Godolphin's reigning Horse of the Year Sovereignty topped a long list of prominent horses to breeze over the Oklahoma training track May 16 at Saratoga Race Course, posting his first breeze since a second in the Oaklawn Handicap (G2) April 18. The 4-year-old Into Mischief colt covered a solo half-mile in :50.05 under regular exercise rider Jimmy Quispe for Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott.
"He went well—it was good," Mott said while still on the track atop his pony, Rocky.
Sovereignty—named Horse of the Year for his sophomore campaign that was highlighted by top-flight wins in the Kentucky Derby (G1), Belmont Stakes (G1), and Travers Stakes (G1)—is targeting the Stephen Foster Stakes (G1) June 27 at Churchill Downs, where he is expected to clash with grade 1-winning stablemate Baeza.
Baeza, owned by C R K Stable and Grandview Equine, worked earlier in the morning under assistant trainer Neil Poznansky, covering a solo half-mile in :48. The breeze was his first since a troubled effort in the Alysheba Stakes (G2) May 1 at Churchill where he was away slowly and trailed in last of seven before making an impressive late run and finishing a fast-closing third.
That race marked both his 4-year-old debut and his first start for Mott following the death of trainer John Shirreffs, who trained the colt to prosperity in the 2025 Pennsylvania Derby (G1).
Mott's busy morning included a return to the tab for Michael Ball and Katherine Ball's dual graded stakes-placed Chief Wallabee, who was guided by Poznansky through a half-mile in :48.62. The sophomore son of Constitution again wore the blinkers he added for a game fourth-place finish in the Kentucky Derby last out May 2. He is eyeing a start in the Belmont Stakes June 6 at the Spa.
A star-studded group of workers for Mott also featured multiple graded stakes winner Knightsbridge (:49.69), graded stakes winner Grand Job (5 furlongs in 1:00.01), and a pair of in-form graded stakes-winning Florida-breds in Nic's Style (:50.45) and Damon's Mound (:48.64).
Before heading to Maryland to saddle Preakness Stakes (G1) favorite Iron Honor at Laurel Park, five-time Eclipse Award-winning trainer Chad Brown was on hand at Saratoga to oversee a large group of workers, led by Kentucky Oaks (G1) heroine Always a Runner. The 3-for-3 filly arrived at Saratoga shortly after her 1 1/4-length Oaks win May 1 and posted her first work since with a solo half-mile effort in :48.86.
"It went great. She did a little solo maintenance work, obviously it was her first since her win, and she went beautiful," Brown said. "She's been doing great and she's emerged from the race as good as you would have hoped."
Campaigned by Douglas Scharbauer and breeder Three Chimneys Farm, the Gun Runner dark bay/brown filly's perfect ledger includes a debut score in February at Tampa Bay Downs and a rallying victory in Aqueduct Racetrack's Gazelle Stakes (G3) in early April to earn her place in the Oaks. She is now targeting the 1 1/8-mile $500,000 Acorn Stakes (G1) June 5 during the Belmont Stakes Racing Festival at Saratoga.
During that same set, Brown sent out Klaravich Stables' Louisiana Derby (G2) winner and Belmont Stakes hopeful Emerging Market to work a half-mile in :50.12 outside of 3-year-old colt Tacticality. Emerging Market was last seen finishing 10th in the Kentucky Derby, where he gave chase in sixth early under Flavien Prat and subsequently lost a shoe during the race.
"He did a little maintenance work, and I thought he went exceptionally well—he was moving great," Brown said. "He's on target for the Belmont. I'm very happy with him. He lost a shoe in the Derby and took a couple days to get himself organized with that foot, but he's doing well."
Brown also sent out a host of other top horses for half-mile works over the Oklahoma, including grade 1 winners Ways and Means (:48.81), Segesta (:49.03), and Spirit of St Louis (:49.08); dual graded stakes winner Fully Subscribed (:49.05); and recent Modesty Stakes (G3T) winner Kathynmarissa (:48.96).
Other graded stakes winners that got to work Saturday include Sackatoga Stable's Tiz Dashing, who won the Hill Prince Stakes (G3T) in November at the Big A and the Canadian Turf Stakes (G3T) in February at Gulfstream Park. The Barclay Tagg trainee covered 5 furlongs in 1:01.27.
In the Miguel Clement barn, last year's Ballston Spa Stakes (G2T) winner Ozara breezed 5 furlongs in 1:04.09 in company with Samartina. Owned by Cheyenne Stable, she was last seen finishing off the board in the Matriarch Stakes (G1T) in November at Del Mar and is yet to make her 5-year-old debut.
This press release has been edited for content and style by BloodHorse Staff.
