Journalism’s hard-charging victory in the Preakness Stakes, the second leg of the Triple Crown, added another jewel to the crown of sire Curlin, who is firmly ensconced among the reigning kings of the American classics.
“He has the physical likeness to Curlin,” trainer Michael McCarthy said of the strongly-built bay colt.
Baeza, who finished a closing third in the Kentucky Derby, is among those awaiting the Belmont Stakes a little more than three weeks off. Historic Runnymede Farm, which raised the colt and consigned him to sale for his breeder, does, however, have another rooting interest in Saturday’s Preakness Stakes in Goal Oriented. The farm co-bred, raised, and sold the lightly raced and unbeaten colt, who is from the immediate family of Eclipse Award champion Lady Eli.
The late Harvey Clarke found glory as a classic breeder when I’ll Have Another won the 2012 Kentucky Derby and then put on a courageous performance to win the Preakness Stakes. Clarke won’t be here to see it, but his family stable’s homebred Gosger, from the same family as I’ll Have Another, is set to seek another Preakness for his program when he goes in this Saturday’s 150th edition of the classic.
The University of Kentucky’s Maxwell H. Gluck Equine Research Center has announced that entomologists at the University have received reports of “greater than average” counts of Eastern Tent Caterpillars in some areas of the state and have urged awareness by breeders.
Puca, honored as Broodmare of the Year last month, has kept herself in the news this week, with a new foal, a son placing in the Kentucky Derby, and an opportunity for fans to become involved in the career of her next son in the pipeline.
The late champion Bernardini was Sheikh Mohammed’s first winner of an American Triple Crown race, taking the 2006 Preakness Stakes under the Darley banner. The international outfit, which races as Godolphin while continuing to stand its stallions under the Darley brand name, has since completed a personal Triple Crown, winning the 2021 Belmont Stakes with Essential Quality and, now, a long-sought Kentucky Derby with Sovereignty.
Kentucky Derby winner Sovereignty officially got on the work tab about a year ago and made his first start last August, but Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott’s association with the family goes back more than a quarter-century. He put the tack on great-granddam Sluice for her career debut in July 2000 and has since handled a few generations of this family.
“It’s really kind of a neat thing to be able to train those families and those generations of horses,” Mott said. “It might be telling my age a little bit, but it really makes it pretty special.”
Regardless of what happens the rest of the way with the Triple Crown and other major spring events, sires Into Mischief and Medaglia d’Oro exit the first weekend in May having already pulled off their own historic triples in the classics.
Microshare ownership groups have taken a huge turn in the spotlight in recent Triple Crown seasons, allowing racing fans to experience the thrill of major-event ownership for a nominal cost.
MyRacehorse had pieces of 2020 Kentucky Derby winner Authentic and 2024 Preakness winner Seize the Grey, while Commonwealth was part of the ownership team behind 2023 Derby winner Mage.
