2025 Kentucky Derby Results & Race Replay - Sovereignty

Sovereignty Wins Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs

The 151st running of the Kentucky Derby (G1) held on Saturday, May 3 delivered one of the most exciting Run for the Roses in history, as the 18-1 Sovereignty battled past favored Journalism to give Sheikh Mohammed al Maktoum's global operation its first Kentucky Derby (G1) trophy.

Baeza, the half-brother to 2023 Derby winner Mage, finished strongly for third, and Final Gambit rallied for fourth. Owen Almighty held fifth after chasing the fast pace and making a bid for glory at the top of the stretch.

Sovereignty negotiated 1 1/4 miles on a sloppy Churchill Downs track in 2:02.31 and returned $17.96 as a 7-1 chance.

Trainer Bill Mott was recording a second Kentucky Derby victory, but his Country House (2019) had been awarded the win via disqualification. Jockey Junior Alvarado, who just returned to riding in mid-April from an injury, was savoring his first-ever Derby win.

Sovereignty made history for leading sire Into Mischief, who registered a record-tying third Derby winner after Authentic (2020) and Mandaloun (2021). He is the fifth overall to do so, but the first since Calumet's great stallion Bull Lea in the mid-20th century.

Godolphin also emulated Calumet's historic achievement by turning the Kentucky Oaks (G1)/Derby double, after homebred filly Good Cheer remained unbeaten in Friday's feature. And earlier Saturday, the iconic royal blue silks held sway over Newmarket, as Ruling Court won the first British classic of the season, the 2000 Guineas (G1).

As a closer, Sovereignty appreciated the strong pace set by Citizen Bull, last year's champion two-year-old colt. Citizen Bull blasted from his rail post, angled several paths off the fence, and sped through fractions of :22.81 and :46.23.

Neoequos pressed Citizen Bull and began to overtake him when they reached six furlongs in 1:10.78 rounding the far turn. But the stalking Owen Almighty advanced to challenge and struck the front at the top of the lane.

Meanwhile, Journalism was rolling into contention, and Sovereignty was following in his wake. Although Journalism tackled a tiring Owen Almighty first, Sovereignty was already bearing down on him.

The two fought out the finish, with Sovereignty edging 1 1/2 lengths clear late. Journalism just salvaged runner-up honors from Baeza, who was flying late.

Final Gambit also closed from far back for fourth. Fifth-placer Owen Almighty ran a mighty race for a horse who almost went to the Pat Day Mile (G2) on Saturday's undercard.

Burnham Square reported home sixth, followed by Sandman, East Avenue, Chunk of Gold, Tiztastic, Coal Battle, Luxor Cafe, Neoequos, Publisher, Citizen Bull, American Promise, Render Jugment, Flying Mohawk, and Admire Daytona.

Rodriguez was scratched late Thursday afternoon, allowing the also-eligible Baeza to draw into the field. Grande was withdrawn Friday morning.

Sovereignty broke his maiden in last fall's Street Sense (G3) at Churchill Downs, romping in stakes-record time. Returning to win the Fountain of Youth (G2) in the nick of time at Gulfstream Park, he was coming off a good second in the Florida Derby (G1) over the same track. He now sports a mark of 6-3-2-0, and the winner's check of $3.1 million boosted his bankroll to $3,672,800.

The Kentucky-bred gets his name from his mother, Crowned. She is in turn by champion Bernardini and out of Grade 1-winning millionaire Mushka, a daughter of Empire Maker.

Bernardini became Sheikh Mohammed's first U.S. classic winner in the 2006 Preakness (G1), in his Darley silks, so it's a poignant tribute that his grandson would wear the roses.

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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."

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."

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."

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."

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 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."

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."

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."