Photo:
Dan Birch / Eclipse Sportswire
Even though he blew the start and conceded about five lengths to the rest of the field, odds-on favorite Journalism chipped away at the deficit, took the lead in mid-stretch Saturday and won the Grade 2, $300,000 San Diego Handicap at Del Mar.
Journalism (1-5), who finished first in Preakness 2025, became the first horse who hit the board in the Triple Crown last year to win a race against older competition. He, Sovereignty, Baeza, Gosger and Sandman went a combined 0-for-14 before Saturday trying to win outside their age group.
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Mirahmadi (7-2) took the early lead through splits of 23.34 and 47.47 seconds. By the time the field of five got to the second turn in the 1 1/16-mile race, Chile-bred 5-year-old The Goat (15-1) had moved to the front through six furlongs in 1:11.58.
Journalism overcomes disastrous start to win the San Diego @DelMarRacing pic.twitter.com/mHfj1UEpb7
— Horse Racing Nation (@HR_Nation) July 19, 2026
By this point Journalism, ridden by Umberto Rispoli for the first time in 52 weeks, had moved up to fourth and was within 1 1/4 lengths of the lead.
Shortly after turning four wide into the homestretch, Journalism took the lead through a mile in 1:36.37 and extended his advantage to about two lengths. Even though Shea Brennan (23-1) made a late rally, it was too late to change the outcome. Journalism won by three-quarters of a length with a final time of 1:42.65 on the fast main track.
Shea Brennan, ridden by Armando Ayuso, came home second. Iron Man Cal (13-1) closed to take third. The Goat was fourth, and Mirahmadi faded to last place. Full Serrano and Mc Vay were scratched.
Journalism paid $2.40, $2.10 and $2.10; Shea Brennan $5.60 and $2.60; and Iron Man Cal $2.80.
Trained by Michael McCarthy for owners led by Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners, Journalism won for the first time since Rispoli rode his Haskell (G1) victory last July at Monmouth Park. Most recently he finished third in the Met Mile (G1) on the Belmont Stakes undercard last month at Saratoga.
A 4-year-old Curlin colt who carried the top weight of 125 pounds, Journalism ran his record to 14: 7-3-3 and, with $180,000 for the win Saturday, increased his career earnings to $4,770,775.