Bill Mott Trains Second Derby Winner as Godolphin Ends 13-Year Drought
Sovereignty surged past Journalism in a thrilling finish to claim victory at the 151st Kentucky Derby. The Bill Mott-trained colt gave owner Godolphin their first Derby win after 13 attempts.
The race, run on a sloppy track at Churchill Downs, saw Sovereignty and jockey Junior Alvarado hold off a late charge from 3-1 favorite Journalism. The winning time was 2:02.31 for the 1¼-mile classic.
Mott, who previously won the 2019 Derby via disqualification, praised the horse and Godolphin’s team. “This one got there the right way,” he said. Sheikh Mohammed, owner of Godolphin, also celebrated a winning weekend with victories in the Kentucky Oaks and British 2,000 Guineas.
Journalism fought hard but couldn’t match Sovereignty’s late burst. Fast-closing Baeza took third, while Final Gambit and Owen Almighty rounded out the top five.
