Kentucky Derby winner Sovereignty preps for Travers in Jim Dandy

Jul 21, 2025 Kellie Reilly/Brisnet.com

Sovereignty turned the Kentucky Derby-Belmont double (Photo by Coglianese Photos)

Kentucky Derby (G1) star Sovereignty, who was last seen conquering the Belmont (G1) at Saratoga, returns to action over the same track in Saturday’s $500,000 Jim Dandy (G2). The Godolphin homebred will face only four rivals in this prep for the Spa’s marquee race of the summer, the Travers (G1) on Aug. 23.

Sovereignty has already beaten three of his opponents – Baeza, the third-placer finisher in both the Derby and Belmont; Derby seventh Sandman; and Hill Road, most recently fifth in the Belmont. The lone Jim Dandy entrant who was not on the Triple Crown trail, Mo Plex, comes off a victory in his two-turn debut in the Ohio Derby (G3).

Sovereignty’s archrival Journalism, runner-up in the Derby and Belmont, just gave him another form boost by capturing last Saturday’s Haskell (G1). That marked the second time this season that Journalism paid Sovereignty a hefty compliment. The first came in the Preakness (G1). When Sovereignty skipped the middle jewel, Journalism upheld the Derby form with a dramatic, trouble-defying victory at Pimlico.

The Belmont served up a rematch to savor between Sovereignty and Journalism, and the two classic winners lived up to billing. Sovereignty was even more emphatic than he had been at Churchill Downs, kicking away from Journalism by three lengths and notching a 111 Brisnet Speed rating.

Although Sovereignty ranks as the division leader, and he's well drawn in post 5 with Junior Alvarado, Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott is taking nothing for granted.

“We hope he has a good race and has a little luck. Anything can happen,” Mott told the New York Racing Association publicity team.

“They’ve got to go around there, and it’s not over until those blinking lights say ‘official.’ They’ve got to hang those numbers up and say official.”

Indeed, Saratoga has a reputation for big upsets – hence its nickname, the “graveyard of champions.” The Jim Dandy itself reflects this heritage. The race honors Jim Dandy, a 100-1 longshot who shocked Triple Crown winner Gallant Fox in the 1930 Travers.

Sovereignty’s rivals must hope that historical background comes to the fore on Saturday.

Baeza, a half-brother to 2023 Derby upsetter Mage and 2024 Belmont upsetter Dornoch, will try to add to the family’s lore. Previously runner-up to Journalism in the Santa Anita Derby (G1), Baeza was a fast-finishing third to Sovereignty and Journalism in the Run for the Roses. The trio replicated that result in their Belmont rematch, but Baeza wound up further back in third.

“I didn’t think he ran his best race in the Belmont,” trainer John Shirreffs said. “Talking to (jockey Flavien) Prat after the race, he said it took him a long time to engage down the backside. You can see that he had to ride pretty hard from maybe the half-mile pole all the way to the wire. I think he can run better than that.”

The rail-drawn Baeza will reunite with jockey Hector Berrios, who rode him to his maiden win as well as in the Santa Anita Derby.

Sandman, freshened since his third to Journalism and Gosger in the Preakness, will add blinkers. The Arkansas Derby (G1) hero hasn’t been the most focused in his races, and Hall of Famer Mark Casse hopes that the headgear will help him put it all together.

“I’m hoping the blinkers don’t take some of his punch away, but you never know until you try,” Casse said. “We are looking for a good effort in the Jim Dandy, something to propel us to the Travers.

“He’s doing well, and it was good to see Journalism win and Gosger run well in the Haskell. Obviously, Sovereignty is going to be tough to beat, but we are going to give it a try.”

Hill Road closed mildly for fifth in the 1 1/4-mile Belmont, but reverting to 1 1/8 miles might be a plus. The Chad Brown trainee scored his signature win at that distance two starts ago in the Peter Pan (G3) at Aqueduct.

Mo Plex faces the biggest jump in class as he tackles Triple Crown veterans. Yet the Jeremiah Englehart runner sports a 2-for-2 mark at Saratoga, having landed last summer’s Sanford (G3) and Funny Cide S. The New York-bred continued to ply his trade around one turn until the 1 1/8-mile Ohio Derby, when he passed his route test by two lengths at Thistledown.

The Jim Dandy is carded as the 10th race with a post time of 5:41 p.m. ET, and you can watch and wager at TwinSpires.com.