# 2025 Kentucky Derby
The 2025 [Kentucky Derby](https://www.edgepedia.org/kentucky-derby) was the 151st running of the Kentucky Derby, a Grade 1 stakes race for 3-year-old thoroughbreds run over 1 1/4 miles at [Churchill Downs](https://www.edgepedia.org/churchill-downs) in [Louisville, Kentucky](https://www.edgepedia.org/louisville-kentucky), on the evening of May 3, 2025. Sovereignty, a 7-1 shot owned and bred by Godolphin and trained by Bill Mott, overtook the favorite Journalism in the stretch and won by 1 1/2 lengths in 2 minutes 2.31 seconds on a sloppy (rain-affected) track, with the late entry Baeza third.[1](https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2025/05/03/who-won-the-kentucky-derby/) • [2](https://www.churchilldownsincorporated.com/sovereignty-wins-the-151st-running-of-the-kentucky-derby-presented-by-woodford-reserve/) It was the first leg of the American Triple Crown.[3](https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2025/may/03/kentucky-derby-winner-sovereignty-journalism)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Running | 151st Kentucky Derby (G1), May 3, 2025, Churchill Downs, 1 1/4 miles, post time 6:57 p.m. local[2](https://www.churchilldownsincorporated.com/sovereignty-wins-the-151st-running-of-the-kentucky-derby-presented-by-woodford-reserve/) • [4](https://www.axios.com/2025/05/01/how-to-watch-the-2025-kentucky-derby) |
| Winner | Sovereignty, 7-1, by 1 1/2 lengths in 2:02.31 over a sloppy track[1](https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2025/05/03/who-won-the-kentucky-derby/) • [2](https://www.churchilldownsincorporated.com/sovereignty-wins-the-151st-running-of-the-kentucky-derby-presented-by-woodford-reserve/) |
| Connections | Owner and breeder Godolphin, LLC; trainer William (Bill) Mott; jockey Junior Alvarado[2](https://www.churchilldownsincorporated.com/sovereignty-wins-the-151st-running-of-the-kentucky-derby-presented-by-woodford-reserve/) |
| Finish order | Sovereignty, Journalism (7-2 favorite), Baeza, Final Gambit[1](https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2025/05/03/who-won-the-kentucky-derby/) • [3](https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2025/may/03/kentucky-derby-winner-sovereignty-journalism) |
| Field and purse | 20 starters from 21 eligible horses; $5 million purse[4](https://www.axios.com/2025/05/01/how-to-watch-the-2025-kentucky-derby) • [5](https://www.churchilldowns.com/horses/news/sovereignty-outduels-journalism-to-win-grade-kentucky-derby/) |
| Attendance | 147,406 on a rainy Saturday[5](https://www.churchilldowns.com/horses/news/sovereignty-outduels-journalism-to-win-grade-kentucky-derby/) |
| Wagering | Derby Day program handle $349 million; race handle $234.4 million; Derby Week $473.9 million, all records[2](https://www.churchilldownsincorporated.com/sovereignty-wins-the-151st-running-of-the-kentucky-derby-presented-by-woodford-reserve/) |
## The race
Sovereignty broke among his 18 rivals, came through the middle of the stretch, chased down [Journalism](https://www.edgepedia.org/journalism), and drew clear to best the 7-2 favorite by 1 1/2 lengths. Baeza, a late entry into the field, finished third and Final Gambit fourth.[1](https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2025/05/03/who-won-the-kentucky-derby/) • [3](https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2025/may/03/kentucky-derby-winner-sovereignty-journalism) The race was run in steady rain on a sloppy main track.[2](https://www.churchilldownsincorporated.com/sovereignty-wins-the-151st-running-of-the-kentucky-derby-presented-by-woodford-reserve/)
The result took a few minutes to make official while the stewards sorted out a photo for second and reviewed a traffic-choked start, but the win itself was clean. Trainer Bill Mott, a Hall of Famer born in [South Dakota](https://www.edgepedia.org/south-dakota), said afterward, "This one got there the right way."[6](https://apnews.com/article/6f1267fe0d38d2817d7685b4eaeb0e79)
## Significance for the connections
**A first for Godolphin.** The win gave Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum's global operation Godolphin its first Kentucky Derby trophy, snapping an 0-for-13 skid in the race.[7](https://www.kentuckyderby.com/horses/news/godolphins-sovereignty-rules-kentucky-derby/) • [6](https://apnews.com/article/6f1267fe0d38d2817d7685b4eaeb0e79) [Sovereignty](https://www.edgepedia.org/sovereignty) was a Kentucky homebred, sired by Into Mischief, who registered a record-tying third Derby winner after Authentic (2020) and Mandaloun (2021).[7](https://www.kentuckyderby.com/horses/news/godolphins-sovereignty-rules-kentucky-derby/) After the race Sovereignty's lifetime earnings stood at $3.7 million.