Sovereignty delivered a commanding performance to win the 151st Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs, surging past favorite Journalism in the final stretch on a rain-soaked track Saturday. Ridden by jockey Junior Alvarado and trained by Bill Mott, Sovereignty crossed the finish line in 2:0.3, securing the first leg of the Triple Crown and earning a $3. million winner’s share from the $5 million purse
Godolphin, the global racing powerhouse owned by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, owns and bred Sovereignty, a bay colt by Into Mischief out of the mare Crowned This marks the first Kentucky Derby win for Alvarado and the second for Mott, whose previous Derby victory came under controversial circumstances in 2019
2025 Kentucky Derby Official Finish Order (Top 5):
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1st: Sovereignty (7-1 odds)
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2nd: Journalism (3-1 odds)
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3rd: Baeza (13-1 odds)
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4th: Final Gambit (17-1 odds)
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5th: Owen Almighty
Sovereignty paid $1.96 to win on a $2 bet, $7.50 to place, and $5.58 to show Journalism returned $4.94 to place and $3.70 to show, while Baeza paid $8.38 to show
The victory launches Sovereignty and the Godolphin team into Triple Crown contention, with the Preakness Stakes up next on May 17 For fans and bettors, the Derby’s dramatic finish and sizable payouts capped an unforgettable day at Churchill Downs.
