They call Saratoga “the Graveyard of Favorites.” Secretariat fell here. American Pharoah did too. But on Saturday afternoon, Sovereignty didn’t just survive the test, he owned it. From the break, the big bay three-year-old colt seemed to glide rather than run, and by the time the field hit the far turn, the question wasn’t if he would win, but by how much. Down the stretch, the grandstand grew louder with every stride until he was alone, ten lengths clear at the wire, and history was sealed.

With that performance, Sovereignty became the first horse in 30 years to sweep the Kentucky Derby, Belmont Stakes,  Jim Dandy Stakes and Travers – an achievement so rare that even Saratoga’s turf scribes were left searching for comparisons. The win also gave New York-based trainer Bill Mott his first Travers victory at the 14th attempt. And yet, the horse’s final kick in the $1.25 million Grade 1 race left spectators breathless. Bracket Buster was defeated by more than ten lengths showed Sovereignty’s trademark late surge. Afterward, trainer Bill Mott reflected on what the win meant, calling it one of the highlights of his Hall of Fame career.

When NYRA shared a post on X where, host Acacia Courtney Clement asked, “Travers victory, Bill, and with a horse that you have had so much success with, can you put into words what this would mean?” Mott replied, “It’s really, it’s really great. What can I say? You know, it’s never over till it’s over, and I watched the race unfold. Vicki Oliver’s horse, Bracket Buster, held on very well till the 8th pole and ran a courageous race. I commend her for giving it a shot. Our horse ran great. He just proved how good he was when he pulled away the last 1/8 of a mile. I mean, he’s pretty special.”  

The host asked, “The last couple of years have been some ups and downs for your family. With a victory like this, and with a horse like this, do you think about even bigger things in the future with him?” Bill smiled and said, “Well, I don’t know how it gets much bigger than this. Of course, the Breeders’ Cup is at the end of the year, and we’ve always got to consider that. But I’m just so grateful to be part of the team—the Godolphin team, Dan Pride, Michael Banahan, the entire crew, and Sheikh Mohammed for supporting Godolphin and giving us all this opportunity.”

Sovereignty’s numbers this year tell the story: 6 starts, 5 wins, 1 second, and earnings of $5,692,020. With this latest win, his lifetime earnings now hit $5,835,300. And none of it would have been possible without the people behind him: Jockey: Junior Alvarado, Trainer: William I. Mott, Owner: Godolphin, LLC, Breeder: Godolphin. It’s one thing to have a phenomenal horse, but when the team is this strong, the results are unforgettable. And even in today’s race, there was a moment when it looked like he might not pull it off.

Sovereignty runs away with the Travers

The 2025 Travers Stakes brought together a compact yet competitive field of five.  From the moment the gates opened, Iowa Derby winner Magnitude went straight to the front for Steve Asmussen and Ben Curtis, trying to control things on his own terms. Right behind sat Sovereignty, biding his time under Junior Alvarado, while 20-1 outsider Bracket Buster kept close watch with Luis Saez. The others: Strategic Focus for Chad Brown and McAfee for Todd Pletcher never really got into it. Everything changed on the far turn.

Magnitude began to fade, and Alvarado nudged his colt forward. In just a few strides it was over: Sovereignty blew past, opening daylight with that big, grinding stride of his. By the time they hit the stretch, he was long gone. The crowd knew it too, roaring as the gap only grew wider. Ten lengths at the finish. It wasn’t a race anymore; it was a statement. For trainer Bill Mott, it was the Travers he’d chased for decades and finally nailed.

For Sovereignty, it was a slice of history since Thunder Gulch in 1995 to pull it off. Official time: 2:00.84. Behind him came Bracket Buster in second, Magnitude third, then McAfee and Strategic Focus. And waiting on the horizon is something even bigger: a showdown with Journalism in the Breeders’ Cup Classic, the kind of clash that decides Horse of the Year and maybe something more.