Journalism a go for G1 Belmont Stakes presented by NYRA Bets after ‘very good’ work

• Journalism a go for G1 Belmont Stakes presented by NYRA Bets after ‘very good’ work
• Sovereignty works for G1 Belmont Stakes presented by NYRA Bets
• Pletcher to enter Crudo, Uncaged in G1 Belmont Stakes presented by NYRA Bets; Fierceness a formidable contender for G1 Hill ‘n’ Dale Metropolitan Handicap
• G1 Belmont Stakes contender Heart of Honor stretches his legs on the main track

Journalism, winner of the Grade 1 Preakness Stakes, will look to avenge his runner-up effort to Sovereignty in the Grade 1 Kentucky Derby when the foes rematch in Saturday’s Grade 1, $2 million Belmont Stakes presented by NYRA Bets, at Saratoga Race Course.

Trained by Michael McCarthy for owners Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners, Bridlewood Farm, Don Alberto Stable, Robert LaPenta, Elayne Stables 5, Mrs. John Magnier, Michael Tabor, and Derrick Smith, the Into Mischief bay worked a solo half-mile in 47.54 seconds this morning over the Spa main track with jockey Umberto Rispoli up.

NYRA clockers timed the talented colt through splits of an opening quarter-mile in 23 seconds before galloping out in 1:00 flat and 1:12 4/5.

McCarthy confirmed after the stellar move that Journalism would enter the fray and become the only horse to contest all three legs of this year’s Triple Crown.

“Based off of what I saw here this morning, I’d be hard-pressed to find a reason not to enter,” McCarthy said. “Very good [work], just kind of a maintenance work. Obviously, you saw him kind of pick it up through the lane and gallop out strongly – final quarter in 23 and three, 23 and four, something like that. Racetrack is probably a half-step quicker.

“He’s a wonderful mover,” McCarthy added. “He gets over the ground very well. He’s got an incredible stride on him.”

Rispoli said Journalism was in good form throughout the breeze.

“It was very positive. He's a horse that everyone knows is very intelligent, smart - he does everything right,” Rispoli said. “It looks like he didn't even run two weeks ago. He took his work very well. He was very good on the track. He was happy.”

The post position draw for the Belmont Stakes will be held on Monday at 5 p.m. Eastern.

The Curlin bay has also captured the Grade 1 Santa Anita Derby, Grade 2 San Felipe, and Grade 2 Los Alamitos Futurity, while banking in excess of $2.8 million through a 7-5-1-1 record.

McCarthy, who arrived in New York on Friday, said he wanted to spend a could of days around the horse before making a decision on entering.

“Off of what I’ve seen – all the videos and what-have-you - the horse seems like he’s maintaining his edge, maintaining his form,” McCarthy said. “He put forth a heck of an effort in the Preakness. Coming back in three weeks’ time, obviously a solid piece of work here with little to no urging. It’s cooler up here, it seems like he’s enjoying himself – a fresh horse. I think sometimes with these good horses, you don’t really find out until race day and the running starts – [with] all of them, you can get fooled a bit, but he is a horse that I’ve thought could participate in all three [Triple Crown] races.”

McCarthy said Journalism has taken each challenge presented to him in his stride.

“He’s been like that since July of last year. He’ll go as fast as you’d like, as slow as you’d like. Good racehorses do those things,” McCarthy said.

Rispoli said he’s looking forward to the opportunity to again take on Sovereignty and Derby third-place finisher Baeza.

“I think it's going to be good for the sport,” Rispoli said. “I wouldn't exclude Baeza as well. Baeza was a head [neck] from me in the Kentucky Derby. I think he's a serious contender.

“Both of them [Sovereignty and Baeza] had four/five weeks to recover before going to the Belmont,” he added. “I always say the best horse is going win. Hopefully, it will be our time this time. Both of us [Journalism and Sovereignty], I would say, had a good trip in the Derby. He beat me. Definitely, the slop didn't help me, probably helped Sovereignty more than my horse, but that's the game.”

Win or lose, Rispoli said he is honored to have the call on a Classic-winning horse.

