Sovereignty Triumphs Over Journalism to Claim Victory at Saratoga’s Belmont Stakes

Saratoga Springs, N.Y. — In an exciting rematch from the Kentucky Derby, Sovereignty triumphed over Journalism in the 157th Belmont Stakes on Saturday. This marks the second time the event has been hosted at Saratoga.

Jockey Junior Alvarado guided the 5-2 second favorite, Sovereignty, as he navigated through a field of eight horses on a fast track that had dried after heavy rains in the morning and early afternoon. Sovereignty completed the race in a swift 2 minutes and 0.69 seconds, securing a victory by three lengths over the Preakness Stakes winner, Journalism, who finished in second place.

Baeza came in third, replicating the 1-2-3 finish from the Kentucky Derby earlier this season. At the Belmont, Journalism was the 2-1 favorite, while Baeza was third favorite at 7-2.

Sovereignty had previously signaled his potential by winning the Derby in early May, where he also narrowly beat Journalism. After that victory, the colt, owned by Godolphin and trained by Bill Mott, chose to skip the Preakness Stakes, focusing instead on the Belmont and opting out of the chance to chase the elusive Triple Crown.

The Triple Crown has not been won since 2018, when Bob Baffert’s Justify clinched the title with a win at the 105th Belmont Stakes. Interestingly, Journalism was the only horse to compete in all three legs of the Triple Crown, having previously claimed victory at the Preakness.

The outcomes of these races have stirred excitement in the horse racing community and left fans eager for future competitions.