Kentucky Derby winner Sovereignty defeats Journalism again to take the 157th running of the Belmont Stakes

In a rematch that lived up to its billing, Kentucky Derby winner Sovereignty galloped to victory over Journalism in muddy conditions at the 157th Belmont Stakes in Saratoga Springs, New York, on Saturday in the third leg of the Triple Crown.

Sovereignty, who entered the race with 2-to-1 odds, defeated a field of seven challengers. 

The race marked a kind of replay of the Derby. Journalism ended up in second again and Baeza was third — the same 1-2-3 as the Derby.

Sovereignty won in 2 minutes, 0.69 seconds, beating Journalism by three lengths. 

Sovereignty, a 3-year-old bay colt, is the first ever horse to win the Derby, skip the Preakness Stakes, and then win the Belmont. The last horse to run in an all three legs of the Triple Crown and win both the Derby and Belmont was Thunder Gulch in 1995. 

Journalism had entered as the heavy favorite after winning the Preakness. Journalism was the only horse who ran in all three legs of the Triple Crown this year. Bob Baffert-trained Rodriguez was in the Belmont after being scratched from the Derby because of a minor foot bruise that also kept the colt out of the Preakness.

Sovereignty is owned by Godolphin and trained by Bill Mott. Godolphin is the racing stable of Dubai ruler Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum.  

Jockey Junior Alvarado, who rode Sovereignty to victory at the Derby, was also his mount on Saturday. Alvarado was fined $62,000 and suspended for two racing days in Kentucky by the state’s Board of Stewards for allegedly using his riding crop too much in the Derby. Alvarado is appealing the decision.  

The Belmont took place for a second consecutive time at the historic Saratoga Race Course in upstate New York. The New York Racing Association temporarily relocated it there while Belmont Park on Long Island undergoes nearly half-a-billion dollars in renovations.

Because it was held at Saratoga, the Belmont was 1 1/4 miles long instead of the usual 1 1/2 miles, making the race known as the Test of the Champion the same length as the Derby.