Horse Racer Sovereignty Triumphs in Belmont Stakes Race Held at Saratoga, Besting Journalism in the Process
2025 Belmont Stakes: Sovereignty defeats Journalism in thrilling rematch at Saratoga
SARATOGA SPRINGS, NY - In an electrifying showdown, Sovereignty claimed victory in the 157th Belmont Stakes, held for the second time at Saratoga. The Godolphin-owned colt bested formidable rival Journalism in a nail-biting clash that echoed their previous Kentucky Derby matchup.
Both Sovereignty and jockey Junior Alvarado, partnered once more, dominated the eight-horse field on a swift Saratoga track. Prior to the race, persistent rainfall had dampened spirits, but cleared up by post time, leaving behind a perfect stage for the horses to shine.
Sovereignty, the 5-2 second favorite, crossed the finish line in 2 minutes and 0.69 seconds, leaving Journalism, the Preakness Stakes winner, three lengths behind. Baeza finished shortly after in third, replicating the 1-2-3 from the Kentucky Derby.
Before the Belmont Stakes, Journalism entered as the 2-1 favorite, with Baeza following closely at 7-2 odds. However, it was Sovereignty that led off the Triple Crown by winning the Derby back in May, edging out Journalism during their historic encounter.
Following the Derby win, Sovereignty opted out of the Preakness Stakes, denying itself a shot at Triple Crown history. Since 2018, the Triple Crown has remained elusive, with Justify clinching the 105th Belmont Stakes for Bob Baffert to secure the third jewel.
Journalism was the only announced participant for all three legs of the Triple Crown. The horse proved its tenacity by clinching the Preakness, priming itself for the rematch against Sovereignty.
In case you missed the Olympics action, don't forget to catch up with Katie Ledecky, Bobby Finke, and Gretchen Walsh, who each captured their third titles at nationals recently. If you're into motocross, check out the recap from Thunder Valley, where Jett Lawrence and Chance Hymas claimed victories.
[1] https://www.nytimes.com/2025/06/05/sports/horse-racing/2025-belmont-stakes-preview.html[2] https://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing/articles/271940/preakness-winner-journalism-tops-belmont-projected-field[3] https://www.sports.com/news/michael-mccarthy-considers-journalism-belmont-stakes-triple-crown-attempt/3566099/[4] https://www.usatoday.com/sports/story/sports/2025/05/07/2025-kentucky-derby-winner-sovereignty-belmont-stakes-odds-triple-crown-history/7210996002/
Enrichment Data:
2025 Belmont Stakes Analysis
- Outcome: Sovereignty won the 2025 Belmont Stakes, defeating pre-race favorite Journalism. This race was highly anticipated as a rematch between the two, given their performances in the earlier parts of the Triple Crown series.
- Performance: Journalism, the Preakness Stakes winner and Kentucky Derby runner-up, was heavily favored with odds of 7-5 or 8-5, depending on the source. However, Sovereignty, the Kentucky Derby winner, performed well in the Belmont, despite being at slightly longer odds of 7-2.
- Rematch Context: The possibility of a rematch between Sovereignty and Journalism was significant due to their past performances. Journalism's trainer, Michael McCarthy, was considering running his horse in the Belmont after a strong Preakness win, knowing it would be a challenging schedule of three races in five weeks.
- Conclusion: Sovereignty's victory in the Belmont Stakes highlights its strong conditioning and ability to perform well after a strategic break, while Journalism's decision to run in the Belmont was ambitious but ultimately unsuccessful.
[1] Fueled by their historic encounter at the Kentucky Derby, the rematch between Sovereignty and Journalism in the 2025 Belmont Stakes turned out to be a breathtaking horse-racing spectacle.
[2] Despite Journalism's success at the Preakness Stakes and being pegged as the pre-race favorite, Sovereignty demonstrated its racing prowess to emerge victorious in the Belmont Stakes, further highlighting its potential in the world of sports.
