Haskell Stakes: Journalism the heavy favorite with Breeders' Cup berth up for grabs
Just three years ago, trainer Michael McCarthy made the decision to skip the Haskell with his Preakness winner Rombauer, instead targeting the Jim Dandy, a race he never ran in, eventually being retired after his third-place finish in the Belmont Stakes.
Now, McCarthy has a Preakness winner, who ran second in the Belmont, that will run in the Haskell. Journalism tops a field of eight set to go 1 1/8 miles as the 4-5 morning-line favorite for the Grade 1, $1 million race at Monmouth Park.
The Haskell also carries a fees-paid berth into the Breeders’ Cup Classic on Nov. 1 at Del Mar, byway of the Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series. The Haskell is the only “Win and You’re In Race” for the BC Classic that’s restricted to just 3-year-olds.
McCarthy, a West Coast native, is making a rare trip to New Jersey Saturday. McCarthy has started just three runners at Monmouth, most notably Liam the Charmer, who finished eighth in the 2017 United Nations on turf. In recent years, McCarthy has branched out with strings in Kentucky and other parts of the country.
Journalism was made the Kentucky Derby favorite off the strength of three graded stakes victories out west, including the Grade 1 Santa Anita Derby. In the Derby, Journalism was passed in the stretch by Sovereignty, finishing a valiant second. From there, Journalism was once again made the favorite in the Preakness. At the top of the Preakness stretch, Journalism looked hemmed in, before bulling his way through horses and running down Gosger, who is also in Saturday’s field, in one a scintillating stretch run. Journalism was no match again for Sovereignty in the Belmont, as the Derby winner unleashed a ferocious move in mid-stretch to win his second classic.
Journalism announced his presence with authority in his 1st visit to the @MonmouthPark track this morning. #BelieveBig pic.twitter.com/st3ntY4OnQ
— Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners (@EclipseTBP) July 16, 2025
McCarthy is taking an old-school approach with Journalism, with the Haskell being his ninth career start and sixth this year. That many races in a career, let alone a year, has become somewhat of a rarity in the sport. Journalism will break from post 2 Saturday with regular rider Umberto Rispoli aboard, and the two will likely work out a stalking trip.
“We had easy travel from Los Angeles straight to Newark (International Airport), and it doesn’t hurt that it’s a ‘Win and You’re In’ (for the Breeders’ Cup Classic),” Aron Wellman, who heads Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners, owners of Journalism, told Monmouth publicity on the decision to run Journalism Saturday.
Burnham Square is the other Derby runner in Saturday’s field. The Ian Wilkes trainee won the Grade 3 Holy Bull at Gulfstream in February and would eventually win the Grade 1 Blue Grass at Keeneland to earn his Derby spot. In the Derby, Burnham Square was in a decent spot early but checked at the half-mile pole and finished sixth. Most recently, Burnham Square was second in the Grade 3 Matt Winn at Churchill Downs, where he was unable to get enough pace to close into in a four-horse field. Regular rider Brian Hernandez Jr. will be aboard from post 4 and the pair are 5-1 on the morning line.
“He’s very adaptable. He can do whatever Brian wants to do. He’s very consistent in his training and seems to be getting better and better as he’s matured. He’s not making the mistakes he used to,” Wilkes said.
Goal Oriented was involved in the bumping incident at the top of the stretch in the Preakness, ultimately finishing fourth. Trained by Bob Baffert, Goal Oriented enters with just three career starts, winning two of them. Flavien Prat is in town to ride and the team is 4-1 second choice on the morning from the far outside post.
“He’s a big, strong horse and he’s been working very well. I really think he has improved and he needs to improve if he’s going to be competitive in this race. I feel good about the way he’s coming into this race. Whether he’s good enough we’ll see. I have a lot of respect for Journalism. I get to watch him train every day and he still looks terrific. It should be a good race,” said Baffert, who owns a record nine wins in this race.
Gosger looked like an up-and-comer in the division after a victory in the Grade 3 Lexington at Keeneland. While that win didn’t get him into the Derby, Gosger almost pulled off a huge upset in the Preakness. The Brendan Walsh trainee was nipped by Journalism at the wire after racing just off the early pace. Luis Saez will get back aboard Saturday at 9-2 on the morning line.
Bracket Buster, a seven-length winner of the Pegasus, the local prep for the Haskell, will break from the rail with John Velazquez aboard for trainer Victoria Oliver. Wildncrazynight has racked up a couple wins for trainer Dan Ward but is in deep in Saturday’s field. National Law, another longshot, gets Irad Ortiz Jr. aboard for trainer Jorge Duarte. Kentucky Outlaw, winner of the Long Branch for trainer Felissa Dunn, completes the field.
Who else knew 3️⃣ incredible thoroughbreds have won the #WinAndYoureIN Haskell and later went on to win the #BreedersCup Classic? 🔥 pic.twitter.com/DZBXNLLSOL
— Breeders' Cup (@BreedersCup) July 16, 2025
Since the Haskell was made a qualifying race for the BC Classic in 2014, the Haskell has produced three BC Classic winners - Bayern in 2014, American Pharoah in 2025, and Authentic in 2020. American Pharoah and Authentic were named Horse of the Year in their respective years, while Bayern finished second to California Chrome in 2014. More recently, Cyberknife won the 2022 Haskell and finished second in the BC Dirt Mile. Last year’s winner, Dornoch, co-owned by former MLB player Jayson Werth, was retired after winning the Haskell.
- Journalism’s dam, Mopotism, succumbed to colic on Tuesday at the age of 11. Nitro Tap, a 2-year-old Curlin colt out of Mopotism, sold for $1.5 million last year. Mopotism, a Grade 2 winner during her racing career, also has a yearling filly by Into Mischief and a filly by Flightline that was born earlier this year.
The Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series: Win and You’re In is an international series of 93 stakes races in15 countries whose winners receive automatic starting positions and fees paid into a corresponding race at the Breeders’ Cup World Championships, held this year at Del Mar on Oct. 31 and Nov. 1.
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An avid horse racing fan and bettor, Michael Smith has developed a career in horse racing media as an editor and writer. A regular at Saratoga Race Course, Michael mainly covers New York racing but follows various other racing across the country and world.