{"id":11493134,"date":"2025-06-07T19:20:35","date_gmt":"2025-06-07T23:20:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.baltimoresun.com\/?p=11493134"},"modified":"2025-06-07T22:44:40","modified_gmt":"2025-06-08T02:44:40","slug":"belmont-stakes-2025-sovereignty-beats-journalism-again","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.baltimoresun.com\/2025\/06\/07\/belmont-stakes-2025-sovereignty-beats-journalism-again\/","title":{"rendered":"Belmont Stakes 2025: Sovereignty outduels Journalism again to win"},"content":{"rendered":"

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. \u2014 Sovereignty outran Journalism on Saturday in a Kentucky Derby rematch in the 157th Belmont Stakes at Saratoga Race Course, the race once again showcasing the best in horse racing.<\/p>\n

Like last year, it featured the Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes winners. However, unlike last year and for the first time since 2018, one of those two won to secure two of the three legs of the Triple Crown.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think they are three really good horses,\u201d Sovereignty trainer Bill Mott said. \u201cI\u2019m glad [Sovereignty] was able to come back and have a race like he did in the Derby.\u201d<\/p>\n

It was the second Belmont win for Mott. He spends most of his summer tending to his horses at Saratoga, so winning the Belmont at Saratoga was extra special.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is home,\u201d Mott said. \u201cIt\u2019s the race we were pointing for after the Derby, and fortunately it worked out very well. … The horse was good. Junior [Alvarado] rode him well.\u201d<\/p>\n

It was the second Belmont at Saratoga, with renovations being made to its usual home at Belmont Park on Long Island.<\/p>\n

Rodriguez, who made his Triple Crown debut, burst out and led the field of eight in the 1 1\/4-mile race until the top of the stretch when Journalism made a surge. Followed closely behind was Sovereignty, with jockey Junior Alvarado aboard. He caught Journalism almost instantly and ran away with it.<\/p>\n

The 5-2 second favorite finished in 2:00.69, beating Preakness winner Journalism<\/a> by three lengths.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe broke very well again today like he\u2019s been doing,\u201d Alvarado said. \u201cHe put himself in a good spot. I was a little shocked how close, but at the same time, I\u2019m happy with how easily he was doing everything. As a jockey, I was very happy where he was.\u201d<\/p>\n

Journalism ended up in second again, and Baeza was third \u2014 the same 1-2-3 as the Kentucky Derby. Journalism, the only horse to run in all three legs, entered the gate at the Belmont as the 2-1 favorite, with Baeza the third favorite at 7-2.<\/p>\n

Sovereignty paid $7 to win, $3.20 to place and $2.30 to show. Journalism returned $3.20 and $2.30, and Baeza paid $2.60.<\/p>\n

Sovereignty led off the first leg of the Triple Crown by winning the Derby in early May. The colt also edged Journalism in that race<\/a>.<\/p>\n

After the Derby win, the Godolphin-owned 3-year-old opted out of the Preakness to focus on the Belmont, forfeiting a shot at history to win the Triple Crown. The Triple Crown hasn\u2019t been won since 2018, when Bob Baffert\u2019s Justify won the 105th Belmont Stakes to secure the third jewel.<\/p>\n

Despite winning both legs of the Triple Crown that Sovereignty entered, Mott and Godolphin\u2019s Michael Banahan didn\u2019t regret not running him in the Preakness Stakes<\/a>.<\/p>\n