Sovereignty Triumphs in a Rain-Drenched 151st Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs: A Historic Victory for Journalism

Sovereignty triumphed in the 151st Kentucky Derby, held on a rainy Saturday at Churchill Downs. The 3-year-old colt finished strong, beating the favorite, Journalism, by 1.5 lengths. The race time was 2:02.31.

Jockey Junior Alvarado celebrated his first Derby win. Trainer Bill Mott had his second win, but notably, this was the first time one of his horses crossed the finish line first. His previous victory in 2019 with Country House came after another horse was disqualified.

“It means a lot,” Alvarado shared, noting his family’s presence that made the win even sweeter. Mott praised Sovereignty, saying, “He’s a great horse from a great organization.”

Sovereignty’s win marked a significant achievement for owner Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum and his Godolphin racing stable. With this victory, Sovereignty completed the career Triple Crown for the owner, whose horses previously won both the Preakness and the Belmont Stakes.

In the Derby, Citizen Bull started strong but faded to 15th place, while other contenders like Baeza and Final Gambit rounded out the top four. Sovereignty’s impressive win earned a payout of $3.1 million from the $5 million purse.

Horse racing has faced scrutiny, particularly with the history of disqualifications due to prohibited substances. Bob Baffert, a six-time Derby champion, was returning to the race after a three-year suspension related to a disqualification in 2021.

Looking ahead, Sovereignty’s team has not yet committed to the Preakness Stakes, set for May 17. This year’s Derby also brought attention to the challenges faced in thoroughbred racing, including the vital discussions surrounding horse safety and regulatory practices.

Did you know? Justify, most recently in 2018, is the last horse to win the Triple Crown, joining a prestigious list that shows how rare such achievement is in horse racing.

Here are the final results of the 151st Kentucky Derby: