Sovereignty storms to the front to take the Breeders’ Cup Classic, Mathea Kelley Photo
Breeders’ Cup Press
LEXINGTON, Ky – As the Kentucky sky began to turn dark over Keenland Race Course early Saturday evening, the festivities of Halloween were afoot. And, in the overstuffed winner’s circle after the final race of the 43rd Breeders’ Cup, Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott morphed into his costume.
Thanks to a scintillating performance by his star 4-year-old colt Sovereignty, Mott was now officially a rock star. Following Sovereignty’s decisive 1 ¾-length race win in the $7 million Longines Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1), it seemed like everyone wanted a piece of him.
People he didn’t know wanted a picture. A hug. A smile. A high-five. A couple of kisses on the cheek.
Mott accepted them all as he waded through the crowd with his wife Tina on his way to a post-race press conference.
As he walked, Mott, who was winning his third Breeders’ Cup Classic following Cigar (1995) and Drosselmeyer (2010), talked as if the weight of the world was finally lifted off his shoulders. For the last 43 days, ever since Sovereignty had to miss the Jockey Club Gold Cup (G1) at Belmont Park, there had been whispers. The big horse wasn’t as good as he used to be because a foot abscess had slowed him down,
He might not even make the Longines Classic, the disbelievers said.
“You know what? This is a relief because I know how good the horse is,” Mott said as he plowed his way up the Keeneland tunnel, stopping to pose for another snapshot. “This was big today because there were some doubters. I think we proved our position. We proved what we needed to prove.”
Then, when asked about his confidence level going in – which he held close to the vest – he gave his new favorite response, which was a nod to former New York Yankee Yogi Berra
“I had confidence the horses were doing good,” Mott said with a smile, “But I don’t make predications. It’s very difficult to predict, you know, when it’s about the future,”
Ridden by his regular jockey Junior Alvarado, Sovereignty, owned and bred by Godolphin, LLC took over with his trademark sweeping move into the stretch and went past the pacesetter – and stablemate – Knightsbridge, and got stronger with each step.
At the end, with the crowd howling, Sovereignty, who went off at 9-5, was not going to be threatened. The Puma, one of three 3-year-olds in the seven-horse field, rallied for second and was a half-length in front of Knightsbridge.
Sovereignty completed the 1 ¼-miles in 2:00.36 and paid $5.94, $4.16 and $2.94.
“We had a plan of being in front of Sovereignty, but at the break, when I saw him in front (of The Puma), I said, ‘Oh, he’s feeling good, he’s going to run,” The Puma’s Gustavo Delgado Jr,, assistant to his father, Gustavo Sr., said. “That one (Sovereignty) is a true champion and he proved it today.”
The Longines Classic was billed as a showdown between 2025 Horse of the Year and Kentucky Derby winner Sovereignty and Forever Young, last year’s winner and globetrotting superstar from Japan. Forever Young also went off at 9-5 and was a slight favorite over Sovereignty.
A year ago, the racing world was salivating over a Forever Young-Sovereignty matchup, in the Longines Classic but it was not to be as Sovereignty came down with a fever and had to scratch.
The heavyweight matchup was a knockout for Sovereignty, last year’s Horse of the Year and likely to get it again.
Forever Young, prominent early, faded late and could only manage a fifth-place finish, three lengths away from Sovereignty. He was attempting to become the second horse to win the Classic, the other being Tiznow in 2000-01.
“We got exactly the position we had hoped for,” Forever Young’s trainer Yoshito Yahagi said. “And, at that point, I really didn’t think we would get beaten. When it mattered, the horse just didn’t respond, I don’t know why. I feel terribly for all the fans who supported us. He’s never run this poorly before.”
The 5-yeaer-old Forever Young, whose future has not been disclosed, had won 12 of 16 starts coming into the Longines Classic.
Sovereignty is officially retired. Godolphin had announced that Sovereignty’s career is over with eight wins in 13 starts. He is scheduled to ship to Darley America (Jonabell Farm) – which is 3.4 miles from Keeneland – on Sunday.
“Bittersweet,” Alvarado said with a laugh. “I can’t believe they’re going to retire him afvter this performance. He doesn’t owe us anything and he’s got his next career. I’m very glad we ended his carer the way we did today.”
Race Quotes
Winning and third-place trainer Bill Mott (Sovereignty and Knightsbridge): “You know what? It’s a relief because I know how good the horse is. If you think back to his races last year and if he would just repeat his Belmont performance, you would have to believe he was good enough to get the job done. I had confidence that the horses were doing good. I don’t make predictions. It’s very difficult to predict, you know, when it’s about the future.
“He really is very special. We might not see another one like that. You saw what he did. It wa a tremendous run. He had a good year last year and we ended up this year great. He is a phenomenal horse. You beat a world class field … Forever Young … great horses, the best they could bring over here. He deserved this and he got them today.”
