Dubai ruler's colt Sovereignty wins 2025 Kentucky Derby, ending drought for Godolphin

Sovereignty won the 151st Kentucky Derby on Saturday, giving trainer Bill Mott a clear and celebrated second victory. The 3-year-old colt pulled away from favourite Journalism in the final stretch to win in rainy conditions. Ridden by jockey Junior Alvarado, Sovereignty completed the 1 1/4-mile race in 2:02.31 and paid $17.96 to win at 7-1 odds, reported AP.

Godolphin gets its first Derby win

Sovereignty is owned and was bred by Godolphin, the global racing operation led by Dubai ruler Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum. The win ends a 0-for-13 streak in the Derby for Godolphin.

It was part of a major weekend for the stable. On Friday, their filly Good Cheer won the Kentucky Oaks, and earlier on Saturday, Ruling Court — another Godolphin horse — won the 2,000 Guineas in Britain.

It was quite a weekend for the sheikh. His filly, Good Cheer, won the Kentucky Oaks on Friday and earlier Saturday, Ruling Court — a son of 2018 Triple Crown winner Justify — won the 2,000 Guineas in Britain.

Sovereignty, also bred by the sheikh, splashed through 1 1/4 miles in 2:02.31 and paid $17.96 to win at 7-1 odds. He's the record 20th horse with a name starting with `S' to win.

“A great horse”

Mott previously won the Kentucky Derby in 2019 with Country House, who was declared the winner after Maximum Security was disqualified following a 22-minute review. This time, there were no disputes.

“This one got there the right way,” Mott was quoted as saying by USA Today. “He’s a great horse, and I can’t say enough about the organisation that made this happen.”

All about Sovereignty

Sovereignty is a son of Into Mischief, a graded-stakes winner, and Crowned, an unraced mare. He was foaled on February 22, 2022, and has never been sold at public auction.

Before the Derby, Sovereignty had won the Fountain of Youth Stakes and Street Sense Stakes, and finished second in the Florida Derby.

His pedigree includes major champions like Secretariat, Seattle Slew, Affirmed, Bernardini, A.P. Indy, and Unbridled.

Other top finishers

Favourite Journalism, trained by Michael McCarthy and ridden by Umberto Rispoli, finished second after a wide trip from the first turn at the 2025 Kentucky Derby.

The full top five:

2nd: Journalism

3rd: Baeza

4th: Final Gambit

5th: Owen Almighty

(With inputs from AP)