ARCADIA, CA -Journalism, widely considered the early favorite for this year’s Kentucky Derby, and last year’s champion juvenile colt Citizen Bull will meet for the first time Saturday in the 88th running of the Grade I, $500,000 Santa Anita Derby going 1 1/8 miles at The Great Race Place.
Journalism jumped to the top of this year’s 3-year-old division via a scintillating win in the GII San Felipe Stakes going 1 1/16 miles on March 1 at Santa Anita. Trained by Michael McCarthy, Journalism scored by 1 ¾ lengths in the San Felipe after running down another highly regarded 3-year-old, Barnes, who is also entered back in the Santa Anita Derby. The win by Journalism earned a lofty 108 Beyer Speed Figure, which is the highest recorded by an active 3-year-old this year.
Journalism is by Curlin out of Mopotism, a graded stakes winning daughter of Uncle Mo. Bred by Don Alberto Stable, Journalism was sold at auction as a yearling for $825,000 to Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners. He is campaigned by the partnership of Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners, Don Alberto Stable, Bridlewood Farm, Elayne Stables 5 LLC and Robert V. LaPenta.
Prior to the San Felipe, Journalism closed out his juvenile campaign with a win in the GII Los Alamitos Futurity in December. He sports an overall record of 4: 3-0-1 with $338,880 in earnings. In the most recent Kentucky Derby Future Wager, Journalism closed as the 5-1 favorite to win this year’s Run for the Roses.
Journalism will be ridden by Umberto Rispoli, who was also aboard for both of his stakes wins. Rispoli previously won the Santa Anita Derby in 2021 with Rock Your World. Journalism and Rispoli will try and provide McCarthy with his first win in the Santa Anita Derby.