LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Brad Cox has witnessed a string of unforgettable stretch runs while winning two Eclipse Awards as the best trainer in horse racing.

On Saturday, like most racing fans, Cox watched the stretch run unfold at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore and could not process what he saw. In the final turn, jockey Umberto Rispoli knifed Preakness favorite Journalism through a gap too narrow for a Chihuahua to fit — Goal Oriented to his right, Clever Again to his left, trouble in every direction.

I've seen more room to run on goal-line stands. Elbows were exchanged. The front-running pack drifted away from the rail. For a second, it was reasonable to wonder if horses or jockeys would go down.

"(Rispoli) put him in a little bit of a tight spot, and, at that point, I thought it was over for him," Cox said.

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"I kind of took my eyes off of (Journalism) and started watching Brendan's horse (Gosger, trained by Brendan Walsh). It looked like he had a lead that would hold.

"Then I kind of put my eyes on Sandman, but he was leveling off.

"Then all of a sudden, Journalism reappeared. It was an amazing race. I watched it a couple times because I was amazed by what happened."

Wasn't everybody?

What happened was this: Journalism survived the bumping, steadied and crackled through the traffic to win the second leg of the Triple Crown by a half-length over Gosger.

It was the kind of performance that made you think Journalism is the best 3-year-old around, just like the wise guys said that he was before making him the Kentucky Derby favorite.

Except during the Kentucky Derby, Sovereignty spotted Journalism several lengths and then ran him down in a no-excuses performance at Churchill Downs.

Now, they should meet again June 7 at the Belmont Stakes at Saratoga (New York) Race Course. It's asterisk time. With Belmont Park in the second year of renovations, the third leg of the Triple Crown has been moved to Saratoga. Instead of the traditional Belmont mile-and-a-half, the contenders will race the Derby distance of a mile-and-a-quarter.

Without a Triple Crown in play because Sovereignty skipped the Preakness, this is the best scenario racing could have requested: Journalism gets his shot to prove he's the best colt in this crop of 3-year-olds. Sovereignty, who shipped to Saratoga from Louisville more than a week ago to prep for the Belmont, can silence the Journalism fan club again.

Remember: The Belmont telecast moves to Fox Sports and will air on WDRB. The Sovereignty/Journalism debate should rage until race time.

No reason to wait until June 7. Which horse will be favored?

"Probably Sovereignty, given the fact that they raced against each other," Cox said. "But it's going to be exciting to watch."

I didn't have to walk far on the Churchill Downs back side Monday morning to find a dissenting opinion. In 1990, Neil Howard trained Summer Squall, the 7-5 favorite in the Kentucky Derby.

His colt was outrun down the stretch by Unbridled, trained by Carl Nafzger. At 10-1, Unbridled won the Derby by 3 1/2 lengths.

They met again at Pimlico two weeks later. This time, Summer Squall prevailed by 2 1/4 lengths over the Derby winner. There was not a third meeting in New York. Summer Squall had a bleeding issue and skipped the Belmont.

"It's hard to say (who will be the Belmont favorite), but they might put a little more emphasis on Journalism after he got stopped like that and still came back to win the race," Howard said.

"I said to myself, 'What a shame! He's going to finish second and he should have won going away.'

"Those last five strides? I couldn't believe the acceleration. It was fantastic. He's a hell of an athlete. Hopefully, it's a fantastic Belmont."

Prior to the Derby, I shared the handicapping work of Casey Klein, who works in Lexington as an assistant to bloodstock agent David Ingordo and Joe Montano, a dedicated horseplayer who is the son of legendary Churchill trainer Angel Montano.

Both Klein and Montano picked Sovereignty over Journalism in the Derby.

Now?

"They'll make Journalism (the favorite) if he goes, but it should be Sovereignty based on how he continued on in the Derby and Journalism backed up," Klein said.

He also said Journalism will be racing for the fourth time since April 5 and his last three races were demanding.

And Montano?

"I hope all top four from the Derby run in the Belmont," he said. "Sovereignty should be favored since he beat them all in the Derby.

"I have a feeling, though, that Journalism picked up a bunch of fans with his performance in the Preakness and will be favored by the betting public. What a gutty race he ran.

"It could be best Belmont in years even though a Triple Crown will not be on the line."

"Journalism and Sovereignty are both very good," Cox said. "They're the two best out there. That's what I know."

Horse Racing Coverage:

Journalism wins the Preakness two weeks after finishing 2nd in the Kentucky Derby

BOZICH | Journalism isn't running from Preakness — or another crack at Sovereignty

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