A little more than 13 months after splashing through the slop at Churchill Downs to capture the 2025 Kentucky Derby (G1), Sovereignty returns to the Louisville, Ky., track seeking another signature victory in the June 27 Stephen Foster Stakes (G1).
The reigning Horse of the Year faces a formidable group of accomplished rivals in a seven-horse field assembled for the $2 million, 1 1/8-mile dirt test.
Among those lining up against Sovereignty is White Abarrio, the 2023 Breeders' Cup Classic (G1) winner who handed Sovereignty a defeat in the April 18 Oaklawn Handicap (G2) in the latter's comeback start of 2026; Baeza, winner of the 2025 Pennsylvania Derby (G1) and third behind Sovereignty in both the Kentucky Derby and Belmont Stakes (G1) last year; and Magnitude, who traveled halfway around the world to deliver a front-running upset in the $12 million Dubai World Cup (G1).
Willy D's, Forged Steel, and Navajo Warrior complete the lineup. Willy D's is cross-entered in the $250,000 Texas Turf Classic Stakes at Lone Star Park on the same day as the Stephen Foster and could race there.
Recognizing the quality of the prospective field, Churchill Downs increased the Stephen Foster purse this year from $1 million to $2 million.
Race Implications
The added incentive helped sustain a prospective lineup capable of defining the older male division. A victory by any of the top contenders would likely place that horse among the leading candidates for year-end honors or, at the very least, narrow the gap on Metropolitan Handicap (G1) winner Nysos, who currently leads the National Thoroughbred Racing Association's Top Thoroughbred Poll.
The Stephen Foster is the 11th race on a card featuring seven stakes worth a combined $4.1 million. Post time is 6:03 p.m. ET. The race will be included in a two-hour NBCSN and Peacock broadcast in conjunction with FanDuel TV from 4:30-6:30 p.m.
As part of the Breeders' Cup Challenge Series: Win and You're In, the Stephen Foster winner earns an automatic, paid berth into the Oct. 31 Breeders' Cup Classic (G1) at Keeneland, a race that frequently plays a decisive role in determining Horse of the Year.
Key Contenders
Sovereignty enters the Foster with a résumé that already secured that honor in 2025. Trained by Hall of Famer Bill Mott, Godolphin's homebred Into Mischief colt captured the Kentucky Derby and Belmont Stakes, along with the Fountain of Youth Stakes (G2), Jim Dandy Stakes (G2), and Travers Stakes (G1), enough to earn both champion 3-year-old male and Horse of the Year honors despite missing the Breeders' Cup Classic because of illness.
A winner of six races from 10 starts with earnings exceeding $6 million, Sovereignty is 2-for-2 beneath the twin spires, with his first coming in the 2024 Street Sense Stakes (G3) during his juvenile season, followed by the Derby in 2025. He also has trained at Churchill periodically, including this spring, to remain with Mott while the trainer readied Chief Wallabee for this year's Kentucky Derby, in which he ran fourth. Since then, Sovereignty has trained over the Oklahoma training track at Saratoga Race Course.
Junior Alvarado, who has been aboard for Sovereignty's biggest victories, returns to ride.
With Alvarado committed to Sovereignty, Flavien Prat picks up the mount on Baeza, who joined Mott's stable this year for C R K Stable and Grandview Equine following the death of prior trainer John Shirreffs. Prat rides infrequently for Mott, but won the 2019 Kentucky Derby for the trainer when Country House was elevated to first upon the disqualification of Maximum Security for interference.
Baeza's initial start in his current stable came in the May 1 Alysheba Stakes (G2) at Churchill Downs, where he rallied after a sluggish start to finish third, beaten three-quarters of a length by Corporate Power and Skippylongstocking. The race marked his return following a sixth-place finish in the 2025 Breeders' Cup Classic at Del Mar.
An angry Alvarado was critical of Churchill Downs' starting crew immediately after the race, saying his mount was unsettled when the field was released. Head starters monitor horses after they enter the gate in an attempt to begin the race only when the field is properly focused.
Neither Sovereignty nor Baeza has won a stakes race outside the 3-year-old division. Magnitude has already accomplished that on multiple occasions.
After finishing third behind Sovereignty in the Travers and second to Baeza in the Pennsylvania Derby, Magnitude won the Clark Stakes (G2) last fall at Churchill as a 3-year-old facing older rivals. This year, the now-4-year-old son of Not This Time won the Feb. 28 Razorback Handicap (G3) at Oaklawn Park before heading to the Middle East, where he controlled the Dubai World Cup under Jose Ortiz and finished a length ahead of Forever Young.
His trainer, Hall of Famer Steve Asmussen, won the Stephen Foster with Curlin in 2008 and Gun Runner in 2017, both times with horses returning from the Dubai World Cup. Curlin won in Dubai before capturing the Foster, while Gun Runner finished second in the international race before winning at Churchill.
Both later earned Horse of the Year honors, with Curlin claiming his second consecutive award after first winning the prize in 2007.
Asmussen is confident in Magnitude's training and readiness.
"The difference is the competition for Magnitude in the Stephen Foster is considerably better and faster than the competition Gun Runner had in his Stephen Foster," Asmussen said June 15 on the "BloodHorse Monday" podcast.
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White Abarrio in Top Form
White Abarrio's versatile running style gives jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. options. That adaptability was on display in the Oaklawn Handicap, where Ortiz Jr. eased White Abarrio back to sit behind his younger equine rivals, Sovereignty and 2025 Preakness Stakes (G1) winner Journalism, as they hooked up through a surprisingly lively pace before White Abarrio accelerated past them in the stretch.
Video
The gray or roan son of Race Day has rediscovered his best form after a lackluster second half of 2025 for trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. and owners C2 Racing Stable, Gary Barber, and La Milagrosa Stable. The Oaklawn Handicap victory followed a runner-up effort in the Pegasus World Cup Invitational Stakes (G1) at Gulfstream Park, where he had won the 2025 race.
A winner of 11 races from 26 starts, White Abarrio has made two previous appearances at Churchill Downs, finishing third in the 2021 Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes (G2) as a juvenile before finishing 16th in the 2022 Kentucky Derby.
Joseph is also represented by Hollywood Gold Cup Stakes (G2) winner Forged Steel and Pimlico Special Stakes (G3) winner Navajo Warrior. Forged Steel's speed likely ensures that Magnitude cannot cruise uncontested to the lead.
Four horses have used victories in the Stephen Foster as part of Horse of the Year campaigns: Black Tie Affair (1991), Saint Liam (2005), and the aforementioned Curlin and Gun Runner. Two Stephen Foster runners-up—Mineshaft in 2003 and Wise Dan in 2012—also went on to receive that top prize.
Churchill Downs, Saturday, June 27, 2026, Race 11Entries: Stephen Foster S. (G1)
PP Horse Jockey Wgt Trainer M/L 1 Willy D's (KY) Luis Saez 124 Michael J. Maker - 2 White Abarrio (KY) Irad Ortiz, Jr. 124 Saffie A. Joseph, Jr. - 3 Sovereignty (KY) Junior Alvarado 124 William I. Mott - 4 Baeza (KY) Flavien Prat 124 William I. Mott - 5 Magnitude (KY) Jose L. Ortiz 124 Steven M. Asmussen - 6 Forged Steel (KY) John R. Velazquez 124 Saffie A. Joseph, Jr. - 7 Navajo Warrior (KY) Tyler Gaffalione 124 Saffie A. Joseph, Jr. -
