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USA Today
21-05-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Journalism, Sovereignty rematch at Belmont is still a possibility
Journalism, Sovereignty rematch at Belmont is still a possibility Show Caption Hide Caption How oldest living Kentucky Derby winner spends his retirement Silver Charm, who won the 1997 Kentucky Derby and Preakness, is thriving at age 31 as he enjoys retirement at Old Friends Farm. Sports Pulse A rematch between Preakness Stakes winner Journalism and Kentucky Derby winner Sovereignty could be in the offing at the Belmont Stakes on June 7. Sovereignty, who beat Journalism by 1 1/2 lengths in the Derby on May 3, didn't race at the Preakness in Baltimore last Saturday, with his handlers instead choosing to ready him for the Belmont. He is in Saratoga Springs, N.Y., training for the final leg of the Triple Crown. The race will be held at the upstate Saratoga Race Course for a second consecutive year as reconstruction continue at Belmont Park in Elmont, N.Y. No decision has been made yet about Journalism's status for the Belmont, but owners are considering a run. "We have the utmost respect for Sovereignty. He beat us on the square in the Kentucky Derby," Aron Wellman, Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners president and founder, told the New York Racing Association. "As much as we would love to square off again with Sovereignty, it doesn't factor into our ultimate determination of whether Journalism runs in the Belmont or not. "We would like to be in position to run in the Belmont, but it will all be contingent on Journalism and what signs he's showing us and (trainer) Michael McCarthy. It will totally be deferred to Michael McCarthy on whether or not he feels comfortable coming back on another three-week turnaround." Other horses that could compete in the Grade 1, $2 million Belmont include Rodriguez, winner of the Wood Memorial; Preakness runner-up Gosger; Kentucky Derby third-place finisher Baeza; Peter Pan winner Hill Road; and Heart of Honor, who finished fifth in the Preakness. --Field Level Media
Reuters
08-05-2025
- Sport
- Reuters
Journalism owners report Preakness remains in play
May 8 - The door remains open for Kentucky Derby runner-up Journalism to do what the winner will not: Race in the May 17 Preakness Stakes. Sovereignty won Saturday's Kentucky Derby over the favorite Journalism but already has decided to skip the second stage of the Triple Crown at Baltimore. Journalism has remained Thursday at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky., and has been recovering well after taking the lead in the stretch of the Kentucky Derby, then settling for second by 1 1/2 lengths under jockey Umberto Rispoli. "We're not going to rush into any determination right now. We're going to keep the Preakness in play," said Aron Wellman, CEO of Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners, which is one of Journalism's owners. "We're going to monitor Journalism to the best of our ability and then make the best decision for the horse. We're not saying we're in and we're certainly not shutting the door." Journalism was the 7-2 favorite for the Kentucky Derby after coming off a victory at the Santa Anita Derby on April 25. The colt has four wins in six races, including the second-place finish at Kentucky and a third-place finish in its maiden race at Santa Anita in October of last year. --Field Level Media
Hindustan Times
03-05-2025
- Business
- Hindustan Times
Kentucky Derby: Here's how much prize money winners Sovereignty, Journalism get?
Sovereignty beat favorite Journalism to win the 2025 Kentucky Derby on Saturday. The main event at Churchill Downs had a total purse of $5 million, distributed among the top five finishers. The 2025 Kentucky Derby purse is allocated as follows: 1st Place: $3.1 million 2nd Place: $1 million 3rd Place: $500,000 4th Place: $250,000 5th Place: $150,000 Total Prize: $3.1 million Owner's Share: Approximately 80% of the prize, or $2.48 million. The owners, Godolphin, receive the majority, per CBS Sports. Jockey's Share: Typically 10% of the prize, or $310,000, for jockey Junior Alvarado. A portion of this may go to the jockey's agent and valet. Trainer's Share: Typically 10% of the prize, or $310,000, for trainer Bill Mott. Total Prize: $1 million Owner's Share: Approximately 80% of the prize, or $800,000, split among owners Bridlewood Farm, Don Alberto Stable, Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners, Elayne Stables 5, Bob LaPenta, Mrs. John Magnier-Lessee, Derrick Smith-Lessee, and Michael Tabor-Lessee. Jockey's Share: Typically 5% of the prize for second place, or $50,000, for jockey Umberto Rispoli. Trainer's Share: Typically 10% of the prize, or $100,000, for trainer Michael McCarthy, based on standard splits.
