Sovereignty roars back to his best in G1 Whitney Stakes

Sovereignty excelled on his return to Saratoga as he put a star-studded field of older horses to the sword with a commanding victory in the G1 Whitney Stakes on Saturday, 8 August.   

North America’s reigning Horse of the Year had put up imposing wins at the New York course in last summer’s G1 Belmont Stakes, G2 Jim Dandy Stakes and G1 Travers Stakes, but was lining up having been defeated on both his four-year-old starts.   

Given a patient ride by Junior Alvarado, Sovereignty broke on terms and tacked over to settle in a clear fifth as champion filly Nitrogen and Dubai World Cup Sponsored By Emirates Airline victor Magnitude battled for the early lead in the nine-furlong showpiece.   

Sovereignty briefly found himself last of the seven runners at the halfway point, at least 12 lengths off the leader Nitrogen, before the Bill Mott-trained colt started to make strong headway around the field turning for home.   

Last year’s G1 Kentucky Derby hero ranged up on the outside of Antiquarian and Magnitude to take second early in the straight and reeled in Nitrogen entering the final furlong before forging clear to score by an easy four and three-quarter lengths. 

Michael Banahan, Director of Bloodstock, Godolphin USA, said: “I’m especially glad that all these people here today got to see Sovereignty perform. They really have bought into him, just like at the Travers and Belmont last year. He’s really got a great following, and it was great for him to put on a show for them today against one of the best Whitney fields we have seen in our lifetime. It was super to see him do that.”   

Bill Mott said: “He ran like the old Sovereignty. Any time a horse is undefeated or has a win streak going, and they get beat, you always wonder 'OK, what's going to happen next time?' So, I must admit, I think there's always some concern that they're going to fire their best shot, but he did today.   

"I knew he was doing well coming into the race, but you've got to see it out here in the afternoon You've got to see it against the group of horses he's running against, and he showed up today. He did what we thought he could do and what he was supposed to do, and he didn't let us down.   

"We had a good racetrack today. I said last time, there was a concern about the racetrack. It was sealed, probably a little slippery, for whatever reason, he didn't finish up, but today he was getting a hold of it, as you could see, coming through the stretch.   

"You know what is special? You hear the crowd when he showed back up in front of the winner's circle? I mean, it was crazy. You just don't hear that very often. I've been here all afternoon, I didn't hear it for any other races, but I heard it for him. They were glad to see him back.   

“The G1 Jockey Club Gold Cup has always been on our calendar, so if things go well, the timing is good. Here we are. We can't chicken out, can we?"   

Junior Alvarado added: “Last year, Sovereignty raced a little closer to the pace. Bill told me, 'just ride him like you ride him. Be confident with him.' And that's what I did. He broke good and I let him be wherever he wanted to be. If he wanted to be close, I wasn't going to take that away. If he was to sit back, I wasn't going to push him to get closer. Just let him be, and that's what I did.   

“I knew I got him in gear. He was just eating the ground, so I knew I was good at that point turning for home.”