2025 Kentucky Derby Horse Profile & Betting Outlook: Journalism

The “Fastest Two Minutes in Sports” is only weeks away as the 151st running of the Kentucky Derby is set for May 3 from Churchill Downs.

Let’s start off my Respected Money horse betting profiles for all 20 Kentucky Derby hopefuls, with a contender that is expected to earn morning-line favoritism.

Horse Info: Journalism

POST NUMBER: 8

ODDS: 3-1

JOCKEY: Umberto Rispoli / TRAINER: Michael W. McCarthy

RECORD: 5 starts: 4-0-1

TOP EQUIBASE SPEED FIGURE: 110

RUNNING STYLE: Stalker / Mid-Pack

CAREER EARNINGS: $638,880

This son of Curlin and Mopotism is the likely morning-line favorite for the 151st running of the Kentucky Derby. This three-year colt profiles as one of the top challengers for the Run for the Roses.

Congrats to the connections of Journalism for his win in the Santa Anita Derby! See you in Kentucky!

Jockey: Umberto Rispoli
Trainer: Michael McCarthy

📸: https://t.co/bt2Vok2i0Q pic.twitter.com/N2QaT3PFEl
— Kentucky Derby (@KentuckyDerby) April 6, 2025

Journalism Breeding: Sire and Dam

Sire: Curlin has sired winners of the Preakness, Belmont Stakes, and Breeders’ Cup Classic but Journalism would be his first to enter the Kentucky Derby winner’s circle for the two-time Horse of the Year.

Dam: Mopotism is by Uncle Mo --who was one of the top horses I have ever profiled. Mopotism was the dam for 2016 Kentucky Derby winner Nyquist, so the pedigree is strong on both sides.

Journalism Race History and Recent Results

Journalism has a career record of four wins with one show finish in five career starts. He has shown progression since his third place finish last October at Santa Anita in a six furlong sprint debut, posting four consecutive wins at three different tracks.

In mid-November Journalism broke his maiden with a win at a distance of one mile at Del Mar, chasing down Rank in the stretch with Ricardo Gonzalez aboard. He followed up his first trip to the winner’s circle with a 3 1⁄2 lengths victory in the Los Alamitos Futurity (G2) in December with current jockey Umberto Rispoli in the saddles.

Journalism earned his first stakes win in the San Felipe (G2) via a 1 ¾ -length victory at Santa Anita in March.

The impressive colt capped off his undefeated 2025 campaign with a win in the Santa Anita Derby (G1) on April 5, despite experiencing traffic trouble. He has displayed the ability to win by either pressing the pace or by rating mid-pack, off the speed.

He has posted a triple-digit Equibase Speed figure in each of his four wins (105-106-110-108), indicating another step forward could be on tap in the Kentucky Derby.

Journalism Surges Past Baeza In The Stretch And Wins The 88th Running Of The Grade I, $500,000 Santa Anita Derby Going 1 1/8 Miles Saturday At Santa Anita pic.twitter.com/jlnl1HxTW4
— Santa Anita Park (@santaanitapark) April 6, 2025

Kentucky Derby Outlook

For his efforts, Journalism heads into the Kentucky Derby with the third-most points (122.5), behind Burnham Square (130) and Sandman (129). The +350 favorite in the current Derby Futures checks many of the boxes handicappers look for (pedigree, recent form, improving figures, solid recent workouts) when seeking out a Derby winner. The biggest challenge on tap Journalism will be how he responds to facing a large field -- since each of his last three wins came against small fields of only five entrants.

Odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.

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