USA Today
03-05-2025
- Entertainment
- USA Today
Journalism trainer, jockey, owner and more to know about 2025 Kentucky Derby horse
Journalism trainer, jockey, owner and more to know about 2025 Kentucky Derby horse Show Caption Hide Caption Kentucky Derby 2025: Hear from jockey, trainer of Journalism Journalism jockey Umberto Rispoli and trainer Michael McCarthy talk at Churchill Downs' backside as 2025 Kentucky Derby nears. Journalism will enter the Kentucky Derby off a win in the Santa Anita Derby on April 5 With a four-race winning streak, Journalism is expected to be the morning-line favorite for the Kentucky Derby Journalism is one of 20 horses expected to enter the 2025 Kentucky Derby on May 3 at Churchill Downs. Spots for the Run for the Roses are earned by gaining points through a series of Kentucky Derby prep races that began last September. The post-position draw for the Kentucky Derby is set for Saturday, April 26. Post time for the Kentucky Derby is set for 6:57 p.m. on Saturday, May 3. Journalism will enter the Kentucky Derby off a victory in the Grade 1 Santa Anita Derby on April 5. He currently ranks third on the Kentucky Derby points leaderboard with 122.5. Color: Bay. Bred in: Kentucky. Sire: Curlin. Dam: Mopotism, by Uncle Mo. Price tag: $825,000 at 2023 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Select Yearling Sale. Owners: Bridlewood Farm (John and Leslie Malone); Don Alberto Stable (Liliana Solari Falabella and sons; Andrea and Carlos Heller); Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners (Aron Wellman); Elayne Stables 5 LLC; Robert LaPenta. Bridlewood, Eclipse and LaPenta teamed with Tapwrit (sixth) in 2017. Don Alberto Stable finished third with Battle of Midway in 2017. Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners is 0 for 4 in the Derby, its best finish coming with Danza (third) in 2014. First Derby for Elayne Stables. LaPenta is 0 for 10 in the Derby, his best finish coming with Ice Box (second) in 2010. Trainer: Michael McCarthy. He's 0 for 1 in the Derby, finishing ninth with Endlessly in 2024. Jockey: Umberto Rispoli. He's 0 for 2 in the Derby, best finish coming with Endlessly (ninth) in 2024. Record: 4-0-1 in five starts. Career earnings: $638,880. Road to the Kentucky Derby points: 122.5 (No. 3). Last race: Won Grade 1 Santa Anita Derby on April 5 by three-quarters of a length over Baeza. Running style: Stalker. Notes: Enters the Kentucky Derby with a four-race winning streak — including three graded stakes — and is expected to be the morning-line favorite. … McCarthy made his Kentucky Derby debut last year but famously didn't want to enter Endlessly, who had never raced on dirt. He was overruled by the horse's owner, and Endlessly finished ninth. … Wellman explained the horse's name in a story by John Cherwa of the Los Angeles Times. 'We believe that good horses should have good names,' said Wellman, a former sports editor of the Beverly Hills High School newspaper. 'We've historically followed the Claiborne Farm way of naming horses, which tries to tie the name to the pedigree. He's out of a mare called Mopotism, so we thought ending in an 'ism' was a way to go. So, we came up with Journalism. I've always been a huge fan of journalists and journalism.' What they're saying: 'That's such a good animal to be able to get out of there,' Rispoli said of the trouble Journalism encountered during the Santa Anita Derby. 'It's rare for a horse to get held up at the three-eighths pole and to get back in the race in that way. It's always difficult, especially for such a big horse. But he has such an amazing style and is just an amazing horse.' Last May, NBC Sports announced a partnership with Churchill Downs to present the Kentucky Derby on NBC and Peacock through 2032. The extension includes multiplatform rights to the Kentucky Derby, Kentucky Oaks and Derby and Oaks Day programming, which will be presented on NBC, Peacock, USA Network and additional NBCU platforms. You can stream the 2025 Kentucky Derby on Fubo and Peacock. Post time for the 151st Kentucky Derby is set for 6:57 p.m. on Saturday, May 3. Jason Frakes: 502-582-4046; jfrakes@ Follow on X @KentuckyDerbyCJ. More horse racing: Which horses are in or on bubble for May 3 Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs? This story was updated to add a gallery.
