Sovereignty wasn't a significant underdog in the Kentucky Derby — at least, not compared to Rich Strike in 2022 or even Mystik Dan in 2024 — but it was a surprise to many when Bill Mott's horse outlasted favored Journalism.
Can he do it again?
A win in the Preakness Stakes would move Sovereignty one huge step closer to the Triple Crown, which hasn't been achieved since Justify in 2018. Whether he will get the chance, however, was unclear immediately after he won at Churchill Downs.
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Here's what Mott had to say about Sovereignty's chances of running the Preakness Stakes.
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Will Sovereignty run the Preakness Stakes?
Mott would not commit to Sovereignty running in the Preakness Stakes in the winner's circle after the Kentucky Derby, but he said there would be a discussion about him running.
Bill Mott non committal on @kentuckyderby winner Sovereignty's @PreaknessStakes participation. "The pressure is on now," he said. "If we didn't win, we wouldn't feel an obligation, but we'll huddle up [with @godolphin] and do the right thing for the horse."
— Ed DeRosa (@EJXD2) May 3, 2025
2019 Kentucky Derby winner Country House, also trained by Mott, was set to run in the Preakness before he withdrew due to a virus. Each horse is different, but there isn't any particular reason to expect Sovereignty not to enter the Preakness field and chase the second of three wins required to win the Triple Crown.
No Kentucky Derby winner has also won the Preakness since 2018. Last year's champion Mystik Dan finished second, while 2023 champion Mage finished third. The past two Kentucky Derby winners to also win the Preakness — Justify and American Pharoah — went on to finish the job in the Belmont Stakes to claim the Triple Crown.
The Preakness Stakes field is typically only made up of nine or 10 horses, and Sovereignty might go up against Journalism again if Mott decides to run him.
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When is the Preakness Stakes?
The Preakness Stakes will be run on Saturday, May 17, at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Maryland.
In a typical year, the Preakness is always held two weeks after the Kentucky Derby and followed by the Belmont Stakes three weeks later. That makes the Preakness the third Saturday in May each year, with a COVID-impacted 2020 the exception.
The quick turnaround prompts some trainers to hold the Kentucky Derby winner out of the Preakness, and it can leave the horse at risk of a scratch if its health isn't up to par — for now, however, Sovereignty appears to have a realistic chance to run.