In a style not for the faint of heart, Sovereignty ( c, 2, Into Mischief–Crowned, by Bernardini) went last to first, and claimed 10 points on the Road to the 2025 Kentucky Derby via the GIII Street Sense Stakes at Churchill Downs.
Debuting Aug. 24 at Saratoga sprinting on the main track, he managed to close from 10th to fourth against a maiden field which yielded 'TDN Rising Star' GISP Tip Top Thomas (Volatile) as well as Rookie Card (Adios Charlie), who broke his maiden Oct. 26 at the Belmont Big A meet, and two other next-out winners. Last out Sept. 27 on the increase to a mile over the Aqueduct main track, Sovereignty sat much closer in third and missed reeling in longtime leader Praetor (Into Mischief) by a neck.
Made the public's 7-5 favorite here, he broke a step slow and found himself in a familiar spot as all eight of his rivals set up in front of him. Unrushed as the early leaders put up :23.57 and :48 early splits, he was nudged along to close the distance as they swung through the bend but was still last midway on that turn. Coming six wide and with a full head of steam, Sovereignty inhaled the inside competition and rolled home to an easy five-length score over SW Tiztastic (Tiz the Law). Sandman (Tapit) got the best of a photo for third.
It was a stakes double on the day for owner Godolphin, whose homebred Good Cheer (Medaglia d'Oro) took the Rags to Riches Stakes the race prior to remain undefeated and claim 10 points toward the Road to the 2025 Kentucky Oaks.
“This is rare to see a horse break their maiden in a two-turn stakes race like today,” rider Junior Alvarado said. “We knew that this horse had a lot of talent. He broke great today. When I turned for home, I just showed him the road and he took off. Things are coming together with his development. I think as the distances get longer, they will not be a problem for him.”
“It's a true honor and testament to [Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum] to let us develop these horses as 2-year-olds and get them ready to go in even bigger races as 3-year-olds,” said Michael Banahan, director of bloodstock for Godolphin.
“He trained very impressively in New York and it's not the easiest thing to bring a horse into a stakes race to break their maiden. But we had the confidence from how he ran in the two maiden races that he'd run a top effort here. It's very special for us all to win a race like this and hopefully get him some experience for some even bigger races as a 3-year-old next year here at Churchill Downs.”
Pedigree Note:
Sovereignty is out of an unraced daughter of GISW Mushka (Empire Maker), whose most notable offspring was stakes-placed Whenthedawnbreaks (Ghostzapper). Dam Crowned has produced one other winner, a full-sister to the victor named Jane Grey, and her last registered offspring is a 2024 colt by Nyquist.
This is the female line of MGISW Lakeway, herself a runner-up in the GI Kentucky Oaks, and MSP American Monarch (American Pharoah).
🌹 Sovereignty goes from last to first in the G3 Street Sense and picks up 10 #KentuckyDerby points! pic.twitter.com/gQVsGcm2Uh
— TwinSpires Racing 🏇 (@TwinSpires) October 27, 2024
Sunday, Churchill Downs
STREET SENSE S.-GIII, $197,500, Churchill Downs, 10-27, 2yo, 1 1/16m, 1:43.86, ft.
1–SOVEREIGNTY, 122, c, 2, by Into Mischief
1st Dam: Crowned, by Bernardini
2nd Dam: Mushka, by Empire Maker
3rd Dam: Sluice, by Seeking the Gold
1ST BLACK TYPE WIN, 1ST GRADED STAKES WIN. O/B-Godolphin (KY); T-William I. Mott; J-Junior Alvarado. $119,280. Lifetime Record: 3-1-1-0, $143,280. Werk Nick Rating: A+. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Tiztastic, 122, c, 2, Tiz the Law–Keesha, by Tapit. 1ST GRADED BLACK TYPE. ($80,000 Ylg '23 KEEJAN; $335,000 Ylg '23 KEESEP). O-Winchell Thoroughbreds LLC, Mrs. John Magnier, Michael B. Tabor and Derrick Smith; B-Capital Bloodstock (KY); T-Steven M. Asmussen. $38,800.
3–Sandman, 122, c, 2, Tapit–Distorted Music, by Distorted Humor. 1ST BLACK TYPE, 1ST GRADED BLACK TYPE. ($1,200,000 2yo '24 OBSMAR). O-D. J. Stable LLC, St. Elias Stable, West Point Thoroughbreds and CJ Stables; B-Lothenbach Stables Inc (KY); T-Mark E. Casse. $19,400.
Margins: 5, NK, HD. Odds: 1.43, 5.87, 5.59.
Also Ran: Dapper Moon, Bracket Buster, Forged Steel, Reach for the Rose, Comes a Time, Baby Boat. Scratched: Big Much.
Click for the Equibase.com chart and the TJCIS.com PPs. VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.
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