Sovereignty is sharpening for the Travers, one of just five confirmed starters

Godolphin’s star, the top colt of his generation, impressed Bill Mott with his Saturday workout at Saratoga

Sovereignty impressed in his final workout ahead of the Travers / ADAM COGLIANESE / NYRA

SARATOGA SPRINGS, New York (Special for Turf Diario).- One of the most anticipated moments of the U.S. racing season is approaching, and Sovereignty, the standout 3-year-old, is already primed for battle. The Godolphin star, hero of the Kentucky Derby (G1) and Belmont Stakes (G1), put the finishing touches on his training Saturday at the Oklahoma dirt training track, with his sights set on the Travers Stakes (G1, 1 1/4 miles, dirt, US$1,250,000), which will run its historic edition at Saratoga next Saturday.

Just five horses are slated for the Mid-Summer Derby, including the Into Mischief colt, coming off a commanding win in the Jim Dandy Stakes (G2) on July 26. Under the guidance of Neil Poznansky, Sovereignty went out early in the morning and, after being accompanied on the pre-work walk by Bill Mott himself on the pony, drilled five furlongs in 1:12.82, always under control and leaving stablemate Fort Nelson (Bernardini) well behind, finishing with an intense outside gallop in 1:14.33.

Mott, who later observed from the barn with his grandson William in his arms, was pleased with the move:

“I really liked how he did it. It was exactly what we were looking for—a solid five-furlong work,” said the conditioner, who hopes to secure his first Travers victory after coming close with Vision and Verse (Storm Cat, 1999), Hold Me Back (Giant’s Causeway, 2009), and Tacitus (Tapit, 2019).

Sovereignty leads the 3-year-old division by earnings, with over $5 million in 2025, and Mott does not hide his expectations while keeping a measured perspective:

“We don’t take anything for granted. To win, he’s going to have to show up and run another big race. He’s ready, he’s fit—there shouldn’t be any excuses.”

Bred by Godolphin in Kentucky out of a Bernardini mare who never raced, Sovereignty will look to add another notch to a brilliant campaign, which also includes victories in the Fountain of Youth Stakes (G2) and the Street Sense Stakes (G3) in 2024.

For the powerful blue silks, another triumph in the Travers would mark their third in history, following wins with Alpha (Bernardini, 2012, dead-heat) and Essential Quality (Tapit, 2021).