Sovereignty pulls away to win Kentucky Derby
Sovereignty pulled away from race favorite Journalism down the stretch to win the 151st Kentucky Derby on a muddy track at Churchill Downs.
SOVEREIGNTY RULES THE 151st KENTUCKY DERBY! ๐น #KyDerby pic.twitter.com/WfLBrG4Zv4
โ NBC Sports (@NBCSports) May 3, 2025
Sovereignty and jockey Junior Alvarado were neck and neck with Journalism and its jockey Umberto Rispoli before pulling away as the finish line approached.
Rounding out the top three were Journalism and Baeza, the latter of which entered the field this week after Rodriguez was scratched. Final Gambit and Owen Almighty finished fourth and fifth, respectively.
Sovereignty had the fourth-lowest pre-race odds at 9-1. The morning-line favorite hasn't won the event since 2018.
It's trainer Bill Mott's second career Kentucky Derby win after Country House won by disqualification at the 2019 Run for the Roses, the last time the Kentucky Derby was run amid rainy conditions.
Here's how the $2 bets paid out based on the results Saturday:
| No. | Horse | Win | Place | Show |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 18 | Sovereignty | $17.96 | $7.50 | $5.58 |
| 8 | Journalism | $4.94 | $3.70 | |
| 21 | Baeza | $8.38 |
And here's how the exotic wagers paid out:
| Combo | Payout | |
|---|---|---|
| $2 Exacta | 18-8 | $48.32 |
| $1 Trifecta | 18-8-21 | $231.12 |
| $1 Superfecta | 18-8-21-3 | $1682.27 |
All 19 horses that ran in this year's race are descendants of 1973 Triple Crown winner Secretariat, according to sports business reporter Joe Pompliano.
The 150th Preakness Stakes is the next Triple Crown event May 17 in Baltimore.