Journalism gets the scoop in Los Alamitos Futurity

Dec 14, 2024 Kellie Reilly/Brisnet.com

Journalism wasn’t initially nominated to Saturday’s $200,000 Los Alamitos Futurity (G2), but trainer Michael McCarthy believed that it was worth supplementing the progressive colt. His connections were rewarded when the recent maiden winner toppled Bob Baffert’s duo of Getaway Car and 1-2 favorite Gaming in his debut on the Road to the Kentucky Derby.

Gaming and Getaway Car, respectively second and fourth in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1), are also graded stakes winners themselves. While Getaway Car’s star has dimmed since his victory in the Best Pal (G3) over the summer, Gaming was convincing in the Del Mar Futurity (G1) before his runner-up effort in the Juvenile. Moreover, Baffert has won this race (including its predecessors) a record 14 times, and Gaming appeared well qualified to present him number 15.

In contrast, Journalism was stepping up in class from his Nov. 17 maiden score at Del Mar. Yet the expensive son of Hall of Famer Curlin and accomplished racemare Mopotism proved much the best at Los Alamitos.

Co-owned by Bridlewood Farm, breeder Don Alberto Stable, Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners, Elayne Stables 5, and Robert V. LaPenta, Journalism took up a more prominent early position than he had in his previous races. As soon as the bay broke from the outside post 5, jockey Umberto Rispoli asked him to get involved, and he tracked the pacesetting Getaway Car throughout.

Gaming, who wasn’t as sharp from his rail post, soon advanced into second on the inside of Journalism. Backers of the odds-on favorite had cause for concern, as Gaming wasn’t traveling as enthusiastically as stablemate Getaway Car leaving the far turn. It was soon clear that Baffert’s hopes of extending his record rested only on Getaway Car.

But Journalism was just beginning to go through his gears. Briefly outpaced on the turn, the 2.80-1 second choice regained momentum in the stretch and overpowered the longtime leader. Journalism rolled by three lengths while finishing 1 1/16 miles in 1:43.04.

JOURNALISM (Curlin), a 2-year-old son of GSW Mopotism, runs away with the GII Los Alamitos Futurity! @losalracing pic.twitter.com/6yLTstghbn

— TDN (@theTDN) December 15, 2024

Journalism, who returned $7.60, joins the Derby leaderboard with 10 points. Getaway Car, a fellow Curlin colt, completed the exacta for their sire and added five points for an overall tally of 16. Gaming crossed the wire another three lengths adrift in third, good for three points, and he now has 18 in all. Rank was a distant fourth (two points), and Baffert’s longshot Mellencamp trailed in fifth (one point).

Kentucky-bred Journalism was sold for $825,000 as a Fasig-Tipton Saratoga yearling. He sports a mark of 3-2-0-1, $158,880. A closing third in his premiere sprinting six furlongs at Santa Anita, Journalism broke his maiden impressively on the stretch-out to a mile, and he moved forward again here.

Journalism is out of 2017 Kentucky Oaks (G1) also-ran Mopotism, who scored her signature win in the 2018 La Canada (G2) at Santa Anita. The daughter of Uncle Mo placed in 10 graded stakes including the 2016 Starlet (G1), 2017 La Brea (G1), 2018 Santa Margarita (G1), and 2019 Ogden Phipps (G1).