(Is the most gratifying win of your career?) “It has to be. The Derby, the Travers, the Breeders’ Cup Classic… they are all important. But this was big today because there were some doubters. I think we proved our position. We proved what we needed to prove. You know, our team – Junior (jockey Alvarado), the exercise rider, the groom, the foreman, Neil Poznansky (his assistant), the whole team that has ever had anything to do with this horse. Everyone has helped out. It’s really a team effort.
“I thought Knightsbridge was going to hang on for a big piece and he did hang on for third.”
Winning jockey Junior Alvarado (Sovereignty): “Bittersweet. I can’t believe they’re going to retire him after this performance (laughs). He doesn’t owe us anything and he’s got his next career. I’m very glad that we ended (his) career the way we did today.
“At the five-eighths pole, I felt already like a winner. He was dragging me. I just couldn’t wait to turn for home to release him. The training job that Bill (Mott) did with this horse, I don’t think nobody can understand how great you have to be to do something to get a horse to perform like he did today.
“Before we turned for home, I knew that he was about to roll them all down, and he was just getting started. I was just happy to get that done with him, because there were still a lot of people giving doubts and things like that, coming off the little foot injury and stuff.
“I’m just so happy that he did that today on the big stage. We’ve been through some hiccups in his career, and I’m just glad to finish it up with a big win.”
Second-place assistant trainer: Gustavo Delgado Jr. (The Puma): “Really nice effort. So proud of him. He never gives up. He kept trying,digging. We had a plan of being in front of Sovereignty but at the break, when I saw him in front, I said ‘Oh, he’s feeling good. He’s going to run.’ He was following the whole way and he ran a really nice race. I’m so proud of the horse.”
“The horse of the year is the one that one. (Sovereignty) is a true champion and he proved it today, even when he wasn’t 100 percent. But talking about my horse, we’re so proud of him. Just want to make sure he comes back in good shape and regroup. We’re looking forward to a 4 year old campaign because that’s the plan and that’s all. We got beat, but we are in really good shape for next year.”
Second-place jockey Javier Castellano (The Puma): “Such a great race, just second best today. I think he ran huge, big step up in class. Sovereignty, four-year-old, great horse. Second best today.”
Third-place jockey Luis Saez (Knightsbridge): “Beautiful trip. He put me in a great spot. He was traveling nice. Actually, he came into the stretch and gave me good turn of foot. But the champion of the world came flying. He never gave up. The horse, he’s been learning. Going forward, I think he’s going to be OK.”
Fourth-place trainer Daisuke Takayanagi (T O Password): “I spoke with Kazu, and we wanted to avoid having dirt kicked back into his face. We felt that the position he ended up in would be the best place to avoid the kickback. We had anticipated that the race might unfold that way, so it was more or less what we expected. I think he did a really good job of battling on all the way to the finish.
“Once we drew an inside post, we knew we had to rethink our strategy. That was really the only option we had. There wasn’t much else we could do.
“To be honest, I feel a little embarrassed that we haven’t managed to win a major race with a horse who can run this well.”
Fifth-place trainer Yoshito Yahagi (Forever Young): “I thought things were going well. We had considered several different race scenarios, and I felt we managed to secure the best possible position among the options we had discussed. Given the pace, I didn’t think the horses coming from behind would be able to catch us. We got exactly the position we had hoped for, and at that point, I really didn’t think we would get beaten. But when it mattered, the horse just didn’t respond. I honestly don’t know why.
“I feel terribly sorry for all the fans who supported us. He’s never run this poorly before. Even when races haven’t gone his way, he’s always battled on and finished strongly. But there was none of that today. I really don’t know what to say. To be honest, I have no idea what happened. I wish there were a clear reason for the defeat, but I genuinely don’t know.
“I’m sorry, but I just can’t give you an answer. I wish someone could tell me why. All I can say is that I’m extremely disappointed. I don’t even feel frustrated. And I’m not saying this to make excuses, but our first priority is always to bring the horse home safely. So, above all, I’m relieved that he came back safe and sound.
“The owner was also very disappointed. He said, ‘This is the first time he’s ever performed so poorly.’
“This horse has given us so much and worked incredibly hard for us throughout his career. All I feel right now is gratitude toward him.”
Fifth-place jockey Ryusei Sakai (Forever Young): “He was running great. He was running very good. Not today.”
Sixth-place trainer Cherie DeVaux (Golden Tempo): “We knew he was too far back and Jose said he just wasn’t getting there. He got tired. We’ll just regroup.”
Sixth-place jockey Jose Ortiz (Golden Tempo): “He gave me a great run from the three-eighths pole to the sixteenth pole but the other horses (in front of me) were running strong. I didn’t feel the early pace was fast and it may not have looked like he made a run but he did. The other horses were good but the pace didn’t develop.”
Seventh-place jockey John Velazquez NapoleonSolo): “He broke OK, not [exactly] the way I wanted to. He didn’t seem to get engaged the way I wanted to with him.”
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