Sovereignty (horse) facts for kids

Sovereignty is a famous American Thoroughbred racehorse. He was born on February 22, 2022. In 2025, he won two very important races: the Kentucky Derby and the Belmont Stakes. He is the first horse since Justify in 2018 to win two parts of the Triple Crown.

About Sovereignty

Sovereignty is owned by Godolphin. This is a well-known horse racing stable. It belongs to Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, who is the leader of Dubai.

Sovereignty's Family Tree

Sovereignty's father is a horse named Into Mischief. He was a top racehorse himself. Into Mischief has been one of the best fathers (sires) for racehorses in North America for many years.

Sovereignty's mother is a mare named Crowned. Her father was Bernardini, who was a champion racehorse in 2006. Bernardini won big races like the Preakness Stakes. Sovereignty's grandmother, Mushka, also won several important races.

Sovereignty's family tree, called his pedigree, includes three horses who won the Triple Crown. These are Secretariat, Seattle Slew, and Affirmed. This shows he comes from a very strong racing family!

Sovereignty's Racing Journey

2024: Racing as a Two-Year-Old

Sovereignty started his racing career in August 2024. His first race was at Saratoga, where he did not win. In his second race at Aqueduct in September, he came in second place, losing by a very small amount.

In October, his trainer, Bill Mott, decided to enter him in a bigger race. This was the Street Sense Stakes at Churchill Downs. Sovereignty started slowly in this race. But he came from behind and ran very fast on the outside. He ended up winning by a big five lengths!

2025: Racing as a Three-Year-Old

Sovereignty rested until March 2025. Then, he started racing in important races that help horses qualify for the Kentucky Derby.

Winning the Fountain of Youth Stakes

His first race of 2025 was the Fountain of Youth Stakes at Gulfstream Park in Florida. Just like before, he started behind the other horses. But he moved up around the turns and won by a neck. This win gave him 50 points. These points helped him get closer to qualifying for the Kentucky Derby.

Florida Derby Performance

Next, Sovereignty raced in the Florida Derby. His usual jockey, Junior Alvarado, was hurt. So, Manuel Franco rode him instead. Sovereignty started in eighth place out of ten horses. He began to pass horses as the race went on. He finished second, behind another horse named Tappan Street. Even though he didn't win, he earned another 50 points. These points were enough for him to enter the famous Kentucky Derby.

Kentucky Derby Victory

Sovereignty was given post position 18 for the Kentucky Derby. He was the second favorite horse to win. Junior Alvarado was back to ride him for this big race.

Sovereignty started from post 16 because two horses were removed from the race. He had a small stumble at the start. But Alvarado quickly settled him down. Sovereignty was in 16th place as they ran around the first turn. He started to move up, going wide around the turns. He followed the favorite horse, Journalism, into the final stretch. Sovereignty and Journalism raced side-by-side for a while. Then, Sovereignty pulled ahead and won the Derby by one and a half lengths! He finished the race in 2 minutes and 2.31 seconds on a wet track.

This was the first Kentucky Derby win for Godolphin after many tries. It was also the first Derby win for jockey Junior Alvarado. For trainer Bill Mott, it was his second Derby victory.

After the race, Alvarado said he used his riding crop more than allowed. There are rules about how many times a jockey can use the crop. He explained that it was a very important race, and he needed to do what he could to win. Later, racing officials gave Alvarado a two-day suspension and a fine. This was because he used the crop eight times, which was more than the allowed six. Alvarado has appealed this decision.

After the Derby, it was announced that Sovereignty would not race in the Preakness Stakes. This meant he would not have a chance to win the Triple Crown. Instead, his team wanted him to rest and get ready for the Belmont Stakes.

Belmont Stakes Triumph

On Saturday, June 7, 2025, Sovereignty won the 2025 Belmont Stakes. This made him the first horse since Justify in 2018 to win at least two of the Triple Crown races.

Sovereignty's Race Results

An (*) asterisk after the odds means Sovereignty was the favorite horse to win.

Pedigree