The 2025 racing season has been a testament to the iron horse constitution of the brilliant colt Journalism. A multiple Grade 1 winner, he has proven himself a model of consistency at the highest level of the sport. His victories this year include a gutsy win in the Preakness Stakes, a commanding performance in the Haskell Stakes, and an early-season triumph in the Santa Anita Derby. He also demonstrated his grit with game second-place finishes in both the Kentucky Derby and the Belmont Stakes, making him the only horse to contest all three jewels of the Triple Crown this year.

After a hard-fought campaign of seven starts, his connections have set their sights on one final, crowning achievement: the $7 million Breeders’ Cup Classic. A victory at the world championships would not only burnish an already impressive resume but could also be the decisive factor in securing a Horse of the Year title. The central drama surrounding this final chapter was framed not in the racing form, but on X by journalist Brian Zipse. He replied to the post that showcased a list of prominent horses scheduled to retire to stud duty for the 2026 breeding season.

Among the names of champions with confirmed stallion contracts was Journalism, but beside his name was the stark acronym “TBC” – To Be Confirmed. Zipse quoted the horse’s connections, who stated, “‘A decision on Journalism will be made after the Breeders’ Cup.’” But the journalist appended a dose of sobering reality, born from years of observing the industry, writing, “I have been around racing enough to know the decision has already been made … I hope I am proven wrong!”

Journalism’s quest in the Classic is about more than just a trophy. He is attempting to join an elite group, striving to become only the fifth horse in history to have run in all three Triple Crown races and win the Breeders’ Cup Classic in the same year. A victory would place him alongside legends like his own sire, Curlin, who accomplished the feat in 2007, and American Pharoah in 2015.

However, the journey to this point has not been without recent upheaval. In a move that underscores the high-stakes pressure surrounding the event, Journalism’s regular jockey, Umberto Rispoli, who had piloted the colt in nine of his ten career starts, including the Preakness win, was recently replaced just two weeks before the Classic. The Italian jockey described the decision as feeling “like a body shot,” highlighting the intense personal and professional stakes involved for everyone connected to the horse.

Therefore, the result of the Breeders’ Cup Classic does more than just decide a championship; it will directly write the final line of Journalism’s track career. A loss or a predictable retirement would follow a well-trodden and commercially-driven script. However, a victory followed by a surprise announcement that Journalism will race as a four-year-old would create a seismic shift in the narrative. But chasing the victory at Del Mar won’t be a walk in the park for the horse.

Journalism’s biggest rival throughout the racing season

The rivalry between Journalism and Sovereignty really stole the show during the 2025 Thoroughbred racing season. It was a classic and ongoing clash that kept everyone hooked throughout all three legs of the Triple Crown and even after that. The competition kicked off at the Kentucky Derby, where Sovereignty, after a little stumble at the start, made an impressive stretch run to pass the favored Journalism and clinch the win by 1 1/2 lengths.

Journalism made a comeback to take the Preakness Stakes two weeks later, while Sovereignty’s team decided to sit this one out to give their colt some rest. So, this set the stage for an exciting rubber match at the Belmont Stakes. In a twist from their Derby finish, Sovereignty came out on top again, beating Journalism and taking a solid 2-1 lead in their head-to-head series.

Their different styles—Sovereignty as the strong finisher and Journalism as the tough competitor—made for an exciting story that carried into the latter part of the year. Both horses are set to lead the pack in the $7 million Breeders’ Cup Classic, where their ultimate face-off would determine not just the winner of the race, but maybe even the Horse of the Year title.