Final Gambit (pink cap) tries to catch Sovereignty but no one could. (Jenny Doyle/Past The Wire)
Sovereignty works on the Oklahoma training track
Heart of Honor stretches his legs on the main track
Belmont Stakes Racing Festival Notes
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Godolphin’s Kentucky homebred Sovereignty worked a half-mile in 48.84 seconds on the Oklahoma training track Sunday in preparation for a start in the Grade 1, $2 million Belmont Stakes presented by NYRA Bets slated for Saturday, June 7, at Saratoga Race Course.
Trained by Hall of Famer Bill Mott, the Grade 1 Kentucky Derby-winner went solo under exercise rider Neil Poznansky. NYRA clockers timed the work through splits of 12 3/5, 24 2/5 and out in 1:02 flat and up in 1:16 3/5.
“He went well,” Mott said. “We just wanted a nice breeze, in 48, 49, which is what we got. He galloped out good. He looked smooth. He came back good. It was a maintenance-type breeze, and that is what we got.”
KY Derby winner, SOVEREIGNTY looking good this Sunday morning with a nice breeze over the Oklahoma Training Track
— Agentes305 (@agentes305) June 1, 2025
4F – 24.17 48.58 – Gallop out 101.76
SOVEREIGNTY luciendo muy bien en su ajuste final en 4F sobre la pista de entrenamiento de Saratoga previo al Belmont Stakes… pic.twitter.com/UPIdLKMNWy
The Into Mischief bay graduated in style with a five-length romp in the Grade 3 Street Sense in October at Churchill Downs to close out his juvenile campaign. He made a winning seasonal debut in the Grade 2 Fountain of Youth on March 1 at Gulfstream Park ahead of a closing second to Tappan Street in the Grade 1 Florida Derby on March 29 at the Hallandale Beach oval.
Sovereignty exited post 16-of-19 in the Kentucky Derby and after clipping heels and a slight bobble after the break, saved ground near the back of the pack. He moved five-wide into the final turn and followed the favored Journalism, taking command in upper stretch and powering away to a 1 1/2-length score under regular pilot Junior Alvarado.
Sovereignty, out of the Bernardini mare Crowned, has banked in excess of $3.6 million via a 6-3-2-0 record. His second dam is multiple graded stakes-winning millionaire Mushka, who won the 2009 Grade 1 Spinster for Mott on the Keeneland synthetic.
Heart of Honor stretches his legs on the main track
Jim And Claire Limited’s Heart of Honor, a last-out fifth in the Grade 1 Preakness, visited the main track Sunday under traveling assistant Jimmy McCarthy to stretch his legs for a start in Saturday’s Grade 1, $2 million Belmont Stakes presented by NYRA Bets.
Trained by Jamie Osborne, the Honor A. P. colt finished a close second in all three legs of the UAE Triple Crown—the Grade 3 UAE 2000 Guineas, Listed Al Bastakiya and Grade 2 UAE Derby – including a nose second in the UAE Derby to Admire Daytona, who was subsequently unplaced in the Grade 1 Kentucky Derby.
Shortly after Journalism came fellow Belmont Stakes aspirant HEART OF HONOR, out and about for a bit on the main track. pic.twitter.com/7VeJ9tY8C2
— Mary Eddy (@singmysongbird) May 31, 2025
“He went a mile, building up into a three-quarter pace,” Osborne said. “He didn’t break any land-speed records, but that was never our intention. He looked to move well, and Jimmy McCarthy was pleased with the feel he gave him.”
The British-bred $172,341 purchase at the 2024 Arqana 2-Year-Old Breeze Up Sale has banked $400,919 through a 7-2-4-0 record. He will be piloted by Osborne’s daughter, Saffie Osborne, in the Belmont Stakes.
Get insight into the runners with the Geo Sette Belmont Stakes Full Card Seminar.
