The 150th running of the Preakness Stakes was weird. Honestly, it was one of those years where the "Middle Jewel" felt more like a fresh start than a second chapter. If you were looking for a Triple Crown bid, you were out of luck before the gates even opened at Pimlico.
Sovereignty, the horse that stunned everyone at Churchill Downs, decided to stay home. Well, not home—trainer Bill Mott pointed him toward the Belmont instead. That left a massive power vacuum. People kept asking what horses are in the Preakness if the Derby winner isn't there? It turns out, a nine-horse field of gritty contenders and one very determined favorite stepped into that gap.
The Journalism Redemption Story
Journalism was the horse everyone talked about. He entered the Kentucky Derby as the 7-2 favorite and ran a monster race, only to get nipped by Sovereignty in the mud. Coming into Baltimore, the betting public didn't hesitate. They hammered him down to 8-5 on the morning line.
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Michael McCarthy, the trainer who won this race back in 2021 with Rombauer, knew he had the class of the field. Journalism is a son of Curlin, and he has that "push-button" speed that jockeys love. Umberto Rispoli sat in the irons for the Preakness, breaking from the number two hole.
He didn't just win; he dominated. Journalism crossed the wire in 1:55.37, proving that his Derby performance wasn't a fluke. It’s kinda rare to see a Derby runner-up come back and look that much better two weeks later, but he did it.
The Rivals Who Showed Up
You’ve gotta respect the "new shooters"—the horses that skipped the Derby to wait for this specific 1 3/16-mile trip. But only three horses actually made the trip from Louisville to Baltimore. Journalism was one. The others? Sandman and American Promise.
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Sandman, trained by Mark Casse, had a rough go in the Derby, finishing seventh after getting stuck in traffic. In the Preakness, he broke from post seven and ran a much cleaner race to finish third. Then there was American Promise, the D. Wayne Lukas trainee. Lukas is a legend, having won this race seven times, but American Promise just didn't have the legs that day, finishing near the back after a tough 16th-place finish in the Derby.
The Full Field Breakdown
If you look at the lineup, it was a mix of seasoned veterans and intriguing long shots. Here is how they lined up at the start:
- Goal Oriented (6-1): The Bob Baffert entry. Baffert has won this race eight times, so you never ignore him. This colt was 2-for-2 coming in but found the step up in class a bit much, finishing fourth.
- Journalism (8-5): The winner and favorite.
- American Promise (15-1): The Lukas horse.
- Heart of Honor (12-1): The international traveler. Trained in the UK by Jamie Osborne and ridden by his daughter, Saffie Osborne. This was a cool story—he came over from Dubai after a second in the UAE Derby.
- Pay Billy (20-1): He earned his spot by winning the Federico Tesio at Laurel.
- River Thames (9-2): A Todd Pletcher horse. Pletcher is 0-for-10 in the Preakness, and that streak continued here.
- Sandman (4-1): The gray son of Tapit who eventually took home the show money.
- Clever Again (5-1): Sired by American Pharoah. Steve Asmussen had high hopes, but the horse finished last.
- Gosger (20-1): The shocker of the day.
Why Gosger Almost Ruined the Party
Let’s talk about Gosger. Basically, nobody gave this horse a chance. He was 20-1 on the board. He had won the Lexington Stakes at Keeneland, which is a nice race, but the experts thought he was outclassed.
Luis Saez rode a brilliant race, stalking the pace and surging late. He almost caught Journalism. If the race was ten yards longer, we might be talking about one of the biggest upsets in Preakness history. Gosger’s second-place finish at massive odds created a exacta payout that made a few bettors very happy.
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Tactical Reality at Pimlico
Pimlico is a tighter, "speed-favoring" track compared to the sprawling grounds of Churchill Downs. That’s why the question of what horses are in the Preakness usually matters more for their running style than their pedigree.
Clever Again was supposed to be the "speed," but he faded fast. Heart of Honor tried to stay close but couldn't handle the kick from the Americans. Journalism won because he was versatile. He didn't need the lead; he just needed a clear path. When Rispoli asked him to go at the top of the stretch, the response was immediate.
The Missing Piece: Sovereignty
We can't talk about this field without mentioning the horse that wasn't there. Bill Mott’s decision to skip the Preakness with Sovereignty was polarizing. Some fans felt cheated out of a Triple Crown attempt.
But Mott is a Hall of Famer for a reason. He saw a horse that needed rest after a grueling Derby win in the mud. By skipping Baltimore, Sovereignty stayed fresh for a showdown in the Belmont. It changed the entire dynamic of the Preakness, turning it into a "wide open" race rather than a coronation.
Actionable Betting Insights for Future Triple Crown Races
If you’re looking at these horses for future stakes, keep a few things in mind.
- Watch the "New Shooters": Historically, horses that skip the Derby to run in the Preakness have a massive advantage in terms of energy. Even though Journalism won this year, Gosger’s second-place run proves that fresh legs are dangerous.
- The Baffert Factor: Never assume a Bob Baffert horse is "just an entry." Even though Goal Oriented finished fourth, Baffert’s record at Pimlico is statistically insane.
- Pedigree vs. Track: Horses sired by Tapit (like Sandman) or Curlin (like Journalism) generally handle the distance and the dirt surface at Pimlico better than horses bred for turf or shorter sprints.
- The Two-Week Turnaround: It is the hardest thing in sports. Only the truly elite 3-year-olds can run at 100% capacity just fourteen days after the Kentucky Derby. Journalism is clearly in that elite tier.
The 2025 Preakness was a reminder that in horse racing, the "best" horse on paper doesn't always have an easy path, but class usually finds a way to the front. Journalism entered as the horse to beat, and he left as a classic winner, cementing his place in the history books alongside legends like Secretariat and California Chrome.
To stay ahead of the next big race, track the Equibase speed figures of these top three finishers—Journalism, Gosger, and Sandman—as they head toward the summer season at Saratoga. Their performances at Pimlico suggest they will be the ones to beat in the Travers Stakes later this year.
Next Step: Review the official Equibase charts for the Preakness Stakes to see the individual fractional times for each horse, especially Gosger's late-stretch splits, which were the fastest in the field.