Kentucky Derby 2025 Winner Bill Mott's Sovereignty Celebration, Reaction

Sovereignty captured the 151st running of the Kentucky Derby on Saturday, May 3, at Churchill Downs, finishing with a time of 2:02.31 in the sloppy conditions and securing a spot in racing history.

The champion bay colt was ridden by jockey Junior Alvarado, owned by Godolphin and trained by Bill Mott.

Journalism finished in second place after a tight battle following the final turn, edging third-place finisher Baeza.

Sovereignty, the champion on Saturday entered the Derby with 9-1 odds. By winning the first leg of the Triple Crown he begins his quest to become the first Triple Crown winner since Justify in 2018.

Here's a look at the top-ten finishers on Saturday:

1. Sovereignty (9-1)
2. Journalism (7-2)
3. Baeza (14-1)
4. Final Gambit (17-1)
5. Owen Almighty (40-1)
6. Burnham Square (18-1)
7. Sandman (5-1)
8. East Avenue (39-1)
9. Chunk of Gold (27-1)
10. Tiztastic (23-1)

Alvarado, coming off an injury that sidelined him for weeks, noted how Sovereignty stuck by him throughout the recovery process, making their victory even more special.

"It means the world to me. My family's here. I thought I had a great chance," Alvarado said after the win. "I'm pretty sure they're way over the moon right now."

In addition to the big win, Alvarado is bringing home $3.1 million with his first win after the $5 million purse was divided among the winners.

Mott finally saw one of his horses cross the finish line for the win, having previously won in 2019 after Maximum Security was disqualified.

Doing it the "right way" this time, Mott celebrated his second win.

“This one got here the right way," Mott said after the race. "I mean, he’s done well. He's a great horse. He comes from a great organization."

Sovereignty boasts a pedigree that includes three of the greatest thoroughbreds in history: Secretariat (Triple Crown champion in 1973), Seattle Slew (Triple Crown winner in 1977), and Affirmed (Triple Crown victor in 1978), per Courier Journal.

Behind Journalism (7-2), Sandman (5-1) and Sovereignty (9-1) had great odds as two of the most consistent horses in the lineup with a few top-three finishes to their names ahead of the race. Luxor Cafe slipped into a contender spot, holding 8-1 odds ahead of the race, before finishing 12th. 

Sovereignty celebrated the win, draped in roses, strutting alongside his jockey after securing the victory—just weeks removed from a strong showing in the 2025 Fountain of Youth.

Social media reacted to Sovereignty securing his name in the history book switch a 2025 Kentucky Derby win:

In two weeks, on May 17, the Preakness Stakes—the second leg of the Triple Crown—will be held, followed by the Belmont Stakes three weeks later on June 7.