Rejuvenated Bullard returns to the races; $20,692 pick six carryover

ARCADIA, Calif. – It’s a big week for comebackers trained by Michael McCarthy, including the star of the stable.

Journalism returns to California this week after a winter freshening in Florida. Grade 1 winner of the Santa Anita Derby, Preakness, and Haskell, Journalism’s 2026 campaign is to be determined. A target under consideration is the Grade 1 Metropolitan Handicap at Saratoga, typically run in June.

Early this week, McCarthy said Journalism would return to his Santa Anita stable this weekend from Bridlewood Farm in Florida. The colt’s training routine will be standard – jogging, galloping, and resumption of workouts when McCarthy deems him ready.

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But Journalism is not the only 4-year-old McCarthy trainee on the comeback trail. The other is Bullard, a 2-year-old graded stakes winner whose 3-year-old campaign never got untracked.

Bullard returns from an eight-month layoff Friday at Santa Anita, where he faces a pair of Bob Baffert-trained comebackers in a seven-furlong allowance, race 6. Pilot Commander is the 4-5 program favorite in his first start since he won a Grade 3 sprint last year at Santa Anita.

Baffert also entered Winterfell, the 9-5 second choice making his first start since December 2024. Two others in the field are Craig Dollase-trained longshots – Midnight Mammoth and Baladi.

Bullard began his career winning two Del Mar sprints – a maiden race in September 2024 and Grade 3 Bob Hope on Nov. 17, an hour after Journalism won a maiden route. Journalism blossomed, but Bullard stalled.

After finishing third in the Grade 2 San Vicente in January 2025 at Santa Anita, Bullard was sent to Oaklawn for his first route in the Grade 2 Rebel on Feb. 23. Bullard got sick and scratched.

“He got sick when we shipped to Oaklawn and never seemed like he was really healthy after that,” McCarthy said. “Got him over that, sent him to Kentucky. He never seemed like he was quite himself.”

After a pair of fifth-place routes in Kentucky, McCarthy pulled the plug. Bullard was done for the year.

“Decided to back up, gave him a little time,” McCarthy said.

It paid off. McCarthy said Bullard has come back “bigger, stronger, more mature.”

Umberto Rispoli rides him from the outside post in the five-runner field Friday. Bullard has worked in blinkers and will wear them for the first time in a race. Bullard is listed at 7-2.

Pilot Commander has won 4 of 7, including the Grade 3 San Carlos in his most recent start last March at Santa Anita.

“He needed some time, he had a setback,” Baffert said.

Pilot Commander’s comeback works are fast; his speed figures are higher than Bullard.

Winterfell “is coming back very well,” Baffert said “It’s a good starting point.”

Winterfell breaks from the rail with Juan Hernandez. The jockey is 0 for 3 on Winterfell. Even though Hernandez won four races on Pilot Commander, Hector Berrios is named.

Baffert suggested not reading into the jockey assignments.

“It’s a toss-up,” he said.

Baffert hoped to run both horses last week in an allowance to prep for the Grade 2 San Pasqual, a route on Jan. 31. That 1 1/16-mile race is just 15 days from Friday.

“We’ll see,” Baffert said.

There is a carryover of $20,692 in the $2 pick six at Santa Anita on Friday. The bet covers the third through eighth races on a program that begins at 12:30 p.m. Pacific.

The pool of new money on Friday may exceed $150,000.

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