Journalism embodied an owner’s dream: a multiple Grade 1 winner who finished outside the top three just once, captured seven of 14 starts, and amassed earnings exceeding $4.7 million. His lone subpar performance came in a fourth-place finish in the 2025 Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1).
Coolmore America and the colt’s ownership group announced Friday that the 4-year-old son of Curlin is being retired due to an undisclosed injury sustained leaving the starting gate on July 18 in the San Diego Handicap (G2) at Del Mar.
Despite spotting the field five or six lengths at the break, Journalism recovered to unleash his signature closing kick, circling the field to win by three-quarters of a length as the heavy 1-5 favorite.
“What Journalism did at Del Mar was the mark of a true champion,” trainer Michael McCarthy said. “To suffer an injury in the gate, give away that much ground, and still win purely on heart and class tells you everything you need to know about him. While it’s tough to see his racing career end this way, protecting him is our top priority, and he goes to stud at the top of his game.”
His remarkable rally in his final start echoed his most compelling victory, the 2025 Preakness Stakes (G1) at Pimlico. That day, Journalism appeared hopelessly bottled up in midstretch before forcing his way clear. At the eighth pole, he still faced a five-length deficit to longshot Gosger, yet he surged to win by a half-length.
“Even though he dazzled us on many occasions, never were all those qualities on display more than in his unforgettable Preakness triumph,” said co-owner Aron Wellman of Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners. “He gave us the ride of a lifetime.”
Journalism was an exceptionally talented horse, yet his legacy is also defined by narrow defeats to elite rivals. He finished second to Sovereignty in both the Kentucky Derby (G1) and Belmont Stakes (G1), and to international star Forever Young in the Breeders’ Cup Classic. Those results reflect the lofty expectations he carried; his only shortcoming was an inability to conquer the very best horses he faced.
His Grade 1 resume also includes victories in the 2024 Haskell Stakes at Monmouth Park and the Santa Anita Derby.
Journalism will begin his stallion career next spring at Ashford Stud in Versailles, Kentucky, with a breeding fee to be announced later.
“He is an outstanding physical specimen with a world-class pedigree, and we are thrilled to welcome him to Ashford,” executive Charlie O’Connor said. “We firmly believe he has all the qualities to become a top-tier sire.”