Who is Sovereignty? Meet the 2025 Kentucky Derby winner with these fast facts
Sovereignty has won the 151st Kentucky Derby, beating the favorite Journalism on a sloppy track soaked with rain at Churchill Downs.
Venezuelan jockey Junior Alvarado, 38, described the win as a “dream come true” that “meant the world to me.”
“I thought I had a great chance,” said Alvarado, thanking Sovereignty’s trainer, Bill Mott, for sticking by him even through an injury.
Alvarado’s faith in Sovereignty paid off, given the Kentucky colt’s previous best career race was at Churchill Downs, experience that may have helped with navigating Saturday’s sloppy track conditions.
Here are some fast facts to know about Sovereignty.
What were the horse’s odds?
Sovereignty went off from the gate with 9-1 odds, and while he wasn’t the favorite, his name was frequently mentioned by horse racing experts and included in their predictions.
What’s its pedigree?
Sire: Into Mischief
Dam: Crowned by Bernardini.
Sovereignty was bred in Kentucky by Godolphin.
Just like every contender in this year’s Derby, Sovereignty is a descendant of Secretariat, the legendary 1973 winner with the fastest mile-and-a-quarter time in Derby history, as reported by the Courier-Journal.
Who’s its jockey?
Prior to Saturday, Alvarado, 38, had five Kentucky Derby starts under his belt with the best finish coming on Mohayem (fourth) in 2026.
Horse racing runs in Alvarado’s blood, as his father was also a jockey, according to live Derby coverage from NBC.
In a post-race interview with a reporter, Alvarado said his family is likely “way over the moon right now.” In his native Spanish, Alvarado expressed his love for his family and said “Venezuela, this is for you!”
Who is the horse’s trainer?
Bill Mott, 71, of South Dakota is Sovereignty’s trainer. Prior to his win Saturday, Mott had one other win in 13 Derby starts with Country House via disqualification in 2019.
Alvarado thanked Mott for sticking by him through an injury five weeks ago that set him back several weeks.
“If I had to pick someone, it was Mr. Mott,” Alvarado said.
Who owns the horse?
Godolphin LLC, which was founded by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the prime minister of the United Arab Emirates and the ruler of Dubai.
This story was originally published May 3, 2025 at 7:38 PM.