First came the powerful push from last to first in the super-hyped $1 million Whitney Stakes (G1) at Saratoga on Saturday.
Then came the sigh of relief from Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott after reigning Horse of the Year Sovereignty took charge in the stretch for a 4 ¾-length victory over the filly Nitrogen in a star-studded field.
“Absolutely without a doubt, this was a relief," Mott said after Sovereignty ended a two-race losing streak with his first win in nearly a year. “Naturally, any time a horse is undefeated or has a win streak going, and then they get beat, you always wonder what is going to happen next time.
“I must admit that there's concern they are going to fire their best shot, but he did that. He showed up today. He did what we thought he could do and what he was supposed to do. He didn't let us down.”
In what was billed as the race of the year, Sovereignty left no doubt he’s back in top form and ready to take on the rest of the best. And that could start in the Jockey Club Gold Cup (G1) against Forever Young, the defending Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) champion, on opening day of the new Belmont Park (Sept. 18).
“Well, the Jockey Club Gold Cup has always been on our calendar, so if things go well, the timing is good,” Mott said. "Here we are. We can't chicken out, can we?”
Sovereignty, who was second in the Oaklawn Handicap (G2) and third in Stephen Foster Stakes (G1) in his first two starts as a 4-year-old, earned an all-fees paid berth to the BC Classic as the Whitney is a Breeders’ Cup “Win and You’re In" race.
And if he makes it to the Classic at Keeneland on Oct. 31, the son of Into Mischief could go against Golden Tempo, the Kentucky Derby (G1) and Belmont Stakes (G1) winner gearing up for the $1.5 million Travers Stakes (G1) at the Spa on Aug. 29. Sovereignty missed last year’s BC Classic after spiking a slight fever a few days before the race.
Ridden by Junior Alvarado, Sovereignty ($6.52 on a $2 bet) was last in the field of seven with three-eighths of a mile to go in the 1 1/8-mile Whitney. But he began making up ground with every stride in the stretch after being taken nearly six wide. A final spurt in deep stretch increased the margin as Nitrogen finished a game second for trainer Mark Casse.
Antiquarian was third, followed by Baeza, Tiztastic, favorite Magnitude and White Abarrio. Forged Steel was scratched. Micah Husbands was aboard White Abarrio, replacing Irad Ortiz, Jr., who took off his mounts prior to race 8 after rolling ankle when And the Runner Is became fractious before being scratched. The Whitney was race 12 on the program.
More than 40,000 fans packed Saratoga and the cheers of the crowd as Sovereignty was led to the winner’s circle caught Mott’s attention.
“You know what is special? You hear the crowd when he showed back up in front of the winner's circle? I mean, it was crazy,” Mott said. “You just don't hear that very often. I've been here all afternoon, I didn't hear
The win avenged those two losses to start the year as White Abarrio won the Oaklawn Handicap and Magnitude and Baeza ran 1-2 in the Stephen Foster.
Richard Rosenblatt is an award-winning journalist and former Associated Press Horse Racing Editor. Currently, he serves as the news editor at US Racing, overseeing exclusive content from contributors worldwide.
