Sovereignty Comes on Late in Kentucky Derby 151
Caps Off Oaks-Derby Double for Godolphin and the Stable's First Derby Win
By Dick Downey
@DowneyProfile
Photo by Coady Photography
Posted May 3, 2025
Sovereignty closed from far back in a 19-horse field to win the Kentucky Derby on a rain-soaked track at Churchill Downs.
Junior Alvarado worked out a good trip for the son of Into Mischief after sitting out Sovereignty's Florida Derby with an injury. It was the jockey's first Kentucky Derby win. His best prior finish came on Mohaymen when he was fourth in 2016.
Sent off at 7-1 odds after sitting at 9-1 for most of the last two days, Sovereignty paid $17.96 to win, $7.50 to place and $5.58 to show.
The race opened with Citizen Bull setting quick fractions from post 1 through the backstretch of 22.81 for the opening quarter-mile, 46.23 for the half, and 1:10.78 after six furlongs. Neoequos, American Promise and Owen Almighty were closest in attendance at all three calls while Journalism and Sovereignty sat back in 10th and 16th, 8 1/4 and 13 1/2 lengths off the lead, respectively, at the second call. By the time the field approached the far turn Journalism was 11th and Sovereignty 17th, almost 10 lengths from the front-runner.
Both horses made monster moves around the turn. At the top of the stretch, Owen Almighty led briefly with Neoequos a head back in second before Journalism blew past both longshots with Sovereignty advancing to his outside. Favored Journalism seized the lead in upper stretch but Sovereignty was launching his final bid and led with one furlong remaining before prevailing by 1/12 lengths. Baeza also ran well through the lane to finish third, a neck back of Journalism, after being in 15th position after the first half-mile and 12th after six furlongs.
Godolphin doubled up as breeder and owner of Friday's Kentucky Oaks winner, Good Cheer, and Sovereignty. It was Godolphin's first garland of roses after more than 30 years of trying and starters in 13 runnings. The powerhouse stable's best finishes had been with its ownership of Arazi (8th in 1992) and as owner-breeder of Frosted (4th in 2015) and Essential Quality (3rd in 2021).
A total of 66 horses bred by their owner have won the Kentucky Derby. The last was Mystik Dan, last year's victor. Thirteen of of the last 21 Derby winners were homebreds.
Into Mischief, Sovereignty's sire, collected a third Kentucky Derby from his progeny. The other two winners were 2020 winner Authentic and Mandaloun, who was adjudicated first in 2021 after stewards disqualified Medina Spirit for a medication infraction. Into Mischief joins Virgil, Falsetto, Sir Gallahad III (Fr) and Bull Lea as a record three-time Kentucky Derby-winning sire.
It was the first outright Derby win for trainer Bill Mott. In 2019 his trainee Country House was elevated to first after stewards disqualified the 1 3/4-length winner, Maximum Security, for interference at the top of the stretch.
Today Sovereignty returned to the scene of his last-to-first win of the G3 Street Sense Stakes in late October. After taking the winter off, Sovereignty again showed a devastating turn of foot when he won the G2 Fountain of Youth Stakes at Gulfstream Park. Sovereignty came into the Derby off a second-place finish on March 29 behind Tappan Street in the G1 Florida Derby, which has produced 25 Kentucky Derby winners, 15 of whom won both races.
The victory was worth $3.1 million and increased Sovereignty’s earnings to $3,672,800 with a record of 6-3-2-0.
Mott had Sovereignty shipped to Churchill Downs on April 16. The colt took up residence in barn 19, where he will greet the media Sunday morning.
KENTUCKY DERBY CHART FROM EQUIBASE
2025 KENTUCKY DERBY FACTS, FIGURES and TRIVIA; JOCKEY AND TRAINER QUOTES
Winning Connections and Other Facts about Sovereignty
Morning line: 5-1
Final odds: 7-1
Derby number: 18
Derby Points: 110
Earnings prior to the Derby: $572,800
Jockey: Junior Alvarado
Trainer: William I. Mott
Owner: Godolphin, LLC
Breeder: Godolphin
Sire (Sire’s Sire, Dam): Into Mischief (Harlan's Holiday, Leslie's Lady)
Dam (Dam’s Sire, Dam): Crowned (Bernardini, Mushka)
Dosage Profile (Points) Index: 2-3-3-0-0 (8) 4.33
Foal Date: Feb. 22, 2022
Bred: Kentucky
The Top Five Finishers
1. Sovereignty
2. Journalism
3. Baeza
4. Final Gambit
5. Owen Almighty
Winning Time: 2:02.31
Track: Sloppy
Race Fractions
Citizen Bull led at the first three calls with splits of 22.81, 46.23 and 1:10.78. Owen Almighty was briefly in charge after a mile in 1:36.84. Sovereignty led with nine furlongs in 1:49.60. The winning time was 2:02.31.
