Kentucky Derby runner-up Journalism showed incredible bravery to force his way out of trouble and recover lost ground to win the second leg of the US Triple Crown
Two rival jockeys engaged in an incredible elbowing match as they fought out the climax to a dramatic second leg of the US Triple Crown on Saturday night. Journalism, runner-up when favourite for the Kentucky Derby two weeks ago, was on a recovery mission in the £1.5 million Preakness Stakes at Pimlico racecourse in Baltimore.
With Churchill Downs conqueror Sovereignty not in the line up he was hot favourite to get the job done under his Italian jockey Umberto Rispoli. But he was met with a seemingly insurmountable problem when he exited the final bend with five horses in front of him.
Instead of going around the field, Rispoli opted to stick on the inside by the rail, but that option appeared to leave him with little room to manoeuvre out and produce his challenge in the straight.
Although he initially made ground, rival Flavien Prat was determined to keep him in a pocket, then leaned in on Rispoli, but the Italian held his ground and Journalism forced his way between horses.
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By the time they got into daylight, they found Gosger had kicked five lengths clear, yet Journalism produced a devastating finishing burst to make up the ground and win by half a length. After a brief stewards inquiry, the result was confirmed.
The dramatic incident was analysed by NBC Sports experts Jerry Bailey and Randy Moss. Describing the key moments, Bailey said: “There are two really important decisions by Umberto Rispoli, first to stay on the rail.
“He has an opportunity right now to go around those horses. He chooses not to take it which puts him in position, not only to save ground, but to get through between. If he goes around, I don’t know if he wins. So he runs up inside Goal Oriented right here.
“Flavien Prat on Goal Oriented starts to lay in a little bit on him here. Umberto is having none of it. He’s going to hold his ground. They’re getting close to Clever Again. Now the elbowing starts and it is a tight hole.”
“Look at the elbows,” Moss said. “First it was Flavien with the elbow and then Umberto gave as good as he got and then you saw this part of it where Goal Oriented really came over on Journalism, and poor Clever Again down on the rail didn’t know what to make of this. What bravery!”
The winning jockey said: “I still can’t realise what this horse did today, I got in trouble at the quarter pole and he made himself go again. It’s all about him – it’s a pleasure to ride a horse like him. I was in a tough spot (at the top of the straight) but it’s unbelievable.”
British runner Heart Of Honor, trained by Jamie Osborne and ridden by daughter Saffie, finished fifth after a slow start.
The trainer said: “It wasn’t looking great halfway. He was sluggish out of the gate again, got a fair amount of sand in his face, looked like it could have been a disaster halfway down the back.
“But God, he’s tough, he’s resolute. He stayed on great to the line, he passed all but four. Shame the Belmont is not a mile-and-a-half.”
