Honestly, the air in Saratoga Springs just felt different on June 7, 2025. Usually, when the third leg of the Triple Crown rolls around, everyone is either hyper-focused on a potential legend making history or they’re already looking toward the Breeders' Cup. But 2025 was weird. We had a Kentucky Derby winner who was arguably the best horse in a decade, yet the Triple Crown wasn't even on the table.
Sovereignty won the Belmont 2025, and he did it with the kind of authority that makes you wonder what on earth we were all thinking back in May.
If you’re looking for the short version, here it is: Sovereignty, the Bill Mott-trained powerhouse, crossed the finish line first at Saratoga Race Course. He didn't just win; he basically put a stamp on his status as the king of this three-year-old crop. Junior Alvarado was in the irons, Godolphin owned the silks, and a crowd of over 46,000 people watched a horse prove that skipping the Preakness might actually be the smartest "old school" move left in modern racing.
Why Sovereignty Won Belmont 2025 and Silenced the Doubters
You've probably heard the chatter. When Bill Mott and the Godolphin team announced that Sovereignty would skip the Preakness after winning the Kentucky Derby, the "purists" went ballistic. People called it a travesty. They said it was killing the sport.
But look at the results.
By the time the gates opened for the 157th Belmont Stakes, Sovereignty looked like he’d spent the last month at a spa while everyone else was grinding. He was fresh. He was muscular. He was, quite frankly, terrifying.
The Saratoga Factor
It’s important to remember that this wasn't your grandfather's Belmont. Because of the massive $455 million renovation project happening down at Belmont Park on Long Island, the race was moved to Saratoga Race Course for the second year in a row.
This changed everything.
Instead of the brutal "Test of the Champion" at $1 \frac{1}{2}$ miles, the race was shortened to $1 \frac{1}{4}$ miles (10 furlongs). Why? Because Saratoga’s track is physically smaller and can’t accommodate a $1 \frac{1}{2}$ mile dirt race without starting on a turn, which is a big no-no for a Grade I of this magnitude.
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Sovereignty absolutely loved it. The shorter distance played right into his tactical speed.
A Carbon Copy of the Derby
The race itself was almost spooky in how much it resembled the Kentucky Derby.
- Rodriguez, the Bob Baffert trainee, took the lead early and set some honest fractions ($:23.42$ for the first quarter).
- Journalism, who had won the Preakness and entered as the 8-5 favorite, was sitting right where he wanted to be.
- Baeza was lurking in the back, waiting for a repeat of his Derby late-charging third-place finish.
As they turned for home, Umberto Rispoli asked Journalism for his run. The Preakness winner surged. For a second, it looked like we were going to have a new leader of the division. Then, Junior Alvarado tipped Sovereignty to the outside.
It was over in four strides.
Sovereignty didn't just pass Journalism; he accelerated past him like he was standing still. He finished three lengths clear with a final time of 2:00.69.
The "What If" That Still Lingers
Even though we know who won Belmont 2025, the conversation in the barns the next morning wasn't just about the trophy. It was about the asterisk.
Because Sovereignty won the Derby and the Belmont, but didn't run the Preakness, he became the 52nd horse to win two-thirds of the Triple Crown. But he’s the first one in a long time to do it by choice.
Journalism won the Preakness. Sovereignty beat Journalism in the Derby. Sovereignty beat Journalism in the Belmont.
Mathematically, you don't need a PhD to see that Sovereignty would have almost certainly swept the Triple Crown if he had just shown up at Pimlico.
The Finishing Order
If you’re checking your betting tickets or just curious how the rest of the field fared, here is how they crossed the wire:
- 1st: Sovereignty (The undisputed heavyweight champ)
- 2nd: Journalism (Always the bridesmaid, but a tough-as-nails horse)
- 3rd: Baeza (The king of the "Show" bet, finishing 3rd in both the Derby and Belmont)
- 4th: Rodriguez (Set the pace but couldn't hold on)
- 5th: Hill Road (The Peter Pan winner who found the Grade I company a bit too salty)
What This Means for Your Future Bets
If you are following the 2025-2026 racing season, Sovereignty has changed the "formula." Trainers are watching Bill Mott. They're seeing that a rested horse is a dangerous horse.
The payout for Sovereignty was a modest $7.00 on a $2.00 win bet because, by post time, the "smart money" realized he was the class of the field. Journalism actually went off as the favorite, which in hindsight feels like a gift from the betting gods.
Key Takeaways for the Next Season:
- Track Bias Matters: Saratoga plays differently than Belmont Park. If the 2026 Belmont is also at Saratoga (which it is scheduled to be), look for horses with high tactical speed rather than pure distance "plodders."
- The Mott Method: Keep an eye on Godolphin horses coming out of Florida. Their training program is peaking at exactly the right time for the spring classics.
- Rivalries Sell: Journalism and Sovereignty gave us the best rivalry since the Affirmed and Alydar days, even if it was lopsided.
Moving forward, you'll want to watch the Saratoga summer meet. Sovereignty is likely targeting the Travers Stakes (the "Midsummer Derby"), where he’ll face these same rivals again. If Journalism can't beat him at 10 furlongs in June, it's hard to see him doing it in August.
Check the speed figures from the Equibase charts. Sovereignty’s final fraction was a blistering :23.99. That’s the kind of closing speed that wins championships. If you're looking for the next big star, you've found him.
The 157th Belmont was a masterclass in patience and power. Sovereignty is the name. Remember it when the Breeders' Cup Classic rolls around.