Winner's Internal Fractions
Sovereignty's internal fractions were 12.91 (16th), 24.19 (16th), 35.80 (16th), 48.15 (16th), 1:00.30 (16th), 1:12.46 (17th), 1:24.56 (11th), 1:37.11 (4th), 1:49.60 (1st). He ran the final quarter-mile in 25.20 seconds.
Winning Lengths
Sovereignty won by 1 1/2 lengths over Journalism, who was a neck ahead of Baeza. Final Gambit was another 2 1/2 lengths back in fourth after running last early. The top four finishers all closed from far off the pace. Sandman, another accomplished closer, was one placement ahead of Final Gambit in the early going.
Purse
$5,000,000. First $3,100,000; second $1,000,000; third $500,000; fourth $250,000; fifth $150,000.
Win-Place-Show Payoffs
Sovereignty 17.96 7.50 5.58
Journalism 4.94 3.70
Baeza 8.38
Miscellaneous Other Payoffs
$1 Oaks-Derby Double: $15.78
$2 Exacta: $48.32
50 cent Trifecta $115.56
$1 Superfecta $1,682.27
50 cent Pick 3: $64.16
50 cent Pick 4: $236.39
50 cent Pick 5: $1,504.44
20 cent Pick 6: $2,062.47
$1.00 Daily Double: $26.96
Future Pool 1: $47.28
Sire Pool: $11.40
Future Pool 2: $41.42
Future Pool 3: $45.16
Future Pool 4: $37.90
Future Pool 5: $16.64
Future Pool 6: 21.40
Order of finish, beaten lengths
1. Sovereignty
2. Journalism, 1 1/2 lengths
3. Baeza, 1 3/4
4. Final Gambit, 4 1/4
5. Owen Almighty, 9
6. Burnham Square, 10 1/2
7. Sandman, 12 1/2
8. East Avenue, 13 1/4
9. Chunk of Gold, 15 3/4
10. Tiztastic, 16 1/2
11. Coal Battle, 17
12. Luxor Cafe, 18 3/4
13. Neoequos, 27
14. Publisher, 32 1/4
15. Citizen Bull, 33 1/2
16. American Promise, 38 1/2
17. Render Judgment, 39 3/4
18. Flying Mohawk, 42 1/4
19. Admire Daytona, 54 3/4
SCRATCHES: Rodriguez, Grande
Announced Attendance
2025: 147,406
2024: 156,710
2023: 150,325
2022: 147,294
2021: 51,838
2020: Spectators not allowed
2019: 150,729
2018: 157,813
2017: 158,070
2016: 167,227, second highest
2015: 170,513, a record
2014: 164,906
2013: 151,616
2012: 165,307
2011: 164,858
2010: 155,804
2009: 153,563
2008: 157,770
2007: 156,635
2006: 157,536
TRIVIA
Winner Placement, Lengths from Pace
First quarter-mile: 16th, 9 1/4 lengths off the pace; second quarter-mile: 16th, 13 1/2 lengths; third quarter-mile: 17th, 9 3/4 lengths; fourth quarter-mile: fourth by 1; quarter-pole: led by a head; finish: led by 1 1/2.
Battle of the Asmussen horses
Tiztastic was 10th, beating 14th place Publisher by 15 3/4 lengths.
Best, Worst in Proportion to Odds
Best finish of a low-odds horse: Favored Journalism was second at 3.42-1 odds. Sovereignty went off as the 7.98-1 third choice.
Worst finish of a low-odds horse: Sandman finished seventh at 5.77-1 odds.
Best finish of a high-odds horse: Baeza was third at 13.86-1 odds.
