In the late winter of 1993, California trainer Wally Dollase walked to Don Warren’s barn at Santa Anita to inspect a 5-year-old gelding who had amassed six wins. A private deal was reached for $50,000, the same value as the gelding’s latest claiming race. With that, Journalism wound up with owner Rick Stephen and Dollase. This winter, another horse named Journalism has developed into the nation’s leading 3-year-old, winning three consecutive graded stakes since mid-December at Los Alamitos and Santa Anita in the buildup to the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs on May 3. :: DRF Road to the Derby Package Available Now! Save 37% on key handicapping essentials through Kentucky Derby Day. The colt, bought for $825,000 as a yearling in 2023 and trained by Michael McCarthy, shares the name of a late California-bred runner who amassed an admirable record of 15 wins in 35 starts and earnings of $673,510 in a five-year career from 1991 to 1995. “He was a hard-knocking Cal-bred,” said Craig Dollase, who has a 24-horse stable at Santa Anita and was an assistant to his father in the early 1990s. After being transferred to Wally Dollase, Journalism’s career took off, with four consecutive stakes wins, including the Grade 2 Shoemaker Handicap at Hollywood Park. Later in 1993, Journalism placed in four stakes, and finished fifth in the Group 1 Hong Kong International Bowl at Sha Tin, with Craig Dollase accompanying the gelding. In 1994 and 1995, Journalism won three stakes, including the Grade 3 San Francisco Handicap at Bay Meadows, and placed in two stakes, including the Grade 3 Shoemaker Handicap in 1995. “We traveled around with him and we had fun with him,” said Craig Dollase. “I went to Hong Kong. He was a moneymaker for us.” Wally Dollase trained until 2011. He later moved to Kentucky, where he died in 2015 at the age of 78 after a lengthy illness. Dollase trained two champions – Itsallgreektome, the outstanding turf male of 1990, and Jewel Princess, champion older female of 1996, who Stephen co-owned. Craig Dollase began training his own stable in 1995, and won the Breeders’ Cup Sprint at Churchill Downs in 1998 with Reraise at the age of 27, which at time made him the youngest-winning trainer of a Breeders’ Cup race. Now 54, Craig Dollase trained 20 winners in 2024, his best season since 2013. Based at Santa Anita, Dollase has watched the modern-day Journalism train and race. He was left impressed when Journalism overcame trouble to win the Grade 1 Santa Anita Derby on April 5. “What a beautiful horse,” Dollase said. “He showed he can overcome adversity the other day. He’ll need a clean trip” in the Kentucky Derby. “We know what he can do when he gets stopped. He still came running. He’s a nice-moving horse. He covers a lot of ground.” Umberto Rispoli, who rides Journalism is represented by agent Matt Nakatani, who has his own personal connection to the 1990s Journalism. Nakatani’s father, Corey, rode Journalism five times, including a win in the Khaled Stakes at Hollywood Park in 1994. Matt Nakatani’s mother is Michele Dollase, Wally’s daughter. :: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.