Zipse: A full-season star, Sovereignty is horse of the year

Now is not the time for me to hop on my soapbox and warn of the evils of awarding the horse-of-the-year award to a runner with only three seasonal starts. Suffice it to say I prefer a little more meat on the bone, and Sovereignty has delivered that in 2025. So much so that no matter what happens in next month’s Breeders’ Cup Classic, I believe he deserves America’s top honor.

One of the most promising 3-year-olds in the nation when the calendar began anew, the strapping son of Into Mischief has danced at the top of the division all year long. On the biggest stages of the season to date, the cream has risen to the top, and Sovereignty now stands alone.

On the first day of March, the Bill Mott-trained colt started the year with a bang as a powerful stretch surge carried him to victory in the Grade 2 Fountain of Youth. The 1 1/16-mile distance at Gulfstream Park was likely far short of his best, but Sovereignty still was able to go from last to first and announce himself a major Kentucky Derby player in his first start of the year.

There was a stumble along the way, and it came four weeks later in the Florida Derby. Not that he ran poorly, but his late rally fell a bit short, and he had to settle for second behind Tappan Street in the Grade 1 affair with substitute rider Manny Franco in for injured Júnior Alvarado.

Sovereignty’s only loss this year was the only race in which Alvarado did not ride him, and it was also a race where his Hall of Fame trainer likely did not have him fully cranked six weeks out from the Kentucky Derby.

On the first Saturday in May the world was watching, and it marked his first showdown against the streaking colt from California, Journalism. His rival would be favored, but it was Sovereignty who would prove best.

With his regular rider back in the saddle, the Godolphin homebred was well back early before kicking it into high gear on the far turn. Journalism ran his race but had no answer for the stretch kick of Sovereignty, who won by 1 1/2 lengths over the sloppy and sealed Churchill Downs main track. Baeza finished strongly to be a clear third.

Much was made about Mott deciding to skip the Preakness Stakes with his shiny new Kentucky Derby winner. The skeptics were quick to say no bueno on Sovereignty for failing to go after America’s Triple Crown.

The criticism is fair. Purists have a right to be up in arms, but we live in a whole different world than we did when Secretariat, Seattle Slew and Affirmed roamed the earth.

While I didn’t love the decision either, it is a sign of the times, and it’s hard to be too critical of Mott for doing what he thinks is best for the horse.

It’s also difficult to argue with how things have worked out for Sovereignty since skipping Baltimore, Pimlico, and racing’s middle jewel.

Saratoga was where he made his career debut, and the friendly confines of the Spa are where he has spent the last several months. If you thought his first three races as a sophomore were good, you had to love what he did in his next three.

The Belmont Stakes may not be what is meant to be while it is run at Saratoga, but I would argue to anyone that the 10-furlong version of upstate New York draws every bit the quality if not more so than the traditional test of a champion.

The June classic once again brought together Sovereignty; Journalism, who had won the Preakness in thrilling style; and Baeza, who also skipped the middle jewel. His two rivals would once again finish second and third, but this time it was easy. Sovereignty proved himself the real star of this year’s Triple Crown season with an emphatic, three-length Belmont Stakes score.

In July there was the Jim Dandy (G2). Much like he did in the Kentucky Derby, Baeza ran a big race. Still, it appeared Sovereignty merely was toying with him as he methodically pushed past his rival on the far outside.

If there is any race for 3-year-olds that rivals the Triple Crown series, surely it is Saratoga’s Travers Stakes (G1). Having already dispatched of Journalism and Baeza, there was little reason for the California colts to try Sovereignty again in the mid-summer derby.

Instead, we got Bracket Buster and Magnitude, who were ready to grab the bit and take their shot at the big horse on a late summer afternoon. Not bad horses in their own right, but the result was predictable.

Predictable but spectacular. Leaving his challengers behind with absolute disdain, Sovereignty turned the Travers into a one-horse showcase with a 10-length romp.

Having danced six important dances with a potent blend of style and dominance, Sovereignty has far eclipsed what any other horse in the nation has accomplished this year.

Now he will head to California for his next date with destiny. Journalism and Baeza await, but so does the strongest crop of older males in recent years.

The likes of Fierceness, Forever Young, Sierra Leone, Mindframe, et al., promise to be no pushover for their younger challengers. Sovereignty may be built differently, though. He is far from your average 3-year-old.

A win over Sovereignty at Del Mar by any of those top older males mentioned could push sentiment for the winner to surpass everything that Sovereignty has accomplished this year. I don’t think it should.

Win, lose, or draw in a loaded edition of the Breeders’ Cup Classic in a few weeks, Sovereignty deserves America’s top honor in 2025. Because he’s earned it on the track all year long.