Sovereignty thrives on break to do it again in Belmont Stakes

Saratoga Springs, N.Y.

Kentucky Derby winner Sovereignty rallied to defeat Preakness winner Journalism once again as he won Belmont Stakes 2025 at Saratoga on Saturday.

The rematch of Sovereignty and Journalism was set up when Godolphin and Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott decided right after the Derby that they would skip the Preakness and point to the Belmont. They had success earlier in the year when Sovereignty had a similar five weeks between his second-place finish in the Florida Derby and the win at Churchill Downs.

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“The plan worked. He was ready to run,” Mott said.

During that time Journalism went from his second-place finish in the run for the roses to a victory in the Preakness. He was the only horse this year to run in all three jewels of the Triple Crown.

“Look, anytime good horses get space in between their races, they are very, very dangerous,” Journalism’s trainer Michael McCarthy said about Sovereignty. “He is a very good horse. He trains up here. He’s been up here for a while. He’s in his backyard.

As expected Bob Baffert-trainee Rodríguez went right to the lead followed by Crudo to set the pace. They were followed by a second group of horses that included Sovereignty and Journalism.

Rodríguez was able to stay in front for the first mile of the race, but Sovereignty and rider Júnior Alvarado stayed much closer to the front than in the Kentucky Derby.

“He broke very well today again like he’s been doing,” Alvarado said. “He put himself in a good spot. I was a little shocked at how close but at the same time how easily he was doing everything. As a jockey I was very happy where I was. I was forwardly placed and able to see where everybody was. Journalism on the outside. Rodríguez right up front.”

The early fractions of 23.42, 47.60, 1:12.20 and 1:36.70 set up what was to come. Journalism made the first move and took the lead at the stretch call. At the same time Sovereignty closed quickly into second, a half-length behind his rival. Rodríguez began to drop back and eventually finished fourth, and Crudo wound up last in the field of eight.

Down the stretch the new leaders traded positions with Sovereignty going by Journalism on the outside. Sovereignty passed Journalism to win the Belmont and they finished one-two just as they had done on the first Saturday in May.

“It was pretty much like the Derby,” Alvarado said. “Once I got the chance to put him right behind Journalism, that’s what I did. Turning for home I followed him a little bit, put him in the clear, and just like he did in the Derby, he just went by again. He was very exceptional today. I couldn’t believe how much horse I had the whole way around today.”

The final time for the Belmont Stakes was 2:00.69, the second-fastest time for a 1 1/4-mile race on the dirt at Saratoga since 1991 behind Arrogate’s 1:59.36 in the 2016 Travers, according to Equibase.

Sovereignty got $1.2 million for the Belmont victory and improved his career record to 7: 4-2-0 with $4,872,800 in earnings.

Sovereignty was the 5-2 second choice in the betting and returned $7.00, 3.20 and 2.30 for the $2 across-the-board wager. The 2-1 favorite Journalism completed a $2 exacta that paid $13.20. Just like the Derby, Baeza finished third, but he was 7-2 this time and part of a $27.60 payout for a $2 trifecta wager.

Journalism came out of the Triple Crown series with a second in the Derby, a victory in the Preakness and a second in the Belmont.

“He’s a fantastic horse,” McCarthy said. “He’s done what very few horses can do. Three races in five weeks. Triple Crown races. Take nothing away from him. He’s very, very good.”

Mott got a second victory in the Belmont Stakes to go with Drosselmeyer’s in 2010.

“I feel we beat a good field of horses,” Mott said. “Journalism is a really good horse. I think he was ready to run today, and he ran a good race, you know? Sovereignty was good enough to run him down and get the job done.”