), 10-1
- Journalism (Curlin), 4-5
- Wildncrazynight (Midnight Lute), 30-1
- Burnham Square (Liam's Map), 5-1
- National Law (Constitution), 20-1
- Gosger (Nyquist), 9-2
- Kentucky Outlaw (Outwork), 15-1
- Goal Oriented (Not This Time), 4-1
Not a subscriber? Click here to sign up for the daily PDF or alerts.