“It's a privilege. Horses like that don't come around every year,” Rispoli said. “A horse that gives you a chance to ride the three legs of the Triple Crown, you don't see many of them around. After 20 years of a career - to find a horse like that is unbelievable.”

Rispoli also breezed the McCarthy-trained mutliple graded stakes-winner Endlessly this morning over the Oklahoma training track in preparation for the Grade 1, $1 million Resorts World Casino Manhattan on the Belmont Stakes undercard.

“[He worked] very well. A turf horse on a wet-ish racetrack, I thought he finished up well and galloped out strong,” McCarthy said. “He’s had a race under his belt now going a flat mile and I think the added three-sixteenths is certainly going to play to his favor.”

The 4-year-old Oscar Performance colt, an Amerman Racing homebred, has banked $749,200 via a 9-5-0-1 ledger.

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Sovereignty works for G1 Belmont Stakes presented by NYRA Bets

Godolphin’s Kentucky homebred Sovereignty worked a half-mile in 48.84 seconds on the Oklahoma training track Sunday in preparation for a start in the Grade 1, $2 million Belmont Stakes presented by NYRA Bets slated for Saturday, June 7, at Saratoga Race Course.

Trained by Hall of Famer Bill Mott, the Grade 1 Kentucky Derby-winner went solo under exercise rider Neil Poznansky. NYRA clockers timed the work through splits of 12 3/5, 24 2/5 and out in 1:02 flat and up in 1:16 3/5.

“He went well,” Mott said. “We just wanted a nice breeze, in 48, 49, which is what we got. He galloped out good. He looked smooth. He came back good. It was a maintenance-type breeze, and that is what we got."

The Into Mischief bay graduated in style with a five-length romp in the Grade 3 Street Sense in October at Churchill Downs to close out his juvenile campaign. He made a winning seasonal debut in the Grade 2 Fountain of Youth on March 1 at Gulfstream Park ahead of a closing second to Tappan Street in the Grade 1 Florida Derby on March 29 at the Hallandale Beach oval.

Sovereignty exited post 16-of-19 in the Kentucky Derby and after clipping heels and a slight bobble after the break, saved ground near the back of the pack. He moved five-wide into the final turn and followed the favored Journalism, taking command in upper stretch and powering away to a 1 1/2-length score under regular pilot Junior Alvarado.

Sovereignty, out of the Bernardini mare Crowned, has banked in excess of $3.6 million via a 6-3-2-0 record. His second dam is multiple graded stakes-winning millionaire Mushka, who won the 2009 Grade 1 Spinster for Mott on the Keeneland synthetic.

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Pletcher to enter Crudo, Uncaged in G1 Belmont Stakes; Fierceness a formidable contender for G1 Hill ‘n’ Dale Metropolitan Handicap contender

Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher will have two chances in Crudo and Uncaged to score his fifth victory in Saturday’s Grade 1, $2 million Belmont Stakes presented by NYRA Bets, at Saratoga Race Course.

Pletcher’s past winners include the filly Rags to Riches [2007] as well as Palace Malice [2013], Tapwrit [2017] and Mo Donegal [2022].

Bobby Flay and James Ventura’s Crudo confirmed his entry to the final leg of the Triple Cown with a strong breeze over the Oklahoma training track. He worked a half-mile in 48.86 Sunday in company with Gate to Wire [49 flat], who will make his next start on the same card in the Grade 1, $500,000 Woody Stephens presented by Mohegan Sun.

Crudo broke off about one length back and traveled to the outside of Gate to Wire as NYRA Clockers timed Crudo through splits of 12 4/5, 24 4/5, and out in 1:01 3/5 and 1:14 3/5.

Crudo, a $350,000 Keeneland September Yearling Sale purchase, is by 2018 Triple Crown-winner Justify. He has won 2-of-3 starts, including a last-out 7 1/2-length pacesetting score in the restricted 1 1/16-mile Sir Barton on May 17 at Pimlico Race Course. That effort doubled up on a similar frontrunning 7 1/4-length graduation in April at Keeneland.

