Who won the Kentucky Derby?
On May 3, 2025, Sovereignty claimed victory at the 151st running of the Kentucky Derby, held at Churchill Downs. The three-year-old Sovereignty, trained by Bill Mott and ridden by Venezuelan jockey Junior Alvarado, entered the race as one of the favorites at 9-1 odds to win. Alvarado, a first-time winner at the Derby, gave all the credit to Sovereignty.
Following his win, America’s Best Racing quoted Alvarado as saying:
“He broke good. Probably the third or fourth jump after the break, the horse next to me cut in front of me so I had to check a little bit. I just hoped he didn’t lose a shoe with the way the track is. Going to the first turn I tried to save ground in the first turn. When I turned to the backside, he was traveling beautifully. When we hit the five-eighths pole he said he was ready. I didn’t want to get too excited. When we turned for home, I got him in the clear and he showed his stuff. I knew what he was capable of.”
Yesterday’s race was run on a muddy, sloppy and potentially dangerous track due to two days of steady rain leading up to the big event. The weather and track conditions added some controversial aspects to the race as there were concerns as to how those track conditions could affect the performance of several of the horses.
Adding to the excitement of the event, the race came down to the final stretch as Sovereignty pulled ahead of Journalism and Baeza in the final moments. Journalism, the favorite, finished second, while Baeza secured third place.
Despite the challenges due to track conditions, Sovereignty’s strong finish and Alvarado’s skillful riding ensured a memorable win. Yesterday’s victory marks the beginning of the Triple Crown season, with anticipation building for the upcoming Preakness Stakes. Sovereignty’s team, including the owner Godolphin, jockey Junior Alvarado and trainer William Mott, will share winnings of $3.1 million, according to CBS Sports.
If you missed yesterday’s exciting Run for the Roses, you can view the complete race in the video below.
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(Additional sources: USA Today, Sporting News, MSN, Palm Beach Post)
(Cover photo, Image credit: X)
Posted by Richard Webster, Ace News Today
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