After falling just short at the Kentucky Derby two weeks earlier, 3-year-old colt Journalism won the 150th Preakness Stakes in a photo finish at the old Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Maryland.
The victory marks the second Preakness win for trainer Michael McCarthy.
The race featured a $2 million prize purse for the second year in a row — the highest purse in Preakness history, though still less than half of what the Kentucky Derby offered.
Journalism (2) ridden by Umberto Rispoli wins the Preakness Stakes (Pic – Pimlico Racecourse)
“A lot of bouncing around there,” McCarthy said after the race. “When I saw that, I kind of resigned myself to the fact it was another fantastic effort and maybe come up a little bit short. But it just goes to show the testament that this horse has. Couldn’t be prouder of him.”
Gosger was second by a half-length. Internet favorite Sandman, who also made a last minute push to the front, rounded out the top three, and Bob Baffert-trained Goal Oriented came in fourth. Journalism went 1 3/16 miles in 1:55.37.
Journalism’s victory marks a historic moment for the The Middle Jewel of the Triple Crown as it will be the last win earned in the old Pimlico Race Course, which is set to be demolished and renovated beginning in June.
Journalism’s victory further continued the impact that his sire Curlin and grandsire Smart Strike have exerted on the second leg of the US Triple Crown.
Journalism, who had finished second in the Gr1 Kentucky Derby prior to his classic success on Saturday, is the second Preakness Stakes winner for Curlin.
The latter, long established as one of the top stallions in North America, himself won the 2007 Gr1 Preakness Stakes and is also the sire of 2016 Preakness Stakes winner Exaggerator.
Curlin’s champion son Good Magic is responsible for 2023 Gr1 Preakness Stakes runner up Blazing Sevens with Good Magic’s Gr1 Kentucky Derby winning son Mage finishing third in the 2023 Preakness.
Journalism is one of 25 Gr1 winners for Curlin, surely one of the best active stallions never to be crowned Champion Sire.
At the time of writing, Curlin had been responsible for more than 110 stakes winners and eight official champions.
While Curlin is yet to sire a Kentucky Derby winner, the champion has nonetheless made quite a mark on the first leg of the US Triple Crown. His sons Journalism, Exaggerator and Good Magic all finished runner up in the Kentucky Derby, with Curlin sons Good Magic (Mage) and Keen Ice (Rich Strike) having both sired Kentucky Derby winners.
The twice US Horse Of The Year is having another excellent season in 2025, with Journalism one of four black type winners for his sire this year.
Incidentally, Journalism (whose Gr2 La Canada Stakes winning dam Mopotism is out of a mare by 2006 Preakness winner Bernardini) is inbred closely to Curlin’s broodmare sire Deputy Minister.
2008 Dubai World Cup – Curlin (Pic – Dubai Racing Club)
Curlin is one of two sons of Smart Strike to win the Preakness Stakes, with Smart Strike’s champion son Lookin At Lucky prevailing in the 2010 classic.
Smart Strike also ranks as the broodmare sire of 2024 Preakness Stakes winner Seize The Grey (Arrogate), with Smart Strike also damsire of 2009 Preakness Stakes runner up Mine That Bird (Birdstone).
The versatile Smart Strike, who famously , was a full-brother to the late South African based stallion Strike Smartly.
The pair were grandsons of outstanding broodmare No Class (Nodouble), whose numerous high-class descendants included triple Gr1 winning South African sire Jackson (Dynasty).
Smart Strike’s legendary sire Mr Prospector has made an even bigger impact on the Preakness Stakes. Smart Strike joined Woodman and Our Emblem as a son of Mr Prospector to have sired one or more Preakness Stakes winners. Horses descended in male line from Mr Prospector (sire of 1985 Preakness Stakes winner Tank’s Prospect) have won the last five runnings of the Preakness, with Journalism preceded by fellow Mr Prospector line winners Seize The Grey, National Treasure, Early Voting and Rombauer.
The Mr Prospector male line looks to be as strong as ever, with this line’s current sire stallion representatives including the likes of Dubawi, Curlin, Wootton Bassett, Gun Runner, Street Sense, Candy Ride, McKinzie, Quality Road, Night Of Thunder and Too Darn Hot. No doubt, more stallion stars will emerge from this potent male line before too long.
Ed note – Just for interest, Wootton Bassett has a colt out of a Fastnet Rock mare running at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth in the first race on Wednesday. His name is Rockinandrollin and he races in the Sabine Plattner silks.
