Sovereignty conquers the Fountain of Youth (Coglianese)
David Joseph/Gulfstream Park
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Since coming to the U.S. from Venezuela in 2007, jockey Junior Alvarado has compiled an enviable list of accomplishments with more than 2,200 wins including three in the Breeders’ Cup, two on Horse of the Year Cody’s Wish, the $3 million Pegasus World Cup (G1) in 2023 at his winter home of Gulfstream Park, and the $20 million Saudi Cup last winter.
Now, the 38-year-old journeyman feels he’s in the best position ever to check another milestone off the list – a Triple Crown race victory.
Alvarado is the regular rider of Godolphin homebred Sovereignty, a bay son of Into Mischief that ranks tied for third with 60 qualifying points for the Kentucky Derby (G1). Fifty of those came with his dramatic late-running triumph in Gulfstream’s Coolmore Fountain of Youth (G2) March 1. It was the first race for Sovereignty since breaking his maiden in the Street Sense (G3) last fall at Churchill Downs.
“I’m very excited for this horse. He’s showed a lot of talent, and I don’t think we’ve seen the best of him yet,” Alvarado said. “Even when he broke his maiden, he was still a big, playful guy. Big body on him, but mentally he was still a little babyish. He’s a very lightly raced horse. I’m in a good spot. I wouldn’t trade my horse for anyone.”
Alvarado is 0-for-10 in Triple Crown races, having ridden five times in the Derby, twice in the Preakness (G1) and three times in the Belmont (G1). His best finishes came when fourth in the 2016 Derby with Mohaymen and 2012 Preakness – his Triple Crown debut – with Zetterholm.
“I think this year I have a chance to solve that and win the Derby,” Alvarado said. “I was thinking that [Sovereignty] could be the horse and, after the Fountian of Youth, I am even more excited. It’s one of the big races that I need for my resume as a jockey. This is the best chance that I’ve ever had with a horse going into the Derby.”
In the 1 1/16-mile Fountain of Youth, Sovereignty closed with aplomb to run down previously undefeated River Thames to win by a neck in 1:43.12 to give Alvarado his second win in the race after Mohaymen and Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott his first.
“I think we’re sitting right now on cruise control with him. He came into the Fountain of Youth ready to run. I don’t think he was ready to win, I just think because of his talent and how good he is that he got the win that day,” Alvarado said. “We were kind of hoping to be second or third and pick up some points and then Bill told me after that we’ll get him definitely ready to pick up the other points we need to get into the Derby.
“Now, winning that race, it put us in a very, very good spot. He even said next time, I don’t need to do much with him. Just keep him happy and try to save that energy going toward the Kentucky Derby,” he added. “I like the plan. I think he might run here.”
Mott said Sovereignty is “95 percent” to make his next start in the $1 million Curlin Florida Derby (G1) March 29 at Gulfstream, a race that has produced 45 starters that have gone on to win a remarkable 59 Triple Crown events – 25 in the Derby, 18 in the Preakness and 16 in the Belmont.
“I think plans changed when he won. Ideally if he would have finished second or third, he probably would have gotten the extra week and shoot for the Wood Memorial or the Blue Grass to make sure he was good going into those races to pick up the points,” Alvarado said. “But now that we picked up the points, I think actually running here makes more sense because then you have one extra week going into the Derby. Mr. Mott is in the Hall of Fame for a reason. I’m just excited to be riding such a nice horse.”