Pletcher said he liked the way Crudo galloped out in front of his work partner.

“I thought it was an excellent move. He worked really well, galloped out nicely. I was very pleased with him. He's had a good couple weeks since he ran,” Pletcher said. “It's undoubtedly a pretty strong field. The top-three from the Derby look to be really good colts. We've always been really high on the way the horse trained. His last two races have been very good.”

Hall of Famer John Velazquez will retain the mount in the Belmont.

Derrick Smith, Repole Stable, Michael Tabor and Mrs. John Magnier’s multiple Grade 1-winner Fierceness brings consistent form to the Grade 1, $1 million Hill ‘n’ Dale Metropolitan Handicap set for Belmont Stakes Day June 7 at Saratoga Race Course. The Met Mile offers a “Win and You’re In” berth to the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile.

The 4-year-old City of Light bay often flashed brilliance in his early performances, including an 11 1/4-length geared-down debut romp in August 2023 sprinting six furlongs over muddy and sealed footing at the Spa. He was off the board in the Grade 1 Champagne after lunging at the start that October but returned to winning ways with a 6 1/4-length score in the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile to earn Champion 2-Year-Old Colt honors.

Fierceness won 3-of-6 sophomore starts, taking the Grade 1 Florida Derby between a third the Grade 3 Holy Bull and a troubled 15th as the favorite in the Grade 1 Kentucky Derby.

However, since returning to action after the Derby, Fierceness has proven to be a consistent force in winning 3-of-4 starts with triple-digit Beyer Speed Figures, taking the Grade 2 Jim Dandy [103] and Grade 1 Travers [111] here last summer. His lone non-winning effort over that stretch came with a strong second in the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Classic, matching up his 111 Beyer when 1 1/2-lengths back of the victorious Sierra Leone.

Fierceness returned a winner in May with a 1 1/2-length score in the Grade 2 Alysheba at Churchill Downs to earn a 107 Beyer.

“He’s put that stigma of him being inconsistent behind him, and hopefully that continues. Since the Derby, the Jim Dandy, the Travers, the Breeders’ Cup Classic and the Alysheba coming back this year were all terrific. He’s a pleasure to train,” Pletcher said.

Fierceness, bred by Mike Repole’s Repole Stable, is out of the winning mare Nonna Bella, who is sired by Repole’s dual Grade 1-winner Stay Thirsty – victor of the 2011 Travers and 2012 Cigar Mile Handicap. Nonna Bella is out of the Grade 1-placed Nonna Mia, who was purchased by Repole Stable for $200,000 at the 2008 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Select Yearling Sale, and subsequently produced 2016 Grade 1 Wood Memorial-winner Outwork.

“We’re fortunate to be able to train a horse like this. It’s cool, too, that we trained the mare and this is Mike’s foundation family. I think that makes this even more fun,” Pletcher said.

Fierceness has banked in excess of $4.3 million through a 10-6-1-1 ledger.

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Belmont Stakes contender Heart of Honor stretches his legs on the main track

Jim And Claire Limited’s Heart of Honor, a last-out fifth in the Grade 1 Preakness, visited the main track Sunday under traveling assistant Jimmy McCarthy to stretch his legs for a start in Saturday’s Grade 1, $2 million Belmont Stakes presented by NYRA Bets.

Trained by Jamie Osborne, the Honor A. P. colt finished a close second in all three legs of the UAE Triple Crown—the Grade 3 UAE 2000 Guineas, Listed Al Bastakiya and Grade 2 UAE Derby - including a nose second in the UAE Derby to Admire Daytona, who was subsequently unplaced in the Grade 1 Kentucky Derby.

“He went a mile, building up into a three-quarter pace,” Osborne said. “He didn’t break any land-speed records, but that was never our intention. He looked to move well, and Jimmy McCarthy was pleased with the feel he gave him.”

The British-bred $172,341 purchase at the 2024 Arqana 2-Year-Old Breeze Up Sale has banked $400,919 through a 7-2-4-0 record. He will be piloted by Osborne’s daughter, Saffie Osborne, in the Belmont Stakes.