The rain stopped, the skies cleared, the track went from sloppy to muddy to good, and Sovereignty reigned supreme by once again outdueling Journalism and winning the $2 million Belmont Stakes (G1) at Saratoga Race Course.
Sovereignty, who came from behind to top Journalism in the Kentucky Derby (G1) at Churchill Downs on May 3 over a sloppy track, turned Saturday’s rematch into a replay with a similar – yet more definitive -- stretch run over his rival.
Trained by Hall of Famer Bill Mott, Sovereignty ($7) became the first horse since Thunder Gulch in 1995 to pull off a Derby-Belmont double – and the 12th overall. Mott purposely skipped the Preakness Stakes (G1), won by Journalism, in favor of training his star 3-year-old for the final leg of the Triple Crown.
“I’m on a cloud. I’m glad the rain stopped,’’ a smiling Mott said. “If we wouldn't have won today, we would have taken a lot of criticism, but it turned out good. Sometimes you make the right decisions and a lot of times you make the wrong ones. Today, it really worked out well.”
Sovereignty, ridden by Junior Alvarado, is owned by Godolphin, the global racing operation run by Dubai ruler Sheik Mohammed. The Into Mischief colt upped his record to 6-4-2-0 with earnings of more than $5 million.
For most of the day, Saratoga was a rainy mess, with four of the six turf races moved to the main track, and the other two -- the Manhattan Stakes and the Jaipur Stakes -- were postponed to Sunday.
But as the day wore on, the track condition improved. And when the gates opened, 2-1 favorite Journalism stumbled a bit but quickly regained his footing to take up a stalking spot behind pacesetters Rodriguez and Crudo.
As expected, Sovereignty (5-2) was back in the pack with the leaders covering the first quarter mile in 23.42 seconds, the half in 47.60 and a mile in 1:12.20.
That’s when Journalism, ridden by Umberto Rispoli, made his move for the lead. And Sovereignty was moving outside to make his usual closing run. The two dueled briefly in the stretch, but Sovereignty pulled away and won by three lengths.
Baeza finished third, as he did in the Derby, creating the same 1-2-3 finish in the Belmont as in the Derby. Winning time for the Belmont was 2:00.69 (one of the fastest times for 1 ¼ miles at Saratoga).
It’s Sovereignty!!
The Kentucky Derby winner takes the Belmont Stakes! pic.twitter.com/IvvQ3Lhl2F
— FOX Sports (@FOXSports) June 7, 2025
“We had a repeat of the Derby,’’ Mott said. “I think the form is holding up. What it means is, it's for real. I think they're for real. They're three really good horses and I'm glad he was able to come back and put in a race like he did in the Derby.”
Rodriguez, the Wood Memorial Stakes (G2) winner who missed the Derby and Preakness with a foot issue, was third, followed by Hill Road, Heart of Honor, Uncaged, and Crudo.
Hopefully, this rivalry will continue through the summer and to the Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) at Del Mar on Nov. 1.
“It’s about two great horses,’’ Alvarado said. “That horse (Journalism) ran amazing again and coming back after the Preakness. He fought very hard, but he didn’t make it easy for my horse.”
Wonder Again Stakes (G3): With five horses scratched and the race moved off the turf, 2-5 favorite Nitrogen ($2.80) was in his element and beat two rivals in a 17-length romp over a sloppy track.
True North Stakes (G3): The popular Book’em Danno ($6.60) outdueled Mullikin in the stretch and won by 1 ¼ lengths over a sloppy/sealed track.
Metropolitan Handicap (G1): A big upset as Raging Torrent ($18) thrived over the sloppy/sealed track and turned aside 3-4 favorite Fierceness by 2 ½ lengths.
Woody Stephens Stakes (G1): Patch Adams ($3.40) pulled clear of Madaket Road in the stretch and won by 2 ½ lengths for trainer Brad Cox. Citizen Bull, the 2-year-old champion in 2024 who ran 15th in the Kentucky Derby, was fourth.
