Sovereignty third best in G1 Stephen Foster Stakes

Sovereignty met with a first defeat at Churchill Downs as he finished third behind Magnitude and Baeza in the G1 Stephen Foster Stakes on Saturday, 27 June.   

North America’s reigning Horse of the Year had impressed on his two previous appearances under the Twin Spires, scoring by five lengths in the G3 Street Sense Stakes as a juvenile before providing a first Godolphin success in last season’s G1 Kentucky Derby.   

Baeza missed the break in the nine-furlong highlight as Dubai World Cup Sponsored By Emirates winner Magnitude set out to make it a test from the outset, with Sovereignty racing three-wide in a close fourth on the outside of Willy D’s and White Abarrio.   

Having found himself four lengths off the lead, Sovereignty lost his position with five furlongs to race and was briefly joined by Baeza soon after, with the Godolphin colt responding for Junior Alvarado to press the leading trio exiting the back.   

Sovereignty ranged up around runners to take second from White Abarrio early in the home straight but could not challenge Magnitude, who found plenty in front despite drifting under pressure.    

Baeza rallied from the rear to grab the runner-up spot inside the final furlong, with Sovereignty lacking his usual closing speed to go down by just over five lengths in total. 

Bill Mott said: “Junior felt Sovereignty just didn’t have the kick that he needed. He said he started to make a run and then he flattened out a little bit.”