Equine excellence

Joan “Meda” Murphy, a trainer at Bridlewood Farm, is shown with farm manager George Isaacs at the historic Maron County thoroughbred venue. [File photo by Bruce Ackerman]

With Sovereignty and Journalism’s 1-2 finish in the 157th Belmont Stakes on June 7 at Saratoga Race Course, the Ocala-based Bridlewood Farm early training graduates made it a sweep of the 2025 Triple Crown races.

Sovereignty and Journalism also finished first and second in the Kentucky Derby on May 3 at Churchill Downs. Journalism, who is co-owned by Bridlewood Farm, won the Preakness Stakes, the second jewel of the Triple Crown series, on May 17 at Pimlico Race Course.

Sovereignty, owned by international racing entity Godolphin and trained by Bill Mott, skipped the Preakness Stakes. In doing so, he became the first horse to win the Kentucky Derby, not run in the Preakness Stakes and then win the Belmont Stakes. Sovereignty won the Belmont Stakes by three lengths, in 2:00.69 for the mile-and-a-quarter race. The victory brought Sovereignty’s earnings this season to $4,729,520.

Journalism earned the distinction of being the only horse to compete in all three Triple Crown races this year. Purchased for $825,000 as a yearling at the 2023 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga August sale, Journalism is co-owned by the partnership of Bridlewood Farm, Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners, Don Alberto Stable, Robert V. LaPenta, Elayne Stables 5 LLC, Mrs. John Magnier, Michael B. Tabor and Derrick Smith.

As is the case with most partnerships, each co-owner’s racing silks are rotated race by race. Journalism won the Preakness Stakes wearing John and Leslie Malone’s Bridlewood Farm silks. He ran second in the Kentucky Derby in the Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners silks and second in the Belmont Stakes with Robert LaPenta’s silks. Trained by Michael W. McCarthy, Journalism has to date a seasonal bankroll of $3,040,000.

Sovereignty and Journalism are just two of the latest successful racehorses to emerge from Bridlewood Farm’s training operation. Among the other notable Bridlewood Farm training graduates are Smarty Jones (2004 Kentucky Derby winner), Tapwrit (2017 Belmont Stakes winner), Gun Runner (2017 North American Horse of the Year) and Cody’s Wish (2023 North American Horse of the Year).

Tapwrit raced for the partnership of Bridlewood Farm, Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners and Robert LaPenta. Under the guidance of Joan “Meda” Murphy, some 200 head of young horses receive their early training during peak fall season at Bridlewood Farm.

Founded in 1976 by the late Arthur and Martha Appleton, the farm has been a stalwart in the Florida Thoroughbred industry. Named the 1991 Florida Breeder of the Year, Appleton bred more than 100 stakes winners and seven Florida-bred millionaires. Also an art collector, Appleton and his sister Edith-Marie Appleton established the Appleton Museum of Art in Ocala in 1987.

Appleton, who was preceded in death by Martha in 1998, died on Jan. 15, 2008. Bridlewood Farm was then operated by The Appleton Family Trust until John and Leslie Malone purchased it in 2013. Under the stewardship of the Malones and General Manager George Isaacs, Bridlewood Farm has grown to more than 2,200 acres while continuing to be a prominent breeding, training and racing operation.

To learn more, go to bridlewoodfarm.com