Michael McCarthy

Jockey Umberto Rispoli will take on his third Kentucky Derby this year, but this time it will be with one of the likely favorites among the contenders in Michael McCarthy trainee Journalism. Rispoli discusses the promising 3-year-old in this week's TDN Writers' Room.

Journalism (Curlin) has emerged from Saturday's GI Santa Anita Derby victory in good form and as the 2025 GI Kentucky Derby favorite. Having recovered from trouble near the eighth pole and checking near the three-eighths, the son of Classic sire Curlin rallied down the lane to overhaul Baeza (McKinzie) and collect the coveted 100 points to the Derby. The effort garnered a 102 Beyer speed figure. "I thought he showed a lot of poise being down inside," trainer Michael McCarthy said. "He had to kind of bide his time and...

Journalism (c, 3, Curlin--Mopotism, by Uncle Mo) lived up to his billing and then some. In possibly the most anticipated Derby prep of this year, Journalism proved he was the real deal Saturday in the GI Santa Anita Derby and will go to Louisville as the GI Kentucky Derby favorite. The Santa Anita Derby rewarded points on a scale of 75-37.5-18.75 on the Road to the Derby (reduced due to a smaller field), giving Journalism 122.50 points total and a guaranteed spot in the starting gate at Churchill Downs. In...

We're on the cusp of the one-month mark to the GI Kentucky Derby and this Saturday marks the most important weekend of nine-furlong preps on the Triple Crown calendar, with significant stakes at Santa Anita, Keeneland, and Aqueduct. Next week the Top 12 expands to the Top 20 as the actual field begins to take shape. 1) CITIZEN BULL (c, Into Mischief-No Joke, by Distorted Humor) O-SF Racing LLC, Starlight Racing, Madaket Stables LLC, Stonestreet Stables LLC, Dianne Bashor, Determined Stables, Robert E. Masterson, Tom J. Ryan, Waves Edge Capital...

A quartet of contenders for next weekend's GI Santa Anita Derby took to the track in Arcadia to work Saturday morning: Journalism (Curlin), Citizen Bull (Into Mischief), Rodriguez (Authentic) and Baeza (McKinzie). Journalism, last-out winner of the GII San Felipe Stakes, went five furlongs in 1:01.40 (26/42) for trainer Michael McCarthy. "I let him run a little bit down the lane with a solid gallop-out," McCarthy said of the work. "He did everything we asked of him." Journalism's eye-catching victory in the San Felipe earned a 108 Beyer Speed Figure,...

Journalism (Curlin), who was the 5-1 favorite in Pool 5 of the Kentucky Derby Future Wager which closed Mar. 16, and the well-related Baeza (McKinzie) each worked five furlongs Saturday morning ahead of their intended appearance in the GI Santa Anita Derby on Apr. 5. Journalism, a sensational first-up winner of the GII San Felipe Stakes Mar. 1, worked in the company of 2024 GI Kentucky Derby runner Endlessly (Oscar Performance) and stopped the clock in an easy 1:01.40 (18/41) under the watchful eye of trainer Michael McCarthy. "It was...

GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies runner-up MGISP Vodka With a Twist (Thousand Words) is reportedly on track to make her 2025 debut in the GII Fasig-Tipton Santa Anita Oaks after a good drill Monday morning at Santa Anita. Most recently clocked in a five furlong move in :59.80 (4/71), the multiple Grade I-placed filly has been on the sidelines since running third behind GISW Tenma (Nyquist) and SW & GSP Look Forward (Bolt d'Oro) in the GII Starlet Stakes at Los Alamitos Dec. 7. "I was very happy with the...

Top 3-year-old Journalism (Curlin) returned to the work tab Sunday at Santa Anita following his victory in the GII San Felipe Stakes Mar. 2. Journalism and jockey Umberto Rispoli hit the track together under darkness at about 6:30 a.m. PT. The colt, trained by Michael McCarthy, was clocked working four furlongs in :48.20. He is targeting the GI Santa Anita Derby at 1 1/8 miles Apr. 5. "Very good," McCarthy said of the drill. Rispoli reacted with a wide grin and a thumbs up. In the San Felipe, Journalism ran...

Trainer Tom Morley reports that 'TDN Rising Star' SW & GISP Donegal Momentum (Uncle Mo) has exited his Mar. 6 seasonal bow at Fair Grounds in good form and that the connections have started mapping out a potential path through his 2025 campaign. Listing off plans which include a start in Keeneland's GI Maker's Mark Mile, the GIII Poker Stakes at the Spa, and the GI Fourstardave Stakes over the summer, Morely says it is not out of the wheelhouse that his charge might be running in a seven-furlong graded...

Michael McCarthy enjoyed the kind of day most trainers could only wish for last Saturday at Santa Anita. He won four races on an 11-race card including the GI Frank E. Kilroe Mile with Formidable Man (City of Light), GII San Felipe with 3-year-old Journalism (Curlin) and GII Buena Vista with Liguria (War Front). "It was a memorable day," McCarthy said Sunday morning. "I'm just very pleased for my guys at the barn. It takes a lot to have a day like yesterday. It was a real team effort." In...

About half an hour removed from a stirring victory in the GII San Felipe Stakes with Journalism (Curlin), jockey Umberto Rispoli and trainer Michael McCarthy were right back into the spotlight when Mr. & Mrs. William Warren's Formidable Man (City of Light) closed good ground hard up against the rail and was along in the final strides to add the GI F. E. Kilroe Mile Stakes. Off at odds of 5-1, the $375,000 Keeneland September yearling--by the sire who gave McCarthy and the Warrens memorable victories in the GI Breeders'...

The overriding question going into Saturday's GII DK Horse San Felipe Stakes at Santa Anita was whether unbeaten GII San Vicente Stakes winner and $3.2-million Fasig-Tipton Saratoga star Barnes (Into Mischief) could win at two turns. He very well may have if it weren't for another horse who also sold at that 2023 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga sale: $825,000 Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners buy and Denali Stud-consigned Journalism (Curlin). The GII Los Alamitos Futurity winner made his 3-year-old debut in the San Felipe with a powerful finish that will likely propel him near...