Sovereignty returned to worktable, and a pair of objectives are already on the horizon
- Turf Diario
- 6 hours ago
- 2 min read
The 2025 Horse of the Year in the United States breezed 600 meters last Saturday at Payson Park, and could make his return in the spring
INDIANTOWN, Florida (Special to Turf Diario).– The reigning Horse of the Year in the United States, Sovereignty, reappeared on the official work tab last Saturday, marking his first move since being scratched during the week of the Breeders' Cup Classic (G1) on November 1 at Del Mar due to a minor physical issue.
The Godolphin homebred, winner of the 2025 Kentucky Derby (G1) and the Belmont Stakes, breezed 600 meters in :37.40 at the Payson Park Training Center in this city, under the watchful eye of Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott.
While Mott did not respond to formal inquiries before the news deadline, he told the Daily Racing Form that the son of Into Mischief showed encouraging signs even before the exercise. “He was bucking a little bit yesterday; normally he’s pretty quiet going to the track. He seemed to be feeling very good, so I decided it was time to get started,” the trainer explained.
Sovereignty has not competed since his crushing 10-length victory in the Travers Stakes (G1) at Saratoga in late August, a performance that consolidated his generational dominance and ultimately tipped the scales in the Eclipse Awards voting.
According to Mott, the plan could include a return in April. Among the options being considered are the Oaklawn Handicap (G2) on April 18 at Oaklawn Park, or the Alysheba Stakes (G2) at Churchill Downs, traditionally scheduled for the Kentucky Oaks (G1) card.
Beyond the starting point, the ultimate goal is clear: to arrive in peak condition for the Breeders’ Cup Classic on October 31 at Keeneland. “I heard the Jockey Club Gold Cup is going to be moved to the opening day of the Belmont meeting, which would be 5 or 6 weeks before the Breeders’ Cup. That timing would be ideal,” Mott noted, envisioning a classic roadmap toward the autumn's big target.
On the same morning, 2025 Kentucky Oaks (G1) winner Good Cheer (Medaglia D'Oro) also returned to the work tab. The Brad Cox trainee covered the same three furlongs in :37.40.
The return of Sovereignty to the track is more than just a movement on the clock: it is the first concrete sign that the champion is beginning to build his new campaign. And when a Horse of the Year begins to move again, the entire calendar starts to reorganize around him.
