Sovereignty dominated the Travers and capped a dream summer at Saratoga

The Godolphin star dispatched a modest field with complete authority and heads to the Breeders’ Cup Classic as the leading contender

Sovereignty soars to glory in the Travers Stakes / ADAM COGLIANESE / NYRA

SARATOGA SPRINGS, Nueva York — The legend of Bill Mott added another unforgettable chapter Saturday at Saratoga Race Course, as the Hall of Famer finally captured one of the few prizes missing from his illustrious résumé. Thanks to a tour-de-force performance from Sovereignty (Into Mischief), Mott secured the GI DraftKings Travers Stakes, the historic “Midsummer Derby” for 3-year-olds, worth $1.25 million.

“It was one of those races I hadn’t won and always wanted,” admitted Mott, a two-time GI Kentucky Derby-winning trainer. “We’d already checked the Met Mile off the list with Cody’s Wish (Curlin), but the Travers was the other big target. It’s one of the most important races in the country, and winning it is enormously satisfying.”

Owned and bred by Godolphin, Sovereignty confirmed his status as a superstar with a devastating 10-length romp, giving Mott his first Travers and Godolphin its third, following Alpha (Bernardini, 2012, via dead-heat) and Essential Quality (Tapit, 2021).

For Venezuelan jockey Junior Alvarado, Sovereignty’s constant partner, the victory was equally historic. It marked his first Man o’ War Cup and completed an incredible treble in 2025, having already guided the colt to wins in the Kentucky Derby (G1) and the Belmont Stakes (G1). No horse had swept the Derby-Belmont-Travers trifecta since Thunder Gulch (Gulch) in 1995.

“This is the horse of my life,” said an emotional Alvarado. “Every big win I’ve had has come with him. I’m infinitely grateful to Godolphin and to Billy Mott for trusting me and letting me ride such a special horse.”

Though only five went to post, Sovereignty was sent off as the overwhelming 1-4 favorite. Breaking from stall four, Alvarado allowed him to settle near the back while Magnitude (Not This Time) set the early fractions inside, pressed by Bracket Buster (Vekoma) and a wide McAfee (Cloud Computing). The opening splits went in :23.47 and :47.43.

Cruising effortlessly, Sovereignty advanced between rivals and was poised to strike by the far turn. Straightening for home, Bracket Buster tried gamely to fight on, but once Alvarado asked, Sovereignty delivered a devastating turn of foot, opening up at will and crossing the line “in hand” in 2:00.84 for 1 1/4 miles.

“He showed me something different today,” Alvarado noted. “On the first turn, they squeezed me a bit and I didn’t want to go too wide, but he handled it perfectly. He does everything so professionally, never hesitates.”

Mott praised his jockey’s execution: “There weren’t any instructions. Junior knows him inside out. We figured who would be on the pace, and the idea was just to keep him close. When the time came, Junior just let him do his thing. He’s a special horse.”

Bracket Buster, trained by Vicki Oliver, ran the race of his life to be second, well clear of Magnitude in third. McAfee and Strategic Focus (Gun Runner) rounded out the field.

“I’m so proud of my horse,” said Oliver. “He ran huge. At the top of the stretch I thought we might give him a fight, but he’s just a freak. Still, this was a great result for us.”

Sovereignty’s path to the top has been nothing short of flawless. Before the Travers, he had stormed from 16th to win the Kentucky Derby (G1) by 1 1/2 lengths, added the Belmont Stakes (G1) by three, and tuned up with a victory in the GII Jim Dandy. He also opened his 2025 season by capturing the GII Fountain of Youth.

Michael Banahan, director of bloodstock for Godolphin USA, lauded both horse and team: “He’s developed step by step, exactly as we’d hoped. To arrive at the Derby, the Belmont, and now here in top form requires great skill, and Bill has done a tremendous job. Junior also suits him perfectly; they fit together like hand and glove.”

The next stop appears clear: the GI Breeders’ Cup Classic at Del Mar on Nov. 1, where Sovereignty will take on older horses for the first time.

With this latest triumph, the colt boosted his bankroll past $5.8 million, with a sparkling record of nine starts, six wins, and two seconds.