Florida Derby Draw: Sovereignty 8-5 Favorite in 10-Horse Field

Sovereignty, the last-to-first winner of the Fountain of Youth (G2), was installed as the 8-5 morning-line favorite for the $1 million Florida Derby (G1) at Gulfstream Park on Saturday (March 29).

Trained by Hall of Famer Bill Mott, the 3-year-old son of Into Mischief drew the outside No. 10 post and will be ridden by Junior Alvarado.

The Florida Derby is a key prep for the 2025 Kentucky Derby

The Florida Derby winner has gone on to win the 2025 Kentucky Derby (G1) 25 times. The 1 1/8-mile race awards 2025 Kentucky Derby qualifying points of 100-50-25-15-10 to the top five finishers.

The Florida Derby is one of five graded stakes on the card, among them the $250,000 Gulfstream Park Oaks (G2), a Kentucky Oaks (G1) points qualifier.

Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert also has a Florida Derby entrant in Madaket Road, the Rebel Stakes (G2) runner-up and second choice at 7-2. Tyler Gaffalione has the call out of post 8.

Disruptor, trained by Hall of Famer Todd Pletcher, is 4-1 and drew post 4 with Irad Ortiz, Jr. in the irons. The colt broke his maiden last out, winning by 9 ¼ lengths at Gulfstream on March 1. Pletcher is looking for a third straight Florida Derby win – he won with Forte in 2023 and with Fierceness in 2024.

At 5-1 is Brad Cox-trained Tappan Street, runner-up in the Holy Bull (G3).

Sovereignty, winner of the Street Sense (G3) on Oct. 27, made his 3-year-old debut a thrilling one, overtaking River Thames in the final strides for a neck victory in the Fountain of Youth on March 1.

The Godolphin homebred is fourth on the 2025 Kentucky Derby leaderboard with 60 points.

The field for the $1 million Florida Derby (G1), from the rail out, with jockey, trainer, odds:

1 Neoequos (Saffie Joseph, Jr., Edgard Zayas), 10-1

2 Cool Intentions (Jorge Delgado, Javier Castellano), 20-1

3 Smoken Boy (Cheryl Winebaugh, Edgar Perez), 30-1

4 Disruptor (Todd Pletcher, Irad Ortiz, Jr.), 4-1

5 Indecisiveness (Ruben Sierra, Jorge Ruiz), 30-1

6 Jimmy’s Dailys (Brian Lynch, Joel Rosario), 12-1

7 Enterdadragon (Jose D’Angelo, Dylan Davis), 30-1

8 Madaket Road (Bob Baffert, Tyler Gaffalione), 7-2

9 Tappan Street (Brad Cox, Luis Saez), 5-1

10 Sovereignty (Bill Mott, Junior Alvarado), 8-5

US Racing Team

The writing team at US Racing is comprised of both full-time and part-time contributors with expertise in various aspects of the Sport of Kings.

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