Looking a “little stronger’’ than he was before winning the Kentucky Derby (G1), Sovereignty put in a 5-furlong workout at Saratoga’s Oklahoma training track on Saturday.
Sovereignty, who skipped the Preakness to train up for the $2 million Belmont Stakes (G1) on June 7, covered the distance in a 1:02,54 in company with Arthur’s Ride (1:02.94), who won the 2024 Whitney Stakes (G1).
“He’s almost a little more aggressive,” Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott said. “It (the Derby) hasn’t set him back. He’s just getting a little stronger than he was. He wasn’t quite that strong (before the Derby).”
The Into Mischief colt has won three of his last four races, the Street Sense (G3) as a 2-year-old, the Fountain of Youth (G2), and the Derby on May 3. He finished second in the Florida Derby (G1) in his final prep before the Run for the Roses.
“You just hope he trains well up until the next race, for a fair track, and you go from there,” Mott said, adding Sovereignty would have one more workout before the Belmont.
Some serious star power on the Oklahoma training track this morning!@KentuckyDerby winner SOVEREIGNTY worked out in company with Whitney Stakes winner and fellow Bill Mott trainee ARTHUR'S RIDE this morning in Saratoga.pic.twitter.com/qjNCgiqeBL
— Belmont Stakes (@BelmontStakes) May 24, 2025
Sovereignty posted his first work after the Derby last week, covering 4 furlongs in 49.76.
Hill Road, winner of the Peter Pan Stakes (G3) on May 10, also worked on Saturday (May 23), breezing 4 furlongs in 48.75 over the Belmont Park training track.
“He worked super, I’m really pleased with him,” trainer Chad Brown said. “He had a nice gallop-out. He is coming along really well. He came out of his last race really well. I put this horse Lordship on the outside of him, they were a good match, they galloped out strong. They are two endurance-type horses that are kind of stayers.”
A pair of Todd Pletcher colts, Crudo and Grande, are possible starters in the Belmont. Crudo won the Sir Barton Stakes at Pimlico Race Course on Preakness Day and Grande ran second in the Wood Memorial (G2) on April 5 but was scratched from the Derby with a foot bruise.
There are nine Belmont contenders, with the post-position draw set for June 2: Sovereignty, Journalism, Baeza, Rodriguez, Heart of Honor, Hill Road, Crudo, Grande, and Captain Cook.
Baeza, third in the Derby, worked 6 furlongs in 1:12.43 at Santa Anita on May 23; Rodriguez, the Wood winner scratched from the Derby with a bruised hoof, worked 7 furlongs in 1:24.80 for trainer Bob Baffert.
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