Trainer Bill Mott celebrated with the trophy in the winner’s circle after jockey Junior Alvarado rode Sovereignty to victory during the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky. on May 3, 2025.
Louisville, Kentucky – Bill Mott seemed to float in the air when he entered Churchill Downs on Saturday afternoon. Moments before, his horse Sovereignty had won Kentucky’s derby.
He showed a radiant smile as he made his way between the multitude of supporters to reach the circle of winners with the jinete jinete Alvarado, the director of Godolphin LLC races Michael Banahan and others related to the winner of the 151.ª race for the roses.
Godolphin, a world racing giant, celebrated his first victory in the Derby after 26 years of attempts. It was the first victory for Alvarado in the Derby or in any triple crown race, and the second for Mott. However, he had good reasons to treat her as the first.
Six years ago, Kentucky’s Derby was at Limbo for 22 minutes while the commissioners reviewed the race. Mott’s Country House finished second, behind Maximum Security, but would be declared winner after Maximum Security had been considered interfered with other horses. The 2019 decision is considered one of the most controversial results in the century and a half of the most important horsepower career in the United States.
That night, Mott described the result as “bittersweet.” This time, there was nothing bitter.
“This is better,” he told the press on Saturday. “Then I said I want to finish first, cross the goal first.”
There was no discussion about Saturday’s race, since Alvarado set up Sovereignty with great skill. With 19 horses on the grill, the derby can easily be lost at the beginning, since the horses converge. That could have happened when Chunk of Gold leaned towards Sovereignty to a race stride. Alvarado and his horse remained between Chunk of Gold and Sandman.
Instead, the disaster was avoided when Alvarado held on Sovereignty. Leaving door 16, they were far from the railing at the beginning of the race. They arrived before the first curve, but they were already in 16 after a mile room. Upon reaching three quarters of mile in the race of 1 1/4 miles, they were in 17th place, almost 10 bodies of the leader, Citizen Bull.
Journalism, a favorite 3-1, also remained behind and took 2 1/2 advantage bodies to Sovereignty half a mile from the end. Alvarado knew that he would have to keep track of the Santa Anita Derby winner to have some chance.
“Every time I made a movement, that horse was there for me,” Alvarado said. “I must say that I made about six, seven or eight small movements, and he was there for me on each occasion.”
Journalism and Sovereignty occupied the third and fourth place, respectively, just behind Owen Almighty and Neoequos in the absence of a quarter of a mile. Both went out and, by advancing in the final stretch, they became the favorites, with Sovereignty giving distance signs.
The repetition of the race remained in loop throughout the subsequent press conference, and even with the questions, Mott did not stop looking at the screen. His smile was still present.
“I never tire of seeing him, you know?” He said, causing laughter. “It’s really great to see him. … In fact, I love the trip he made.”
Mott, 71, has been in the world of races. He has won the eclipse prize for the best coach and has demonstrated record, having won the award in 1995, 1996, 2011 and two years ago. In 1998, he became the youngest coach to enter the Hall of Fame of the races and, for years, was the most successful coach of Churchill Downs.
Now, the South Dakota native, whose first experience with the race was to listen to the 1967 derby on the radio of a truck, is now twice winner of the derby.
“I never imagined it would come here,” he said. “I never imagined being in Churchill Downs.”
While Saturday’s victory was important for Mott, it was also for Godolphin, although the beginning of the stable in the races was very different from Mott’s, since it was founded by Dubai’s ruler, Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid al Maktoum, 33 years ago.
“We hope to win this type of racing?” Banahan said. “No, it is not expected. It is only expected to have good horses to give them the opportunity … it is simply an opportunity to give those horses the best possible opportunity, and if we get one good enough to win the derby, fantastic!”
Banahan said that the stable has taken years to win the great races. Godolphin did not win his first EPSOM derby in England until seven years ago.
“A very, very good horse is needed to win these races, and we were lucky that Savereignty could demonstrate his true talent today.”
–Steve Bittenbender, Field Level Media
Related news :