Sovereignty's Roller Coaster Season to End in Classic

It was on the Wednesday before the 2025 Breeders' Cup when the announcement came that Sovereignty, the morning-line favorite, would be scratched from the $7 million Breeders' Cup Classic (G1) after spiking a fever. The announcement was heartbreaking for the many fans the son of Into Mischief had acquired through his heroics in the Kentucky Derby (G1) and Belmont Stakes (G1), those who were excited to see the 3-year-old headliner face older horses and, of course, for his connections. Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott reflected on the scratch this week outside his Keeneland barn when asked whether it took awhile to get over missing the Classic with Sovereignty last year. "We get disappointed so much in this business. When I wake up in the morning, I'm ready for some disappointment," Mott said. "I would say that's something that was just beyond our control. It was just the way it is. You can't worry about it, you can't whine over it." This year on the Wednesday before the 2026 Breeders' Cup, Oct. 28, the scene was much different. Instead of disappointment, there was joy on the rails of Keeneland, photos snapping as Sovereignty jogged by the outside rail, a swarm of onlookers in the paddock, comments of amazement as he galloped down the stretch, and the horse himself stopping from time to time to let the people admire him. Sovereignty is back at the Breeders' Cup, the goal being to end the year the way 2025 was supposed to end. His participation in this year's Classic was no straight line, more like a roller coaster filled with ups and downs leading to Oct. 31, but ending on the peak of a Classic win would make it all worth it. "I don't listen to too many of the commentary on him," Godolphin USA director of bloodstock Michael Banahan said on Episode 89 of BloodHorse Monday when Louie Rabaut asked him his thoughts on some people's perception that Sovereignty was having a "down year." "I know where he'd rank with me and what he's done." The first up for Sovereignty was being given the opportunity to perform again. It would have shocked no one if Godolphin looked at his trio of grade 1 wins, two classic wins, and a Horse of the Year title and decided to follow this century's trend and retire him as a 3-year-old. However, missing the Breeders' Cup Classic—the opportunity to prove best in the world—left the résumé feeling incomplete for a horse of Sovereignty's talent. "It's the biggest race of the year, the championship event. It's vital," Banahan said of a Classic win. "The reason we kept him in training was to try and win it. Whatever else we've done along the way is fine—would have loved to win another race or two—but the Breeders' Cup Classic is the race you want to win. It's like getting beat in the Derby preps, but winning the Derby." Then came a pair of downs when he opened the season with two defeats; one a strong second to 2023 Breeders' Cup Classic winner White Abarrio in the Oaklawn Handicap (G2) when uncharacteristically setting the pace off an eight-month layoff, and the other a disappointing third to Magnitude in the Stephen Foster Stakes (G1) over a sloppy (sealed) track he never seemed to get a good hold of. "For whatever reason, he never looked like he was on track that day," Banahan said. "We were disappointed, but we were still placed in a grade 1 race." Then, it was back up to the highest of peaks when he returned home to Saratoga Race Course and put those losses behind him. In the Aug. 8 Whitney Stakes (G1), he showed he was still the Sovereignty of old as he stormed to command in a talented field and drew off to win by 4 3/4 lengths. Seeing Sovereignty draw away from a field that included Magnitude, White Abarrio, and Nitrogen, among others, brought a sense of relief to the connections. "It was a big deal to keep him in training, it was a big deal trying to get him back at his best again," Banahan said. "We knew we had to work into it a little bit, and that was the race (the Whitney) we were hoping that he would be able to show everyone that he was still as good as he was. We were delighted with that." All three of Sovereignty's races this year have come at 1 1/8 miles, and he showed last year that his best performances come over 1 1/4 miles. He is 3-for-3 at the Classic distance, meanwhile 2-for-5 at 1 1/8 miles. On the heels of that strong Whitney at what Banahan believes is a less-preferred distance, they were eager to stretch back out in the Sept. 18 Jockey Club Gold Cup Stakes (G1). That was when the next down came. In September, Sovereignty developed a foot abscess that knocked him out of training for more than a week and forced the cancellation of plans to run in the Gold Cup. Not knowing exactly what his timetable would be, the fear that Sovereignty would once again have his season cut short and miss the Classic returned. "When he wound up with a bruised foot, absolutely I wasn't sure," Mott said when asked if he was ever concerned he wouldn't make the Classic. "There's no way to determine that. We had to play it out, take the time to get the foot right, then get back going." To help Sovereignty get going again, he has trained in a bar shoe to give the left hind foot added support and protection although, at this point, Mott says its only for protection as the foot seems to be doing well. The shoe will be replaced with a regular one on race day or the day before, Mott said. Sovereignty managed to return to the work tab Sept. 25 and has recorded five timed works entering the Classic, seven total since the Whitney. Missing the prep race was not ideal, but Mott said the extended layoff will not have much of an effect. "Naturally, we've got more works into him probably," Mott said. "We've just trained him like we normally do. He gallops good every day, puts in good, strong gallops. He does quite a bit, in that regard, in the morning. We should be ready." All systems appear to be good for another attempt to win the Classic with Sovereignty, although there will be no third attempt next year. Darley America announced earlier this month that the reigning Horse of the Year will join their stallion roster in 2027, making the Classic his final career start. "Absolutely," Mott said when asked if he would miss having Sovereignty in the barn. "I've had to say that about other ones, too. It will be a little emotional. Good horses, these great horses are so hard to come by. "I've been very fortunate over the years. You can look down the list of good horses I've had, the champions. I've been lucky to have a Horse of the Year three different times. It's hard to turn those horses loose." As far as where Sovereignty ranks among Mott's honor roll, he said it would be unfair to both Cigar and Sovereignty to be compared to one another. But, without a doubt, Sovereignty had the best 3-year-old season in 2025 of any horse Mott ever trained. "Sovereignty is definitely the best 3-year-old I've ever been around," Mott said. "I've never had a horse that was that good that could do what he did as a 3-year-old. He stands out, he was fantastic." With that 3-year-old year behind him, Sovereignty now aims to cap his 4-year-old season with what could be his best win of all. "We're taking nothing for granted because we were in a great position this time 12 months ago and didn't quite get there," Banahan said. "We're looking forward to it, and I think it will be a great opportunity. "The best horses that are available and in training will be there, so I think it should be an excellent renewal of the race. We're excited to have him in there and, hopefully, show what he can do."