Sovereignty shows supremacy in Belmont Stakes

Sovereignty staked his claim as the best three-year-old in the world as he followed up his Kentucky Derby success with an outstanding victory in the G1 Belmont Stakes at Saratoga on Saturday. 

Having beaten Journalism and Baeza in the Run for the Roses, the Into Mischief colt scored in more impressive fashion this time as he stormed clear to beat the same two rivals by an easy three lengths. It was only the second time, following 1977, that the Kentucky Derby 1-2-3 filled the same positions in the Belmont. 

Two other horses have won both the Kentucky Derby and Belmont Stakes since 1995 – Triple Crown winners American Pharoah and Justify. Debates will rumble over Sovereignty not running in the Preakness Stakes, but the manner in which he beat Journalism on Saturday vindicated the decision to head to the Belmont with a fresh horse. 

Sovereignty’s long-term aim this season will be the G1 Breeders’ Cup Classic at Del Mar, while next year’s G1 Dubai World Cup remains a tantalising prospect. In the meantime, he looks set to remain at Saratoga for the G1 Travers Stakes in August, with a potential prep run in the G2 Jim Dandy Stakes at the end of next month. 

A mixed weekend at Saratoga saw Kentucky Oaks heroine Good Cheer meet with a first career defeat as she could only finish fifth on a sloppy track in Friday’s G1 Acorn Stakes. Think Big also lost his perfect record on turf in Sunday’s G1 Jaipur Stakes, when a slow break cost him any chance. 

East Avenue, a sensational winner of the G1 Breeders’ Futurity in October, returned to the winner’s enclosure as he gamely made all in the G3 Matt Winn Stakes at Churchill Downs on Sunday. 

Eighth behind Sovereignty in the Kentucky Derby, East Avenue looks set to step back in class over the coming months, with the G1 Haskell Stakes one possible avenue for the Medaglia d’Oro colt. 

Desert Flower ran an admirable race to take third in the G1 Oaks on Friday, despite looking ill at ease on the course at Epsom Downs and the good to soft ground. The 1,000 Guineas winner looks set for a break before a return to a more conventional track and quicker ground later in the summer. 

Ground conditions at Epsom Downs also meant that 2,000 Guineas victor Ruling Court was taken out of Saturday’s G1 Derby. He will instead head to Royal Ascot for the St James’s Palace Stakes, where he will re-oppose 2,000 Guineas runner-up and Irish 2,000 Guineas winner Field Of Gold. 

Maximized backed up an impressive debut success with a decisive win in the Woodcote Stakes on the Oaks undercard. With Military Code and Wise Approach set to spearhead Godolphin’s juvenile squad for Royal Ascot, the Mehmas colt may sidestep the meeting in favour of next month’s July Stakes at Newmarket. 

Good Cheer may have lost her unbeaten record, but another Brad Cox-trained filly will be hoping to remain perfect this weekend as Champion Two-Year-Old Immersive makes an eagerly awaited return to action in Saturday’s Monomoy Girl Stakes at Churchill Downs.