Michael McCarthy, trainer of Preakness Stakes (G1) winner Journalism, said the son of Curl will return to his Santa Anita Park in the shed in mid-January, hoping to get six or seven works in before starting his four-year campaign in mid-to-late March.
“We’re going to make sure we get six or seven works into him and then chart a path,” McCarthy said by phone on Dec. 29. “And that would put everything into play from mid to late March.”
That timetable works quite well for entry into the $12 million Dubai World Cup (G1) on March 28 at Meydan Racecourse, a 1 ¼ mile test that Godolphin’s Sovereignty, who will also resume training in January, is also expected to focus on if his training goes well.
“Dubai is an opportunity we are thinking about,” McCarthy said.
Sovereignty and Journalism met twice last year, with Sovereignty winning the Kentucky Derby (G1) and Belmont Stakes (G1) and Journalism finishing second both times.
They were expected to compete in the Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1). Seabut the sovereignty was scratched a few days before the race due to fever.
Journalism, a $4.3 million earner, finished fourth in the Nov. 1 Classic. It was the first time in eleven career starts that he finished worse than third place.
Owned by Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners, Bridlewood Farm, Robert LaPenta, breeders Don Alberto Stable, Elayne Stables Five and partners associated with John Magnier’s Coolmore, Journalism has captured a trio of Class 1 races this year: the Santa Anita Derby, Preakness and Haskell stakes.
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