Sovereignty wins Kentucky Derby on sloppy track

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Sovereignty took the 151st running of the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs on Saturday, winning the 1-1/4 mile race in 2:02.31 and beating the favorite Journalism down the stretch.

The colt trained by Bill Mott broke from the 16th gate. He stayed back early in the race as Citizen Bull led a brisk pace at the start on the muddy track.

Ridden by Junior Alvarado, Sovereignty broke wide coming out of the final turn and was neck and neck with Journalism before pulling away.

The win is the first for Alvarado and owner Godolphin LLC in the classic race. It's the second for Mott, who won in 2019 with Country House after Maximum Security was bumped down for interference.

Coming off a second place allowing in the Florida Derby at Gulfstream Park, Sovereignty paid $17.96, $7.50 and $ 5.58. Journalism paid $4.94 and $3.70 and Baeza paid $8.38 to show.

Unlike Friday, when severe weather briefly came through the area around Churchill Downs and delayed races, including the running of the Kentucky Oaks, there were no such issues on Saturday. However, steady rains on the cool spring day in Louisville did lead to a sloppy track.

-- Steve Bittenbender, Field Level Media