Yahoo
01-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
When it comes to Kentucky Derby favorite Journalism, it's all in the family
Trainer Michael McCarthy stands outside Barn 35 at Churchill Downs after Journalism had a workout in preparation for the Kentucky Derby on Saturday. (Charlie Riedel / Associated Press) Common sense tells you that the pressure of being the favorite in the Kentucky Derby can be crushing. If you win, you've met expectations. If you lose, you've failed. Never mind what it took to get to that point. You were supposed to win and you didn't. So, it was a strange feeling to be around Barn 35 at Churchill Downs where Journalism, the 3-1 morning line favorite, was biding his time in preparation for Saturday's 151st Run for the Roses. Advertisement The mood was light, bordering on festive. Trainer Michael McCarthy was telling jokes. He even walked up to a journalist standing to the side and asked if they needed anything from him. That doesn't happen. Aron Wellman, managing partner of Journalism's ownership group, was leaning against the frame of the building taking it all in, looking like a young boy about ready to go into an all-you-can eat candy store. It was a family atmosphere, which alone might explain the reason behind the welcoming mood. They are family, and the best kind, not the one you are born with but the one you choose. McCarthy and Wellman have known each other since the early 1990s when they were racetrack rats at Santa Anita. Wellman was McCarthy's first client when the trainer struck out on his own after being the chief assistant to Todd Pletcher. Their wives are close friends. Their kids, all between the ages of 13 and 17, are buddies. They spend every Thanksgiving together. Aron Wellman, a member of Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners, holds up the trophy after In Lingerie won the 88th Black Eyed Susan Stakes at Pimlico Race Course. (Rob Carr / Getty Images) 'What started as a personal relationship morphed into a professional one as well,' said Wellman, who heads Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners, the managing group of eight entities that own Journalism, the $825,000 purchase and winner of the Santa Anita Derby. Advertisement 'The majority of our conversations are about life and things other than horses,' McCarthy said. 'It's been comfortable for both of us. It's been a great fit. I'm glad I've been able to keep up my end of the bargain and have the kind of results that Eclipse is used to having.' This is McCarthy's second Kentucky Derby, bringing Endlessly to the race last year for a ninth-place finish. It's Wellman's fourth, having Destin (sixth) in 2016, Tapwrit (sixth) in 2017 and Gray Magician (19th) in 2019. Tapwrit went on to win the Belmont Stakes, the third leg of the Triple Crown. Wellman's friendly demeanor is what you might expect from the well-spoken former litigator. McCarthy is more known for his businesslike approach to racing. 'Yeah, it's so entirely uncharacteristic of him in the workplace,' Wellman said of McCarthy's sudden lighter tone. '[I think it's because] anybody who is fortunate enough to be around this horse, sees that he's providing us with such confidence and conviction. He's so laid back and so taking everything in stride, such a cool customer. He's thriving. … Advertisement 'It's allowing us to enjoy ourselves. We're laughing, we're light, we're trying to keep the energy positive surrounding him. As long as he keeps doing what he's doing, we're going to keep enjoying ourselves.' Read more: 'Happy to be back': Bob Baffert's Kentucky Derby return includes two horses in the race The friendship between the trainer and owner goes back more than three decades. Wellman's parents were small breeders and owners in California and had a box at Santa Anita and Del Mar. Close by was a box used by Gary Young, the legendary private clocker. McCarthy liked to hang around with Young. 'Michael sort of sponged off of Gary,' Wellman said. 'I think we all liked handicapping quite a bit, so I distinctly remember a lot of trips down to the paddock to scope out who looked good before races and trying to hustle bets and stuff like that.' Advertisement The pair went their separate ways, with Wellman going to UC Santa Barbara followed by Southwestern University Law School and McCarthy to New York to work for Pletcher. Wellman decided to change careers to one more suited to his love of horse racing. That's when their paths crossed again. Wellman became a vice president of the horse racing ownership group Team Valor, which had Pletcher as one of its primary trainers. 'Michael was Todd's primary assistant at the time in Kentucky and then in New York, and in my management role for Team Valor, I had to communicate quite often with Michael.' Wellman left Team Valor to start his own ownership group, Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners, in 2011. He needed horses. He spotted one in New York, a two-time starter, named Sweet Cat who was owned by Pletcher. Advertisement 'When I saw her run in her 2-year-old season at Saratoga, I called up Michael and said 'How's this filly?'' Wellman said. 'And he gave me the thumbs-up and sort of facilitated the acquisition with Todd and then Eclipse had a horse in Todd's barn.' Things went well as Sweet Cat finished third in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf in her first race for Eclipse. It was clear that McCarthy was ready to go on his own and in 2014 left Pletcher to start his own stable in California. Read more: Baeza might be good enough to win the Kentucky Derby. But will the horse get a chance? 'Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners was the first outfit to send me horses and we've had a growing relationship ever since, a successful relationship,' McCarthy said. Advertisement Yet it wasn't easy. 'I distinctly remember it,' Wellman said. 'It was just a few horses. He was begging for stalls at Santa Anita and they kind of put us in the back by Baldwin Avenue with a few stalls and just scratching and clawing our way to try to make a business out of it. From there, our careers sort of took parallel paths where he was trying to build his training stable and we were trying to build our racing partnership business. And it's just grown from there.' Between California and Kentucky, Eclipse has between 15 to 20 horses with McCarthy. Eclipse also uses other trainers such as Pletcher, Graham Motion and Wayne Catalano. Eclipse also has Fondly running in the Kentucky Oaks, the filly version of the Derby, for Motion. 'There's a mutual respect there,' McCarthy said. 'What he does is not easy and he's been able to come up with results time and time again. … Arguably, it's the strongest racing partnership going today.' Advertisement Not lost on Wellman is the path it took to get to the first Saturday in May. 'We're focused on the job,' Wellman said. 'We're on a mission to make history with Journalism. But at the same time, I think our experience has allowed us to really achieve some perspective that it's so hard to do this. It's so hard to get here and we're going to really try to savor this moment because we all recognize how fleeting it can be and we may never get here again. 'I'd be lying if I said this wasn't different because of all the attention and all the hype that is on our horse Journalism. So that's uncharted territory bringing the favorite to the Kentucky Derby. But, you know, I think we're considering it good pressure. This is what we live for. Where else would we rather be and what other position would we rather be in?' How about in the Winner's Circle come about 7:05 p.m. EDT on Saturday. Get the best, most interesting and strangest stories of the day from the L.A. sports scene and beyond from our newsletter The Sports Report. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
