By Christina Bossinakis
Baltimore, MD-Two weeks ago in the Kentucky Derby, Journalism (Curlin) endured a difficult trip and had to settle for second behind Sovereignty (Into Mischief). The colt’s connections–Eclipse Thoroughbreds, Bridlewood Farm, Don Alberto Stable, Bob LaPenta, Elayne Stables, Mrs John Magnier, Michael Tabor and Derrick Smith and trainer Michael McCarthy–waited for more than a week to make the decision to pull the trigger on a start in the GI Preakness Stakes. Heading down the Pimlico stretch Saturday evening, it appeared that the GI Santa Anita Derby winner and jockey Umberto Risploi were going to have to play the bridesmaid yet again after getting brutally sandwiched between rivals, not to mention having to play catch up on the free-running leader Gosger (Nyquist) who didn’t appear to be stopping.
However, the intangibles that people often talk about but are somewhat abstract concepts–class and heart–were on full display as both the colt and rider reeled in the front-runner, ultimately nailing that rival by 3/4 of a length at the wire.
“I still can’t understand what this horse did today,” said Rispoli, who was winning his first American Classic. “I got in trouble at the quarter pole and, look, he made himself keep going. It’s all about him, It’s a privilege to ride a horse like him.”
Trainer Michael McCarthy, who had been quietly confident all week in the colt, was hoping for a cleaner trip for his colt in the second jewel in the Triple Crown. While the racing Gods would once again spin the wheel of adversity, Journalism did what few horses do in the face of challenge, dig deep and draw on their tenacity and athleticism to overcome an obstacle.
