We are hoping. That’s correct, we are hoping Preakness winner Journalism will come to the temporary home of the Belmont Stakes at Saratoga.
Journalism trainer Mike McCarthy laid out the same scenario as he did after the Kentucky Derby. He and the ownership group would see how their horse recovers from being bumped around at the Preakness, putting on an otherworldly finish to nip Gosger to snag the second leg of the Triple Crown.
McCarthy has two full weeks to evaluate instead of one from the Derby, because the official gate draw for the Belmont isn’t until Monday, June 2. Like the last time, McCarthy is not expected to announce a decision until Sunday, the day before. As horse racing fans, we would love to see the Derby and Preakness winners collide a second time, with one coming out on top, which only helps the sport, while setting up other possible races this summer or at the Breeders’ Cup.
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Reasons For Having the Two Triple Crown Winners Collide
As stated, having a quasi-match race would have a large appeal.
Only four times in the last two decades have separate winners of the Derby and Preakness met in the Belmont. Some might remember it happened last year with Mystik Dan (Derby) and Seize the Grey (Preakness).
Sovereignty will be at the Belmont, targeting this race after a strong finish at Churchill. He figures to be the betting favorite at the top-rated sportsbooks, having already beaten Journalism and being the fresher horse.
Though not a major point, because the Belmont Park track is being rebuilt, the length of the race is shorter. Traditionally, the Belmont Stakes is 1.5 miles, but that is impossible at Saratoga, where last year and again in 2025, the last Crown Jewel will be 1 1/4 miles, the same as the Derby.
Why Two Triple Crown Winners Won’t Collide
As we have talked about, thoroughbreds are not built the same as the Triple Crown champs from the 1970s.
From the business standpoint, having Sovereignty skip the trip to Baltimore made sense. In the past 24 years, 13 Belmont winners bypassed the Preakness after running on the first Saturday in May at Churchill. Conversely, only four Preakness winners in the same period won in New York three weeks later. Two were incredibly special in Triple Crown winners American Pharoah (2015) and Justify (2018). The other two are Afleet Alex (2005) and Point Given (2001), who also ran in the Derby.
Last year, the two Triple Crown winners, Mystik Dan and Seize the Grey were non-factors in the race, finishing eighth and seventh, respectively.
One final reason for Journalism to be held back is that, of the past 30 horses to run in all three major races, 25 had their poorest performance in the Belmont, including both Triple Crown champions.
Why The Belmont Remains Intriguing, With or Without Journalism
Chances are, Sovereignty won’t have a light work in Saratoga for the Belmont Stakes because Baeza, who finished third at the Derby, is expected in the field. He was a late entry in that race after a strong second-place finish in the Santa Anita Derby earlier to Journalism. Baeza will have no worse than the Top 3 odds on the morning line when they are released on June 2.
It looks like Rodriguez will make his Triple Crown debut after scratching at the Kentucky Derby and not being fully fit for the Preakness.
Hill Road previously won the Peter Pan Stakes, and trainer Chad Brown is well known for picking his spots with a horse he feels can win.
Make sure to watch for our official Belmont Stakes full preview with free picks as we hit both exactas in each race and a trifecta (Derby).
