Kentucky Derby runner-up Journalism put up an amazing performance to win the Preakness Stakes on Saturday, surviving a serious incident at the two-furlong pole before running on strongly to score by half a length.

Ridden by Italian-born Umberto Rispoli and trained by Michael McCarthy, Journalism was the 10/11 favourite to win the second leg of the US Triple Crown and he held a good spot on the inside for most of the race, just behind the leaders.

Journalism was still only sixth rounding the final bend and been ridden along as, up front, Gosger took over from Clever Again.

But the favourite got a dream run through on the inside and was soon third entering the home stretch. As Rispoli tried to edge out from the rail to avoid the weakening Clever Again, Goal Oriented and jockey Flavien Prat appeared to move in and try to close the gap.

For a moment the incident threatened to bring down Journalism or Clever Again, and it left Gosger four lengths clear with a furlong and a half to run.

However, Journalism recovered his stride and stayed on strongly to catch Gosger in the closing stages. Sandman was third and Goal Oriented was fourth.

The Jamie Osborne-trained Heart Of Honor was a step slow out of the gates and was soon struggling but ran on late to grab fifth spot.

The winner is a son of Curlin and he was sold for $825,000 at the Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Yearling Sale. His breeder Don Alberto Stable retains a share in the colt, who is also part-owned by Coolmore.

A Grade 2 winner last December, Journalism won the Grade 2 San Felipe Stakes and the Grade 1 Santa Anita Derby on his way to the Derby where he looked the likely winner before being run down late by Sovereignty.

The stage is now set for a rematch between Sovereignty and Journalism in the Belmont Stakes over a mile and a quarter at Saratoga on June 7th.

Journalism's dam Mopotism (by Uncle Mo) was a Grade 2 winner at Santa Anita and raced 24 times in her career. Her yearling by Tapit sold for $1.5 million at Saratoga last August.