{"id":11492788,"date":"2025-06-07T12:26:22","date_gmt":"2025-06-07T16:26:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.baltimoresun.com\/?p=11492788"},"modified":"2025-06-07T12:26:42","modified_gmt":"2025-06-07T16:26:42","slug":"belmont-stakes-2025-sovereignty-journalism-kentucky-derby-rematch","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.baltimoresun.com\/2025\/06\/07\/belmont-stakes-2025-sovereignty-journalism-kentucky-derby-rematch\/","title":{"rendered":"Belmont Stakes 2025: Sovereignty vs. Journalism is a Kentucky Derby rematch"},"content":{"rendered":"

Horse racing is getting a Kentucky Derby rematch in the Belmont Stakes at Saratoga Race Course on Saturday to close out the Triple Crown.<\/p>\n

Derby winner Sovereignty and runner-up Journalism, who won the Preakness<\/a> two weeks later, headline the field of eight in the Belmont. Add in Baeza, and the top three finishers from the first Saturday in May are involved.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re delighted to have the first three horses out of the Derby challenging each other again,\u201d said Michael Banahan of Godolphin, which owns Sovereignty. \u201cIt’s a quality race. … It should set up well, and may the best horse win.\u201d<\/p>\n

Journalism opened as the 8-5 morning line favorite with Sovereignty the second choice at 4-1. Journalism won the Preakness run without Sovereignty after owners and trainer Bill Mott opted to give their horse extra rest.<\/p>\n

The intent was to focus on the Belmont rather than chase the chance for Sovereignty to become the sport’s 14th Triple Crown champion and first since Justify in 2018.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe felt that the best thing for him and to have a career through the whole season, and maybe into next year as well, was spacing his races a little bit,\u201d Banahan said. \u201cBill Mott, who\u2019s trained horses for us for a long time, is very judicious about where he wants to place his horses. And we put a lot of faith in the recommendations that he would give us.\u201d<\/p>\n

Michael McCarthy-trained Journalism is the only horse running in all three legs of the Triple Crown this year. And he is the favorite for a reason.<\/p>\n

\u201cJournalism is a very tough horse,\u201d said John Shirreffs, who trains Baeza. \u201cOne thing about Journalism, (if) he runs his race (like in) Kentucky, Pimlico, he\u2019s very tough. He\u2019s solid. So, it\u2019s going to be a very difficult horse to beat.\u201d<\/p>\n

Shirrefs said Baeza is emerging and developing, hoping the half-brother of last year’s Belmont winner, Dornoch, can stride along and get past Sovereignty and Journalism this time.<\/p>\n

\u201cHopefully we get out of the gate well and get a nice pace,\u201d Shirrefs said. \u201cIt\u2019s just the how the race unfolds and him not getting into any trouble.\u201d<\/p>\n

Long shot Heart of Honor is running again after finishing fifth in the Preakness three weeks ago. New to the Triple Crown trail are Hill Road, Uncaged, Crudo and Rodriguez, who was scratched from the Derby with a minor foot bruise that also caused him to miss the Preakness.<\/p>\n