“Bill Mott isn’t the sort of trainer who will enter just to have a horse in the Derby,” The Athletic’s Teresa Genaro wrote ahead of the Kentucky Derby. It turns out the journalist couldn’t have described the Hall of Famer better. While Mott’s horse entered the field with favorable 7-1 odds, Journalism remained the pre-race favorite to win the 151st Kentucky Derby title. However, Sovereignty would ultimately upset the heavy favorite.

Yet, as the horses burst onto the tracks, the field looked quite different. Bob Baffert’s Citizen Bull took the lead as the horses and their riders navigated the 1 1/4 mile Churchill Downs track. The favorites, on the other hand, showed their depth as they entered their final phase. Mott’s horse overtook the field from outside along with Journalism before living up to his reputation as a closer. And as Sovereign pulled away to win the race, Mott etched his name in Derby history—a fitting achievement for the now-veteran trainer who showed incredible initiative and resourcefulness even as a kid.

Bill Mott: Small-town beginnings to Kentucky Derby winner

The Mobridge, South Dakota, native’s journey to his mettle in the sport has been a humbling one. Bill Mott, aka William I. Mott, started spending time around horses at a young age, thanks to his father. A veterinarian by vocation, Mott’s father instilled a deep love for horses in his young son. “After watching him treat a variety of ailments, I knew that I wanted to spend my life working with horses,” said the 71-year-old as per Keeneland.com.

Yet, it’s safe to say that even his father didn’t have an idea just how far Mott would come. The now two-time Kentucky Derby winner was training horses as early as his high school days. The money for training? He arranged that by selling cattle and pigs that he raised himself. No wonder the Breeders’ Cup winner’s first victory came with a $320 mare called My Assets. Bill Mott’s victories with My Assets in unrecognized meets set him on a path of constant improvement.

By 19, the four-time Eclipse Award winner saved up $2000 and bought a Kosmic Tour, earning the then-up-and-comer his first South Dakota Futurity title. The trajectory only went upward from there. By the 1970s, Mott began learning the tricks of the trade from Hall of Famer Jack Van Berg.

Yet, the 71-year-old had to wait till 2019 to earn his first Kentucky Derby. Even then, the win came with an asterisk. Mott’s horse Country House, despite beating massive 65-1 odds, finished in second place on the track. It was only after title winner Maximum Security’s disqualification that Mott was named the winner. In fact, it is the sole reason why Sovereignty’s win was so historic.

Mott opens up on special Kentucky Derby win

While the veteran trainer had already won the Kentucky Derby, this year Bill Mott witnessed his horse actually beat the rest of the field in a breakneck race. Yet, you wouldn’t know it from the Hall of Famers’ humble reaction. “This is better,” Mott said about the landmark win as per The Courier Journal in what they called his “customary dry” tone.

“This one got here the right way. I mean, he’s done well. He’s a great horse. He comes from a great organization,” added the 15-time Breeder’s Cup winner. Jockey Junior Alvarado rode Sovereignty through the 1 1/4 mile mud-covered Churchill Downs track in 2:02.31. What made the occasion even more special was the sheer size of the turnout.

Despite the overcast weather, 147,406 fans cheered the competitors from the sidelines as they raced to in the $5 million purse race. The race also became a career milestone for Sovereignty’s jockey. As Bill Mott and the crowd witnessed Sovereignty edge past Journalism, Junior Alvarado won his first-ever Kentucky Derby title.

Alvarado had nothing but praise for the horse and, in extension, his trainer. “Every move I was making, that horse was just there for me every single time,” the jockey said after the race. “I made probably six to seven, eight little moves, and he was there for me each time,” added Alvarado. The high praise only highlighted the Eclipse Award winner’s ability to instill discipline in his horses.

Meanwhile, Bill Mott recounted his first Kentucky Derby win in light of Sovereignty’s victory. Although the 71-year-old didn’t deny that the first win still holds a special place in his heart, he did admit that watching the G1 Florida Derby runner-up win at the iconic Churchill Downs was a truly special feeling. “We were thrilled with the last one, and this one was equally or more special,” said Bill Mott, who became the National Museum of Racing Hall of Fame’s youngest thoroughbred trainer inductee at 45.

However, with the Kentucky Derby in the bag, let’s not forget Bill Mott is now in the running to win another Triple Crown race as well. Yet, the next stop at the Preakness Stakes in Baltimore, Maryland, will present new challenges. Bob Baffert, who fell to 15th place with Citizen Bull, may look to bring Rodriguez back then. Meanwhile, Baeza, who replaced Rodriguez, surprised the field by finishing third in the Kentucky Derby. So it doesn’t look like Bill Mott will be resting anytime soon. It’s a good thing, then, that Mott said he “can never get enough,” as per the Courier Journal.