Kentucky Derby News (April 19)

With Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott watching every stride, Sovereignty delivered a solid work at Churchill Downs on Saturday.

Sovereignty, the Fountain of Youth (G2) and runner-up in the Florida Derby (G1), breezed 5 furlongs in 1:00.60.

Sovereignty Among Slew of Derby Contenders Posting Workouts

“There’s a lot of luck involved in winning the 2025 Kentucky Derby. You obviously have to have the right horse for the race, but you need to have some racing luck go your way,” Mott said. “The goal is to have him the best he can be for the first Saturday in May.”

Exercise rider Guesler Cardona was aboard for the work; Junior Alvarado, Sovereignty’s regular rider who missed the Florida Derby with an injury, will be back aboard on Derby Day.

Kentucky Derby contender Sovereignty works 5F in 1:00.60 for trainer Bill Mott pic.twitter.com/jNWzLLDWFX
— Kentucky Derby (@KentuckyDerby) April 19, 2025

Kentucky Derby News

Busy Morning at the Downs: Seven 2025 Kentucky Derby Contenders Work

Joining Sovereignty on the Churchill Downs work tab were Blue Grass Stakes (G1) winner Burnham Square (4 furlongs, 49.40); Blue Grass runner-up East Avenue (4 furlongs, 47.60); Jeff Ruby Steaks winner (G3) Final Gambit (5 furlongs, 1:00.80); Jeff Ruby runner-up Flying Mohawk (5 furlongs, 1:00); Arkansas Derby (G1) runner-up Publisher (5 furlongs, :59.60); and Louisiana Derby (G2) winner Tiztastic (5 furlongs, :59.60).

At Turfway Park, Louisiana Derby (G2) runner-up Chunk of Gold worked 4 furlongs in 50.00.

On Friday, Florida Derby (GI) winner Tappan Street worked 5 furlongs in 1:01.40 at Payson Park.

Current Top 20 list for the 2025 Kentucky Derby Contenders (Alphabetical Order, with Jockey and Trainer):

Admire Daytona (JPN) (Christophe Lemaire, Yukihiro Kato)
American Promise (Nik Juarez, D. Wayne Lukas)
Built (TBA, Wayne Catalano)
Burnham Square (Brian Hernandez, Jr., Ian Wilkes)
Chunk of Gold (Jareth Loveberry, Ethan West)
Citizen Bull (Martin Garcia, Bob Baffert)
Coal Battle (Juan Vargas, Lonnie Briley)
East Avenue (Manny Franco, Brendan Walsh)
Final Gambit (Luan Machado, Brad Cox)
Flying Mohawk (Joe Ramos, Whit Beckman)
Grande (John Velazquez, Todd Pletcher)
Journalism (Umberto Rispoli, Michael McCarthy)
Luxor Café (Joao Moriera, Noriyuki Hori)
Owen Almighty (Javier Castellano, Brian Lynch)
Publisher (Irad Ortiz Jr., Steve Asmussen)
Rodriguez (Mike Smith, Bob Baffert)
Sandman (Jose Ortiz, Mark Casse)
Sovereignty (Junior Alvarado, Bill Mott)
Tappan Street (Luis Saez, Brad Cox)
Tiztastic (Joel Rosario, Steve Asmussen)

Also-Eligibles:

Neoequos (TBA, Saffie Joseph, Jr)
Render Judgment (TBA, Kenny McPeek)
Baeza (Flavien Prat, John Shirreffs)
California Burrito (Irving Moncada, Tom Drury, Jr.).

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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