Sovereignty lays down the law with superb G1 Belmont Stakes win

Sovereignty consolidated his position as the best three-year-old colt in North America with a convincing victory over Journalism in the G1 Belmont Stakes at Saratoga on Saturday, 7 June. 

A length and a half had separated the duo in last month’s G1 Kentucky Derby, in which Sovereignty unleashed a powerful stretch run on a wet track to provide Godolphin with a first success in the Run for the Roses. 

Encountering a faster surface this time, Sovereignty broke well and disputed a close third on the inside of Uncaged initially, with Journalism recovering from an early stumble to join the pair rounding the first term. 

Rodriguez and Crudo established a two-length lead over the field before Journalism and Sovereignty took slightly closer order down the back as the two looked to keep close tabs on each other. 

Preakness Stakes winner Journalism cruised up on the outside of the front two turning in, with Junior Alvarado switching Sovereignty out to track his rival through at the top of the straight. 

Journalism took up the running from Rodriguez a furlong and a half out but could not repel the challenge of Sovereignty, who stormed into the lead just inside the final furlong before surging clear. 

The Bill Mott-trained colt was eased close home to cross the line three lengths in front, providing Godolphin with a second Belmont Stakes victory following Essential Quality in 2021. Baeza, third in the Kentucky Derby, filled the same position again, a further three and a half lengths back. 

Michael Banahan, Director of Bloodstock, Godolphin USA, said: “It’s the most fantastic feeling in the world. Sovereignty was trained to the minute by Bill and his team to come here off a five-week rest. 

“We knew that he was a good horse going into the Kentucky Derby and he showed it that day. To come back here and show it again, and beat a really, really good horse in Journalism, it was a fantastic result for us. 

“It’s fantastic to win two legs of the Triple Crown. We are very, very happy with doing it – coming here after the Derby was the plan and it teed up a really good race, with the Derby winner and the Preakness winner having a showdown in the Belmont. 

“We made the decision to head here a few days after the Derby and I feel it was justified with the spectacular performance we saw today. We talked about the right thing to do for the horse. He ran a hard race in the Kentucky Derby; he only just got his season started in the Fountain Of Youth and only had four weeks before the Florida Derby.

 “We saw how well he did in the five weeks from the Florida Derby to the Kentucky Derby, and we felt another five weeks between the Kentucky Derby and the Belmont was the right way to go for the horse. 

“We are looking at trying to have the horse for the whole year, and to have a whole career with him as well. There are races down the road that we would really like to win – the Travers is very special. We’ve won it before, but I don’t think Bill has, so it would be great for him to do that. 

“It would be great, if the horse is healthy and well, to try and get to Del Mar for the Breeders’ Cup Classic. It’s a race that we have run in several times without having the opportunity to win yet.” 

Bill Mott said: “We had a repeat of the Derby – the first three finishers in the Derby finished 1-2-3 here – and the form is holding up. They are three really good horses and I’m glad that Sovereignty was able to come back and put in a race like he did in the Derby. 

“If we hadn’t won today, we would have taken a lot of criticism for missing the Preakness, but it turned out good. Sometimes, you make the right decision and a lot of times you make the wrong ones. Today, it really worked out well.” 

Junior Alvarado added: “This is what racing is about, two great horses matching each other. Journalism ran amazing again today after coming back from the Preakness. He fought very hard and didn’t make it any easier for my horse. Sovereignty was great today.”