Napoleon Solo second in Grade 1 Haskell
Journalism, the winner of last year’s historic 150th edition of the Grade 1 Preakness Stakes at Pimlico, overcame a disastrously slow start to win Saturday’s Grade 2, $300,000 San Diego Handicap for 3-year-olds and up at Del Mar.
Reunited with jockey Umberto Rispoli, Journalism broke very poorly and raced last and widest as the field of five entered the first turn of the 1 1/16-mile San Diego.
Grade 1-placed Mirahmadi controlled the rated fractions of 23.34 and 47.47 seconds on the fast main track. He was challenged from the outside by Grade 1-placed The Cal Man and multiple Group 1 winner The Goat after six furlongs in 1:11.58.
Despite the rough start, Rispoli remained patient aboard odds-on Journalism, and they raced in the second flight, never too far off the leaders. They kicked for home from four wide, collared both The Cal Man and The Goat, grabbed the lead, and fended off a late challenge from multiple stakes-winner Shea Brennan to prevail by three-quarters of a length.
Journalism, the 125-lb highweight who conceded between five and nine pounds to his rivals, returned $2.40 to win.
After the Preakness, this Journalism has been anything but yellow, taking on the best of the best in his seven subsequent starts, winning the Grade 1 Haskell at Monmouth Park, and finishing on the board in such prestigious Grade 1 races as the Belmont Stakes at Saratoga, the Pacific Classic at Del Mar, and the Metropolitan Handicap at Saratoga.
Trained by Michael McCarthy for Bridlewood Farm, Coolmore, Don Alberto Stable, Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners, Elayne Stables 5, and Robert LaPenta, Journalism has won half of his 14 career races, earning $4,770,755.
The bay colt by 2007 Preakness winner Curlin is expected to next race in the Grade 1, $1,000,000 Pacific Classic Handicap at Del Mar on August 22.
*Napoleon Solo second in Grade 1 Haskell
Back on the East Coast, the 2026 Preakness winner, Napoleon Solo, gave a gallant effort, finishing second in the Grade 1 $1,000,000 Haskell Stakes for 3-year-olds at 1 1/8 miles on the Monmouth Park strip.
Making his first start since capturing the Preakness, held this year at Laurel Park while Pimlico Race Course is being rebuilt, Napoleon Solo broke to the lead under jockey Paco Lopez and set splits of 24.15 and 48.29 seconds while racing well off the inside.
Napoleon Solo took the inside pressure from Baby Vino on the second turn, and they raced six furlongs in 1:12.01. The two bumped turning into the stretch, with Baby Vino getting the better of Napoleon Solo by a half-length in 1:50.18 on a sealed, sloppy surface.
Iron Honor, the Preakness runner-up, finished third, 3 ½ lengths behind Napoleon Solo.
Napoleon Solo, who captured the Grade 1 Champagne Stakes at Aqueduct as a 2-year-old, is trained by Chad Summers for Espoir USA, which purchased Napoleon Solo from Al Gold’s Gold Square LLC following the Preakness. A son of Liam’s Map, Napoleon Solo has won three of six starts and earned $1,760,520.
