Brought to you by AmWager
Journalism writes up a win in the San Felipe (Ernie Belmonte/Past The Wire)
Santa Anita Press Box
ARCADIA, Calif. — Journalism, widely considered the early favorite for this year’s Kentucky Derby, and last year’s champion juvenile colt Citizen Bull will meet for the first time Saturday in the 88th running of the Grade I, $500,000 Santa Anita Derby going 1 1/8 miles at The Great Race Place.
Journalism jumped to the top of this year’s 3-year-old division via a scintillating win in the GII San Felipe Stakes going 1 1/16 miles on March 1 at Santa Anita. Trained by Michael McCarthy, Journalism scored by 1 ¾ lengths in the San Felipe after running down another highly regarded 3-year-old, Barnes, who is also entered back in the Santa Anita Derby. The win by Journalism earned a lofty 108 Beyer Speed Figure, which is the highest recorded by an active 3-year-old this year.
Journalism is by Curlin out of Mopotism, a graded stakes winning daughter of Uncle Mo. Bred by Don Alberto Stable, Journalism was sold at auction as a yearling for $825,000 to Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners. He is campaigned by the partnership of Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners, Don Alberto Stable, Bridlewood Farm, Elayne Stables 5 LLC and Robert V. LaPenta.
Prior to the San Felipe, Journalism closed out his juvenile campaign with a win in the GII Los Alamitos Futurity in December. He sports an overall record of 4: 3-0-1 with $338,880 in earnings. In the most recent Kentucky Derby Future Wager, Journalism closed as the 5-1 favorite to win this year’s Run for the Roses.
Journalism will be ridden by Umberto Rispoli, who was also aboard for both of his stakes wins. Rispoli previously won the Santa Anita Derby in 2021 with Rock Your World. Journalism and Rispoli will try and provide McCarthy with his first win in the Santa Anita Derby.
Citizen Bull, trained by Hall of Famer Bob Baffert, was crowned last year’s 2-year-old male champion following a campaign that included wins in the GI American Pharoah at Santa Anita and Breeders’ Cup Juvenile at Del Mar. In his only start this year, Citizen Bull went gate-to-wire winning the GIII Robert B. Lewis going a mile at Santa Anita on Feb. 1.
Citizen Bull is by Into Mischief out of the unraced Distorted Humor mare No Joke. He was purchased at auction as a yearling for $675,000 by SF Racing, Starlight Racing and Madaket Stables, who campaign the colt with several partners.
Citizen Bull has a record of 5: 4-0-1 with $1,421,000 in earnings. He will have regular rider Martin Garcia in the irons. Garcia won the 2015 Santa Anita Derby with Baffert-trained Dortmund.
Baffert, who is seeking a record-extending 10th win in the Santa Anita Derby, also trains Barnes. In the San Felipe, Barnes was making his first start beyond seven furlongs. He set the pace that day and led inside the final furlong before being overhauled late by Journalism. It is Barnes’s only loss in three starts. Previously, he won his debut in August at Churchill Downs and the GII San Vicente in January at Santa Anita.
Barnes is by Into Mischief out of the American Pharoah mare All American Dream. As a yearling, he was purchased at auction for $3.2 million by owner Zedan Racing. He will be ridden by Juan Hernandez, who has never won the Santa Anita Derby.
Trainer John Shirreffs entered both Baeza and Westwood, who is a three-start maiden.
Baeza served notice on Feb. 14 at Santa Anita when rolling to a 4 ½ length maiden win going a mile. A $1.2 million auction buy as a yearling, Baeza is by McKinzie out of the Big Brown mare Puca, which makes him a half brother to 2023 Kentucky Derby winner Mage and 2024 Belmont Stakes winner Dornoch. He is owned by C R K Stable and breeder Grandview Equine.
Baeza is 3: 1-1-0 with $48,500 in earnings. He will be ridden by Hector Berrios, who was also aboard for his maiden win. Shirreffs is seeking his fourth win in the Santa Anita Derby.
The Santa Anita Derby, which serves as an official qualifier for the Kentucky Derby, is part of a grandiose day of world-class racing and entertainment Saturday at Santa Anita. Also to be run as part of a 12-race program is the GII Fasig-Tipton Santa Anita Oaks, GIII Monrovia Stakes presented by Don Julio, and both the Echo Eddie Stakes and Evening Jewel Stakes for horses bred or sired in California.
THE GI SANTA ANITA DERBY WITH JOCKEYS & WEIGHTS IN POST POSITION ORDER
Race 10 of 12 Approximate post time 4:30 p.m. PT
- Journalism—Umberto Rispoli—124
- Citizen Bull—Martin Garcia—124
- Westwood—Tiago Pereira—124
- Barnes—Juan Hernandez—124
- Baeza—Hector Berrios—124
First post Saturday is 12 p.m. PT. Admission gates open at 10 a.m.
