“They’ve got to hang those numbers up and say official,” Bill Mott was visibly unwilling to celebrate too early before Saturday’s Jim Dandy Stakes (G2). With preparations for next month’s Travers in full swing, Mott knew that a lot hinged on Saturday’s race at the Saratoga racecourse. But the trainer can now finally rest easy, courtesy of Sovereignty.

The winner of two of the three Triple Crown races this year, the 3-year-old colt became an overnight sensation within the horse racing community after nabbing a win over Journalism at Churchill Downs in May. And yet, it seemed like, before the Jim Dandy, there were concerns about how Sovereignty had lost the Florida Derby amidst preparations for the Kentucky Derby. But the thoroughbred just proved that he’s more than up for most of the challenges thrown at him.

In an X post from July 27 by Thoroughbred Daily News, Sovereignty’s latest feat has been shared. “Baeza gave it his all but once again SOVEREIGNTY triumphs in flawless fashion, rolling home in the GII Jim Dandy Stakes at Saratoga,” reads the caption of the post, as the accompanying video shows Mott’s horse holding off the 2025 Santa Anita Derby runner-up to cross the finishing line by a length.

With Junior Alvarado on his back, Sovereignty looked as good as they come on Saturday. Baeza looked determined, but Mott’s colt was even more locked in inside his head. “It was good. It was a winning trip, a winning ride, a winning run,” said the Hall of Fame trainer after the victory at the 1 1/8 mile race in Saratoga. However, it was not like the ‘winning run’ did not have its tense moments.

As he approached the turn, Sovereignty lost position to Baeza, and was, in fact, in last for a few moments. But his jockey, Junior Alvarado, trusted his ride. “It was everybody else moving and at that time I was just like, ‘Alright let me now kind of start picking it up,'” Alvarado said. “I had 100% confidence. I knew what I had underneath me.”

Mott had previously noted how spacing out races would help Sovereignty. With today’s victory, the son of Into Mischief now boasts five wins in eight starts, definitely a statistic to show off. And now, onward to the next big race. On August 23, the horse racing world converges at the Spa for the $1.25 million Travers (G1), and Mott can’t wait.

“We are trying to get ready for the Travers and that is the main objective for everybody, I think. The Mid-Summer Derby, I think the Travers is important to me. It is a race I’ve never won, and I’d really like to win it before I check out,” said a jocund Mott after the Jim Dandy triumph. Hopefully, the long gap before the next race will prove to be a blessing yet again. Because he might need it.

Sovereignty cannot afford to rest easy despite Journalism’s possible absence

At this year’s Kentucky Derby, Michael McCarthy’s Journalism was the popular favorite to win the race. And yet, when the race day arrived at the iconic Churchill Downs racetrack, Sovereignty stole the show. Running on a muddy track, Mott’s horse caught up with and left behind Umberto Rispoli and Journalism to win the first jewel of the Triple Crown in an emphatic manner. Rispoli was visibly upset and claimed that it was the wet conditions of the track that caused the loss.

Fans expected a rematch soon, with the Preakness Stakes around the corner. However, Mott had other plans. “I think over the years people realize spacing these horses out a little bit gives you the opportunity to make them last a little longer and I think we’re looking at a career. We want the career to last more than five weeks,” said the Hall of Fame trainer as Sovereignty pulled out of Pimlico. In his absence, Journalism secured a win, and their much-awaited rematch finally arrived at the Belmont.

And once again, Sovereignty exhibited his worth in style, by whipping out yet another sensational run to win the third jewel. Winning the Jim Dandy, he once again proved that the Florida Derby loss was nothing more than a fluke and shouldn’t be something to judge his worth by. But can he repeat the same feat at the Travers? Journalism, who won the $1-million Haskell Stakes to earn a trip to the Breeders’ Cup, may not be competing at the Mid-Summer Derby next month. However, Baeza, the next best thing, may return.

Though he may be 0-for-3 against Sovereignty, Baeza has shown that he deserves mention among the very best with third-place finishes behind Sovereignty and Journalism in both the Kentucky Derby and Belmont Stakes and a second-place finish behind the former in Jim Dandy. Mott even went so far as to wonder if the John A. Shirreff-trained horse could be even better than Journalism. “I think he could be the second- or third-best 3-year-old in North America,” Mott said about Baeza. “Unfortunately, he’s been behind Sovereignty three times. So, I guess the form is true to form.” 

Well, let’s not forget how Baeza comes from a family of upsetters, with his half-brothers Mage and Dornoch winning the 2023 Kentucky Derby and last year’s Belmont Stakes, respectively. So while a perfect record might give Mott confidence, it would be wise for him to look out lest the Travers slips through his fingers this time as well.