Zipse: Top two from Kentucky Derby 2025 set for round three

All the talk in horse racing circles right now revolves around the first Saturday in May. But before they run for the roses in 20 days at Churchill Downs, there is an early season showdown brewing at Oaklawn Park. Sovereignty and Journalism, the top two from last year’s Kentucky Derby, are set to return together in Saturday’s $1.25 million Oaklawn Handicap (G2).

After a slow few years among America’s older males, the division has been heating up again as many of the best 3-year-olds are coming back to run rather than making an early retreat to the breeding shed. It’s a refreshing new trend that makes for excellent racing and Oaklawn Park will be the beneficiary on Saturday.

Having strong older males is good for the game, and the division has already made plenty of noise in the young season. Veteran warriors Skippylongstocking and White Abarrio showed age is nothing but a number when the 7-year-old pair ran 1-2 in the rich Pegasus World Cup (G1) in January. Nysos, second in the Saudi Cup (G1), and Magnitude, hero of the Dubai World Cup (G1), followed suit with big performances overseas.

Now it’s time for Sovereignty and Journalism to make their long-awaited returns, and they will do it against each other. It's also an opportunity for the best 3-year-olds to prove themselves against classy older horses. Throw in the four-time Grade 1 winner White Abarrio, and you have all the makings of an instant classic in Arkansas.

The Oaklawn Handicap is set to be the third meeting between Sovereignty and Journalism. The pair absolutely dominated last year’s Triple Crown and then showed their class after the series was complete. In both the Kentucky Derby and Belmont Stakes, it was the Godolphin color bearer who got the best of the second-place Michael McCarthy-trained runner.

In the absence of Sovereignty in the Preakness Stakes, Journalism scored a memorable victory at Pimlico to solidify his standing as the second-best sophomore in the land. Both colts won three Grade 1 races in 2025 without one poor race between the two of them. Journalism’s season ended with a game showing behind the older trio of Forever Young, Sierra Leone, and Fierceness in the Breeders’ Cup Classic. Sovereignty had to miss that one but certainly made an impression with a Travers Stakes (G1) tour de force in his most recent outing for trainer Bill Mott.

Meanwhile, White Abarrio has been there and done that. The Breeders’ Cup Classic winner of 2023 may never have maintained the sustained excellence of his younger foes, but he continues to be a top runner when he is at his best. With better than $7.7 million in career earnings, the son of Race Day had some bad luck to close out his 6-year-old season but returned in good form when second to his stablemate in the Pegasus.

A handicap race, Saturday’s showdown will see Sovereignty give two pounds to White Abarrio and four pounds to his old rival, with the trio carrying 123, 121, and 119 respectively. As good as Journalism was in 2025, that’s a pretty attractive break for the son of Curlin, who sports an 11: 6-3-1 career mark. He danced every dance last year and did it all with aplomb. The handsome and athletic bay has already had eight workouts at Santa Anita this year in advance of his debut as an older horse and looks ready to go.

Likewise, Sovereignty also returned to the worktab in February and has eight recorded workouts in 2026. He tipped off his readiness for this test with a sharp looking four furlong move at Payson Park on Saturday. The powerhouse son of Into Mischief will be in search of his fifth consecutive win, having rattled off stylish victories in the Kentucky Derby, Belmont, Jim Dandy, and Travers to finish off his Horse of the Year campaign.

All eyes may be on the Kentucky Derby, as they always are this time of year, but amidst all the anticipation last year’s Triple Crown stars are reuniting in what promises to be a riveting early season affair. The older male division is world class this year and the Oaklawn Handicap trio of Sovereignty, Journalism, and White Abarrio are a big reason why.