Tom Pedulla offers takeaways from the milestone 150th Preakness Stakes on Saturday at Pimlico Race Course and other major developments this weekend. Journalism’s triumph when all seemed lost represented one of the most dramatic editions of the middle jewel of the Triple Crown and provided a fitting close. Pimlico will be rebuilt after this, ushering in a new era for Maryland racing.

Emotional win for Michael McCarthy and his family. (Eclipse Sportswire)

EARLY SIGNS: Trainer Michael McCarthy sensed early in Preakness winner Journalism’s development that the son of two-time Horse of the Year Curlin might be special as he prepared him on the West Coast. “He was getting ready a little bit faster than your average 2-year-old,” McCarthy recalled. “We had to stop on him for some little aches and pains. When things got rolling, he was able to go ahead, annex three races in seven weeks, culminating in the Los Alamitos Futurity. I started thinking something like this. You certainly need the vehicle and we had it with him.”

MEANINGFUL TRIUMPH: Aron Wellman, who heads co-owner Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners, saw meaning beyond the result of a horse race in Journalism’s awesome display of athleticism and determination in the Preakness. “I just think that this victory symbolizes so much about life,” Wellman said. “It took guts for Michael McCarthy to make this call to come here. It took guts for [jockey] Umberto Rispoli to get sideswiped and threading the needle and power on through, and it took guts from an incredible horse to somehow will his way to victory.”

Gosger opened clear lead in Preakness stretch. (Eclipse Sportswire)

COMMENDABLE SECOND: Gosger was not on anyone’s list of top 3-year-olds when the season began. He did not break his maiden until Feb. 15 at Gulfstream Park. Handicappers still did not take much notice when he won the Stonestreet Lexington Stakes on April 12 at Keeneland. No one will dismiss him any more after he broke free from the pack and was barely caught late by Journalism in the Preakness. “I’m disappointed not to win it, but I’m not disappointed in the horse,” trainer Brendan Walsh said. “He ran a great race. He is an improving horse and he will improve off this. [Jockey Luis Saez] got off him and said, ‘This is a helluva horse.’ ” Gosger is named as a salute to former major league baseball player Jim Gosger, now 82.

OVER EARLY: Even though Goal Oriented was making only his third start in the Preakness, Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert thought he might be good enough to give him his record-extending ninth Preakness victory. Baffert had hoped his colt would break from the rail and rocket to the lead for jockey Flavien Prat. That did not happen for his eventual fourth-place finisher. “He didn’t get to run his race,” Baffert said, adding, “He ran well, but he is still green. He was not used to being behind horses and he got intimidated.” Baffert also was quick to praise victorious Journalism, calling him a “remarkable horse.”

Kentucky Derby winner Sovereignty. (Eclipse Sportswire)

TUNING UP: Sovereignty worked for the first time since his Kentucky Derby triumph, drilling a half-mile in :49.76 on the Oklahoma dirt training track Saturday at Saratoga Race Course. The Godolphin homebred posted splits of :12.88 seconds and :25.02 as he works toward the June 7 Belmont Stakes at Saratoga. Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott, who elected to skip the Preakness to devote all of the colt’s energies toward the Belmont, liked what he saw. “He had good energy and was willing to do more,” Mott said. Sovereignty edged Journalism by a length and a half in the Derby.