Sovereignty Claims Victory in Rain-Soaked Derby
The Kentucky Derby 2025 concluded with a dramatic victory by Sovereignty, edging out favorite Journalism in the first leg of the 2025 Triple Crown at Churchill Downs.
Trained by veteran Bill Mott and ridden by jockey Junior Alvarado, Sovereignty triumphed with a time of 2:02.31. The horse went off at 7-1 odds and claimed the lion’s share of the $5 million purse, taking home $3.1 million.
Race favorite Journalism placed second, while Baeza—originally a late replacement for the scratched Rodriguez—came in third. The top five finishers shared the purse. 
Kentucky Derby 2025 Payouts
– $2 Win on Sovereignty: $17.96
– Exacta (Sovereignty + Journalism): $48.32
– Trifecta (Sovereignty + Journalism + Baeza): $231.12
– Superfecta (Sovereignty + Journalism + Baeza + Final Gambit): $1,682.27
A Breakthrough Win for Godolphin and Junior Alvarado
This is the first Kentucky Derby victory for Godolphin, owned by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, and for jockey Junior Alvarado. It also marks Mott’s second Derby win—the first achieved without post-race disqualification.
“He made up a lot of ground in a hurry,” said Mott. “This one got here the right way. I can’t say enough about the horse and the organization that made this happen.”
Full 2025 Kentucky Derby Results
- Sovereignty
- Journalism
- Baeza
- Final Gambit
- Owen Almighty
- Burnham Square
- Sandman
- East Avenue
- Chunk of Gold
- Tiztastic
- Coal Battle
- Luxor Cafe
- Neoequos
- Publisher
- Citizen Bull
- American Promise
- Render Judgement
- Flying Mohawk
- Admire Daytona
Noteworthy Moments and Scratches
The track conditions were muddy due to persistent rain, affecting all 19 participating horses. Two horses—Rodriguez and Grande—were scratched before race day due to foot injuries. Baeza, who replaced Rodriguez, ran impressively at 14-1 odds.
Bob Baffert Returns to the Derby
Legendary trainer Bob Baffert returned from a three-year suspension following the 2021 disqualification of Medina Spirit. His horses Rodriguez (scratched) and Citizen Bull (finished 15th) were part of this year’s lineup.