Worst finish of a high-odds horse: Admire Daytona was last at 42.85-1 odds.
Show Bet in the Derby
At 7-1 odds, Sovereignty paid $5.58
At 7-2 odds, Journalism paid $3.70
At 13-1 odds, Baeza paid $8.38
WAGERING BUSINESS
According to Churchill Downs (CHDN), wagering from all sources on the Kentucky Derby Day program set a new record of $349.0 million, beating last year’s record of $320.5 million. All-sources wagering on the Kentucky Derby race was a new record of $234.4 million, beating last year’s record of $210.7 million. All-sources handle for Derby Week rose to a new record of $473.9 million, beating last year’s record of $446.6 million.
TwinSpires, the official betting partner of the Kentucky Derby, handled a new record of $108.0 million in wagering on Churchill Downs races for the Kentucky Derby Day program, compared to last year’s record of $92.1 million, including all settled future wagers and affiliate wagering. TwinSpires’ handle on the Kentucky Derby race was a new record of $73.0 million, beating last year’s record of $60.9 million, including all settled future wagers and affiliate wagering.
The 151st Kentucky Derby follows an all-time record 150th Kentucky Derby last year. The Company expects Adjusted EBITDA for Derby Week to be one of the top two results in the company’s history, albeit $2 to $4 million lower than last year’s marquee 150th running of the Kentucky Derby.
POST-RACE JOCKEY AND TRAINER QUOTES
Junior Alvarado (Jockey, Sovereignty, winner) – “He broke good. Probably the third or fourth jump after the break, the horse next to me cut in front of me. So I had to check a little bit. I just hoped he didn’t lose a shoe with the way the track is. Going to the first turn I tried to save ground in the first turn. When I turned to the backside, he was traveling beautifully. When we hit the five-eighths pole he said he was ready. I didn’t want to get too excited. When we turned for home, I got him in the clear and showed his stuff. I knew what he was capable of.”
Bill Mott (Trainer, Sovereignty, winner) – “I was lucky enough to do this with my family. We had quite the celebration. It’s such a great feeling. I’m so proud of the horse. I’m so proud of everyone who had anything to do with the horse to get him to this point. It takes a family and takes a community to get him ready. From the matings, to raising them as babies, to breaking them as 2-year-olds, we were so lucky to get him in the barn. It’s just a special feeling to have it happen for the team. For my regular rider Junior Alvarado, it made it so special. I’ve had quite a long relationship with the Godolphin team and the man behind the Godolphin operation Sheikh Mohammed – I’m just honored.”
Umberto Rispoli (Jockey, Journalism, second) – “I had a beautiful trip. I had the trip I wanted and saved ground into the first turn. On the backside, I had a lot of horses in front of me that didn’t appear to have a chance. So, I knew I had enough horse still and waited for the right time. Past the half-mile pole he started running for me. I was smoothly getting him into a rhythm. I wanted to turn for home with just a couple of horses ahead of me. That’s what happened but Sovereignty was the best today.”
Michael McCarthy (Trainer, Journalism, second) – “He broke well. But at the eighth pole the first time by he got shuffled by a horse just to our outside over toward the rail. But Umberto (Rispoli) got him in the clear and he was in a good spot all the way through the backside. He made a nice middle move, then on the turn for home he opened up but I saw the blue silks coming at us and I knew that was the one we were going to have to be concerned about. He ran on the best he could and he ran a very good race. But the winner ran a better race.”
Flavien Prat (Jockey, Baeza, third) – “From the outside, I thought the pace would be a bit stronger. I wasn’t able to get myself inside. I didn’t like the horse I was following in the first turn. Down the backside I got a better position to try and get a breather. He made a really good run.”
John Shirreffs (Trainer, Baeza, third) – “I could only see the race on TV so I really didn’t get to watch it the way I wanted to. (Flavien) Prat said afterward he didn’t want to take him inside but he had. When he got him out, he said he made a really good run. All things considered, the fact that he shipped for the time and ran on a wet track for the first time, we think he ran a fine, fine race. We are very proud of him.”
Luan Machado (Jockey, Final Gambit, fourth) – “He ran amazing. He ran fourth against the best horses in the country. So that was amazing. He took a while to get over the first part but when we got to the backside, he started getting over the track and moving forward. He was amazing. There was just too much for him to do from that far behind. I was very happy with the way he performed. He's going to be an amazing horse, I believe.”
