SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. — Sovereignty cemented his status as one of 2025’s standout three-year-olds by winning the 157th Belmont Stakes on Saturday, outpacing Preakness winner Journalism in a dramatic Kentucky Derby rematch.
Ridden by jockey Junior Alvarado and trained by Hall of Famer Bill Mott, Sovereignty surged ahead in the final stretch at Saratoga Race Course, completing the 1¼-mile race in 2:00.69. The colt’s powerful finish denied Journalism a second consecutive win and ended the Triple Crown series with Sovereignty winning two of the three legs.
“This was the plan after the Derby,” said Mott, who celebrated his second Belmont Stakes win. “We felt skipping the Preakness was best for the horse — and today, he proved us right.”
Sovereignty, owned by racing powerhouse Godolphin, first impressed with a win at the Kentucky Derby in May. But rather than pursue Triple Crown immortality, his team opted to rest him through the Preakness Stakes. The decision surprised some fans, but Sovereignty came back stronger than ever to take the Belmont title and a $2 million prize from the purse.
“I was happy with how easily he did everything today,” said Alvarado, who also claimed his first Belmont win. “He broke clean, stayed calm, and had a perfect trip.”
Journalism, who finished second in both the Derby and Belmont, was the only horse to run all three Triple Crown races. His Preakness victory in Baltimore gave him a shot at a rare double, but he couldn’t hold off Sovereignty down the stretch in New York. Baeza, another Derby contender, took third — completing the same 1-2-3 finish from Churchill Downs.
The Belmont was once again held at Saratoga Race Course while the traditional venue, Belmont Park, undergoes renovations. Despite the change of scenery, fans filled the stands for the second straight year to witness one of horse racing’s most prestigious events.
With the Triple Crown series now over, attention turns to the Travers Stakes in August — potentially setting the stage for another showdown between Sovereignty and Journalism.
“That’s a race I’ve never won,” Mott noted. “But I think it’s the most important one left this year for a three-year-old like Sovereignty. If he’s healthy, we’ll be pointing him there.”