Sovereignty Battles Through Tough Test in Saratoga’s Jim Dandy

The top 3-year-old in the U.S. this season found himself in trouble, but managed to regroup and edge past Baeza in a thrilling finish

Down the stretch, Sovereignty kicked into cruise control / ADAM COGLIANESE / NYRA

SARATOGA SPRINGS, New York (Special for Turf Diario).- Despite losing some ground into the far turn, Sovereignty once again showcased his class Saturday at Saratoga, digging in late to take the GII Jim Dandy S. going 1 1/8 miles over the main track. The $500,000 race is one of the key preps for the upcoming GI Travers S. on Aug. 23—a race that now looms as the clear summer goal for Godolphin’s reigning division leader.

Trained by Hall of Famer Bill Mott, Sovereignty entered off wins in the GI Belmont S. and a stellar performance when third in the GI Kentucky Derby, where he emerged as the best of the 18-horse field. In contrast, only four rivals lined up to face him in the Jim Dandy. Regular rider Junior Alvarado opted for a similar approach to the one that worked so well in the Belmont: he placed the Into Mischief colt in a stalking position and let his natural ability do the rest.

“It was a winning trip, a winning ride, a winning performance,” said Mott, who admitted that taking the Travers would be a personal milestone. “We just hope he comes out of this race in good shape and trains into the Travers the same way he trained into today.”

From the break, Mo Plex (Complexity)—the other New York-bred in the field—recovered from a slight stumble and quickly assumed the lead, with Sovereignty tracking from his outside and Baeza (McKinzie) holding the rail. The trio clicked off opening fractions of :24.54 and :48.49. Down the backstretch, Héctor Berríos began to advance inside with Baeza, while Alvarado kept his mount relaxed. “I knew what I had underneath me,” the rider said. “It wasn’t about fighting for position—it was about riding to win.”

Approaching the far turn, Sovereignty briefly lost momentum and dropped back to last, passed by Baeza, the late-running Sandman (Tapit), and Hill Road (Quality Road). But Alvarado stayed composed. “I knew he would kick in at any moment—I just had to wait for the exact time,” he recounted.

Turning for home in 1:12.42 for six furlongs, Sovereignty found another gear. Rallying down the center of the track, he drew alongside Baeza, who was still battling gamely on the inside, as Mo Plex began to fade. With 200 meters to go, the Godolphin gray edged clear, eventually crossing the wire a length in front in 1:49.52, with Alvarado never needing to go to the whip.

“Junior let him find his rhythm—he knew this horse can close powerfully from the three-eighths to the wire,” said Mott. “Maybe the others saved a bit of ground, but he was sitting on the best horse.”

Baeza, always courageous, finished second to Sovereignty for the third time, having also filled the runner-up spot in both the Derby and Belmont. This time he was 9 1/4 lengths ahead of Hill Road, while Mo Plex and Sandmancompleted the order.

“My horse likes to feel another one nearby—he loses focus at times—but he responded well when it mattered,” said Berríos of Baeza, a son of McKinzie trained by John Shirreffs, who continues to show signs of immaturity.

An emotional Alvarado spoke about what Sovereignty means to him: “This horse is a dream come true. He gave me my first big wins in the U.S. Sometimes you wake up hoping for a horse like this to come along. I was lucky—he came to me.”

The $275,000 winner’s share boosted Sovereignty’s record to 8-5-2-0, with earlier wins in the GIII Street Sense S.and the GII Fountain of Youth S. As the heavy favorite, he returned just $3 for every $2 wagered.

With another poised, powerful performance that required little more than a late reminder, the Godolphin star looks locked and loaded for a Travers run that could cement his championship credentials. This time, Bill Mott doesn’t want it to slip away.