Brad Cox (Trainer, Final Gambit, fourth) – “I’m really proud of the effort. With this big of a field, it’s really hard to close from last but that’s his style. This gives us confidence to try a fast dirt surface in the future.”
Javier Castellano (Jockey, Owen Almighty, fifth) – “I had a great trip. It was what I was looking for today. I tried to keep track of the speed. I really liked the way the race unfolded. Turning for home, he got tired a little bit in the end but he ran such a great race. He did really well and I’m really proud of the horse.”
Brian Lynch (Trainer, Owen Almighty, fifth) – “It was a very exciting race. For a horse that was questionable to get the mile and a quarter, he did very very well. He actually made the lead inside the quarter pole and then held on for fifth. We’re delighted with his effort:”
Brian Hernandez Jr. (Jockey, Burnham Square, sixth) – “He actually ran a really, really good race. I had a rough trip around going into the second turn because of Admire Daytona. He stopped pretty badly, and he was tired, and he fell down into the fence on top of us and I had to steady pretty hard. We lost all momentum but then he ran on big down the lane just to be sixth. I was really, really pleased with the way he traveled over to the racetrack the first part of the race because he broke and put me in a great spot and we were able to save ground the whole way like we wanted to. It was just unfortunate circumstances, but that many horses going that far that Admire Daytona just kind of died off at the worst possible time.”
Jose Ortiz (Jockey, Sandman, seventh) – “He was traveling well despite being the first time on the sloppy track. I felt like on the backside I was following the right horses and I saw Junior (Alvarado on Sovereignty) and Journalism in front of me. I wish I was more patient and sat there a little longer and cut the corner. He was very steady, gave me a good effort but disappointed with the result.”
Manny Franco (Jockey, East Avenue, eighth) – “I tried to be forward but I had to sit and wait a little bit. He was struggling with the track a little bit too.”
Ethan West (Trainer, Chunk of Gold, ninth) – “I’m so proud of him. He had a good trip but just got tired late.”
Joel Rosario (Jockey, Tiztastic, 10th) – “It is hard to come way off the pace like we were. He looked like he was making a little move midway through the race but he got tired. It’s a long way on a sloppy track but we will try again next time.”
Juan Vargas (Jockey, Coal Battle, 11th) – “I had a good break. In the first turn I had to really check. I was in a good position in the backside but at the 5/16ths pole I had to check again really bad.”
Lonnie Briley (Trainer, Coal Battle, 11th) – “When Vargas was able to get him over, I thought he was in pretty good shape. Then another horse came on his inside. When he kind of settled, another horse came and sort of broad-sided him. It kind of knocked the wind out of him. When he asked him to go, he responded but not like he normally does.”
Joao Moreira (Jockey, Luxor Café, 12th) – “He didn’t have the best of trips. He didn’t jump all that well and was squeezed at the start. Unfortunately he didn’t perform as well as we hoped.”
Luis Saez (Jockey, Neoeqous, 13th) – “I was in a good spot, got excited for a little bit. He tried and ran big but he’s going to be OK next time.”
Irad Ortiz Jr. (Jockey, Publisher, 14th) – “I thought he was going to run much better than that. He broke well today, I put him in a good position but tried to make a run and it wasn’t there for me.”
Martin Garcia (Jockey, Citizen Bull, 15th) – “This is the first time he ran in the mud and he didn’t like it. He never felt comfortable and never fired.”
Julien Leparoux (Jockey, Render Judgment, 17th) – “I had no excuse. He broke sharp, traveled good and just didn’t have it at the end.”
Joe Ramos (Jockey, Flying Mohawk, 18th) – “My horse was traveling very good and then grabbed the bit on the turn when he switched leads. On the backside, when he wanted to switch leads again, wanted to move forward but after the half-mile pole, he stated to come back. Not sure if it was the sloppy track but he is a turf horse.”
Christophe Lemaire (Jockey, Admire Daytona-JPN, 19th) – “He was not comfortable on the sloppy track. He started well, got a good position but couldn’t follow the pace on the backstretch. He just lost his action and motivation.”