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Sovereignty wins 151st running of Kentucky Derby

ns_headshot_2024-clearby: Nick Schultz05/03/25NickSchultz_7
Kentucky Derby horses run out of the gates
© Grace Hollars/IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK / USA TODAY NETWORK

The first Saturday in May means all eyes turn toward Churchill Downs. The 2025 Kentucky Derby took place Saturday evening, and it was shaping up to be an intriguing race.

It was a muddy track at Churchill Downs, meaning this year’s Kentucky Derby would include the first sloppy track since 2019. That added to the intrigue around the race, which saw Journalism enter as the favorite after three consecutive victories.

Ultimately, Sovereignty came away as the winner of the 151st running of the Kentucky Derby. Journalism finished second after making a run down the stretch, followed by Baeza – fresh into the field – and Final Gambit.

The state of the track often determines which horse can claim an advantage, based on their past experience on each surface. The weather forecast entering Saturday called for a high of 60 degrees with a 50-percent chance of rain at post time, setting the stage for wet conditions. That was the case, and Sovereignty ran well with a strong close to give Bill Mott a Kentucky Derby victory.

Well before post time, as the horses began their walk to the gate, the mud was apparent as interviews took place on the NBC broadcast. It made for tricky track conditions for a field that didn’t have much experience running in the rain and mud.

Saturday’s race also saw the impact of Secretariat continue at Churchill Downs. Every horse in the field was a descendent of the 1973 Triple Crown winner, who became the first horse to ever run the Kentucky Derby in less than two minutes as part of his storied race that year.

Two horses in the field also looked to become the first Japanese horses to win the Kentucky Derby. Luxor Cafe had the third-best odds just before post time, while Admire Daytona was one of the long shots in the 19-horse field.

But ultimately, it was Sovereignty who prevailed on a muddy day at Churchill Downs. Mott’s first Kentucky Derby win came in 2019 when Country House got the victory after Maximum Security’s disqualification. This time, his horse clearly finished in first place – knocking off the favorite thanks to an impressive close down the final stretch to win the biggest event in horse racing.

Despite the elements, it was still a day full of Mint Juleps, big hats and bold suits at Churchill Downs. It’s now on to the Preakness Stakes for the second part of the Triple Crown, scheduled for May 17.