Journalism breezes half-mile for Metropolitan Handicap
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SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - Journalism, second to Sovereignty in the 2025 Belmont Stakes the last time he was in Saratoga, has returned to upstate New York for an attempt at another prestigious prize on this circuit -next Saturday’s Grade 1 Metropolitan Handicap.
On Saturday morning, Journalism put in his final workout for the race breezing a half-mile in 49.09 seconds, getting his final quarter in 24.21 seconds and galloping out five furlongs in 1:01.81, six furlongs in 1:14.21 and seven furlongs in 1:27.21. Amelia Green was aboard for the workout.
Trainer Michael McCarthy was not on hand for the work, but said reports from his assistant trainer Felipe Rivera were positive.
“Seems like everyone was very pleased,” McCarthy said. “He came back good, cooled out well, pretty happy horse.”
Journalism, the 2025 Preakness winner, is coming off a third-place finish in the Grade 2 Oaklawn Handicap, a race in which he found himself dueling early with Sovereignty, the 2025 Horse of the Year who also beat Journalism in last year’s Kentucky Derby.
“Being heads up for the lead turning up the backside would not have been my choice, that’s the way the race shaped up,” McCarthy said. “We were planning to have a stalking kind of a trip.”
Journalism will be part of a robust Met Mile that is expected to include Antiquarian, Nysos, Knightsbridge, Rated by Merit, Saudi Crown, and Vibe. Crazy Mason, who was being considered for the Met Mile, will skip the race and point to the Grade 3, $300,000 Hanshin Stakes at Churchill Downs on June 28.
Antiquarian, coming off a dominant win in the Westchester, worked a half-mile in 49.84 seconds Saturday over the Oklahoma training track. Knightsbridge also worked over the Oklahoma training track, going five furlongs in 1:00.60 also.
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