Journalism emerged victorious in the $500,000 Santa Anita Derby, edging out his competition by three-quarters of a length on Saturday, effectively positioning himself as the frontrunner for the Kentucky Derby. Meanwhile, the duo trained by Bob Baffert completed the race in fourth and fifth place respectively, during this significant West Coast preparatory race.
On the other side of the country, Baffert found success as Rodriguez took an early lead and maintained it to win the $750,000 Wood Memorial by 3 1/2 lengths. This victory secured enough points to earn a spot in the 20-horse lineup for the Kentucky Derby.
With this win, Journalism cemented his role as the favorite for the 151st running of the Derby set for May 3. He overcame early challenges to surpass Citizen Bull, last year’s 2-year-old champion, marking his fourth consecutive triumph.
Winning co-owner Aron Wellman commented on Journalism’s performance, saying, “The battles are over. Now we’re going to war.” Journalism faced hurdles at the seven-sixteenths pole, getting caught behind Westwood and bumping with Barnes, before clearing the path to go three-wide into the stretch, witnessed by the Santa Anita crowd of 34,312.
Trainer Michael McCarthy expressed satisfaction with Journalism’s performance in the limited field, stating, “If he can’t do it against five, he’s going to have an awfully hard time doing it against 20.” With Umberto Rispoli as his rider, Journalism covered the 1 1/8 miles in 1:49.56 and paid $4 on a $2 bet as the even-money favorite.
“Glad that he got the education he did today,” Wellman remarked, noting the experience gained despite the small field. Baeza finished second, while 40-1 long shot Westwood clinched third, both trained by John Shirreffs.
Citizen Bull and Barnes, both from Baffert’s stable, came in fourth and last, respectively. Despite the outcome, Baffert maintains optimism, stating, “We’re not raising the white flag yet.” Addressing Citizen Bull’s performance, Baffert added, “It’s demanding and he was blowing pretty good. We’ll make sure he comes back well.”
Barnes is now considered out of contention for the Derby due to insufficient points. Reflecting on Barnes’ race, Baffert said, “We’ll just have to regroup. We didn’t see the right Barnes today.”
In New York, Rodriguez broke quickly from the rail, covering the 1 1/8 miles on a fast track in 1:48.15 under Hall of Famer Mike Smith, amidst light rain and 45-degree temperatures. This win secured 100 qualifying derby points, potentially allowing Baffert three entrants as he seeks a record-setting seventh victory following a three-year race ban.
Baffert strategically sent Rodriguez to the East Coast to divide his contenders. Entered at 7-2 odds, Rodriguez paid $9.30 to win the 100th edition of the Wood Memorial, standing as a descendant of 2020 Kentucky Derby victor, Authentic.
Smith, previously a Kentucky Derby winner, commented on his ride, “He just wants to be left alone.” At 59, Smith aims to become the oldest jockey to win the Derby, possibly linking him to Rodriguez’s debut since 2022, contingent on owner and trainer decisions.
Grande, trained by Todd Pletcher, earned second place, advancing from zero to 50 derby points, furthering Mike Repole’s opportunity as he seeks his first Derby win. Passion Rules secured third place, with Captain Cook, the 9-5 favorite, in fourth, under the training of Rick Dutrow, who returns to the Derby scene after 2010.
The Blue Grass Stakes at Keeneland, carrying a $1.25 million purse, has been rescheduled for Tuesday due to heavy rainfall and flooding risks in the region. Both this race and the Lexington Stakes on April 12 are the final preparatory competitions leading up to the Derby season.