Talented Trio Brings California Vibe to Belmont Stakes

The challenges for California racing have been well documented as the state attempts to offer strong purses and maintain field size while competing for horses with states that receive purse funding from added gaming. This year's Belmont Stakes (G1) serves as the latest reminder that those California issues do not include the quality of runners on the track. Top horses most assuredly are still being trained in California, especially when it comes to classic-type dirt horses. Three of the eight runners entered in this year's Belmont June 7 at Saratoga Race Course are based in Southern California. Each horse appears to be a major player as the accomplished trio of Journalism, Baeza, and Rodriguez are three of the top four choices on the morning line. Journalism, 8-5 on the morning line, finished second in the Kentucky Derby (G1) and enters off a hair-raising victory in the Preakness Stakes (G1) in which he powered through rivals in the stretch to catch Gosger just before the wire and win by a half-length going away. Journalism, who matched his sire Curlin as a Preakness winner, entered the Triple Crown off a victory in the Santa Anita Derby (G1). Lightly raced Baeza, 4-1, finished second to Journalism in the Santa Anita Derby before finishing third in the Kentucky Derby—making the field off the also-eligible list. Baeza found himself on that Derby also-eligible list as the Santa Anita Derby marked his only start in a Road to the Kentucky Derby points race and his second-place finish there did not yield the typical 50 qualifying points because a new Churchill Downs rule that reduced qualifying points for prep races with small field sizes. Rodriguez, 6-1, will have his rivals' attention Saturday after his gate-to-wire victory in the Wood Memorial Stakes (G2). The son of front-running 2020 Kentucky Derby winner Authentic will make his classic debut after a foot issue kept him out of the Kentucky Derby and Preakness. Journalism is conditioned by Mike McCarthy for owners Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners, Bridlewood Farm, breeder Don Alberto Stable, Robert V. LaPenta, Elayne Stables Five, Susan Magnier, Michael Tabor, and Derrick Smith. McCarthy grew up near Santa Anita Park but had served as an assistant to Todd Pletcher in the Midwest and New York before making his way back to Southern California. "California speaks for itself," McCarthy said. "I would say our best horses in California continue to be equally as effective anywhere in the country. "Look, our purses may not be quite as competitive as they are in Kentucky and on the Eastern Seaboard, but from a quality standpoint, from a racehorse standpoint, they're as good as you'll find anywhere." McCarthy noted that the continued emphasis on early speed in California continues to translate well toward competing in dirt races anywhere else in the world. John Shirreffs, trainer of Baeza, who is campaigned by C R K Stable and breeder Grandview Equine, said while he understands the growth of turf racing, the sport needs to continue to promote dirt racing, which brings in so many fans each year to watch the Triple Crown races. "The most exciting dirt racing is so dynamic compared to turf racing," Shirreffs said. "In turf racing you have the sprint the last quarter, right? With dirt racing, you have pace, you have speed, you have closers. So I don't understand why these racing offices don't encourage more dirt racing." Shirreffs said California remains a top location to train a horse and noted that it shows in the number of quality of horses there, especially as a percentage, considering it doesn't have as many horses as some other states. Trainers can count on nice weather and they don't have to relocate the barn to other states in winter as Southern California offers maiden, allowance, and graded stakes year-round. "California does not get enough credit," Shirreffs said. "Everybody seems to be extremely critical of California, and I don't understand that at all because we have fantastic weather year-round. Weather is not a factor in training there. Weather is our big advantage, because we don't lose a lot of time with horses. That's especially important for a young horse." Of course the two most recent Triple Crown winners each were based in Southern California with trainer Bob Baffert, who secured his second and third Belmont wins when American Pharoah completed his sweep in 2015 and Justify matched that accomplishment in 2018. He'll go for a fourth Belmont Stakes victory Saturday with the speedy Rodriguez. Baffert noted that because travel to other jurisdictions is difficult geographically speaking, top California-based horses tend to stay put—making the competition in Southern California intense. They sharpen each other for anywhere else they might take their game, like top college athletes. "I mean, we're like the SEC," Baffert said. "It's always tough out there. We can't skip out of town and go to different little tracks around. We're there together." And on Saturday three of them will be together in the Belmont Stakes starting gate. Byron King contributed to this story.