[2](https://www.churchilldownsincorporated.com/sovereignty-wins-the-151st-running-of-the-kentucky-derby-presented-by-woodford-reserve/)
**Mott's second Derby.** For Mott, 71, it was a second Derby win but his first through conventional means. His 2019 winner Country House, also on a sloppy track, was elevated to first only after front-runner Maximum Security was disqualified for interference following a 22-minute steward's review.[1](https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2025/05/03/who-won-the-kentucky-derby/) • [6](https://apnews.com/article/6f1267fe0d38d2817d7685b4eaeb0e79)
## The meeting and the betting
The 151st Derby followed the record-setting 150th running in 2024 and set new wagering marks of its own. All-sources handle on the Derby Day program reached $349 million, beating the prior record of $320.5 million; handle on the Derby race itself reached $234.4 million against a prior record of $210.7 million; and Derby Week handle rose to $473.9 million from $446.6 million.[2](https://www.churchilldownsincorporated.com/sovereignty-wins-the-151st-running-of-the-kentucky-derby-presented-by-woodford-reserve/) TwinSpires, the Derby's official betting partner, handled a record $108.0 million on Churchill Downs races for the day program, including $73.0 million on the Derby race.[2](https://www.churchilldownsincorporated.com/sovereignty-wins-the-151st-running-of-the-kentucky-derby-presented-by-woodford-reserve/)
The meeting also marked the return of trainer [Bob Baffert](https://www.edgepedia.org/bob-baffert) after a three-year suspension at Churchill Downs imposed when his horse [Medina Spirit](https://www.edgepedia.org/medina-spirit), the 2021 Derby winner, failed a post-race drug test and was disqualified.[4](https://www.axios.com/2025/05/01/how-to-watch-the-2025-kentucky-derby) • [3](https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2025/may/03/kentucky-derby-winner-sovereignty-journalism) Before the race, Olympic gymnast [Simone Biles](https://www.edgepedia.org/simone-biles), a winner of seven Olympic gold medals, delivered the traditional "riders up" call.[8](https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/horse-racing/articles/c0qnk21ljl3o)
## Triple Crown aftermath
Sovereignty's connections skipped the [Preakness Stakes](https://www.edgepedia.org/preakness-stakes) two weeks later, citing the short turnaround, and pointed for the [Belmont Stakes](https://www.edgepedia.org/belmont-stakes) on June 7. Journalism instead won the 150th Preakness at the old Pimlico Race Course, coming from behind to beat Gosger by a half-length, which made 2025 the fifth time in seven years the Preakness was run without a Triple Crown bid at stake.[9](https://apnews.com/article/5a130162f0c35b78c6f0d93e1279fb34)
The Derby's top two met again in the 157th Belmont Stakes, run at [Saratoga Race Course](https://www.edgepedia.org/saratoga-race-course) at a reduced 1 1/4 miles while [Belmont Park](https://www.edgepedia.org/belmont-park) underwent renovation. Sovereignty, the 5-2 second favorite, ran down Journalism in deep stretch and won by three lengths in 2:00.69, with Baeza third, the same 1-2-3 order as the Derby.[10](https://apnews.com/article/a8ece90db80a3aaabb4227dd168c2a0d) • [11](https://www.kentuckyderby.com/horses/news/sovereignty-decisively-wins-belmont-stakes-over-journalism/) By winning the Derby and the Belmont while sitting out the Preakness, [Sovereignty](https://www.edgepedia.org/sovereignty-horse) became the first non-Triple Crown winner since Thunder Gulch in 1995 to take two of the three jewels.[12](https://www.kentuckybred.org/resources/news/sovereignty-storms-home-a-winner-in-belmont-stakes/)
## References
1. [Sovereignty reigns in the slop at the 151st Kentucky Derby, The Washington Post](https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2025/05/03/who-won-the-kentucky-derby/)
2. [Sovereignty Wins the 151st Running of the Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve, Churchill Downs Incorporated](https://www.churchilldownsincorporated.com/sovereignty-wins-the-151st-running-of-the-kentucky-derby-presented-by-woodford-reserve/)
3. [Sovereignty overtakes Journalism down stretch to win 151st Kentucky Derby, The Guardian](https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2025/may/03/kentucky-derby-winner-sovereignty-journalism)
4. [How to watch the Kentucky Derby, Axios](https://www.axios.com/2025/05/01/how-to-watch-the-2025-kentucky-derby)
5. [Sovereignty Outduels Journalism to Win Grade Kentucky Derby, Churchill Downs](https://www.churchilldowns.com/horses/news/sovereignty-outduels-journalism-to-win-grade-kentucky-derby/)
6. [Sovereignty reigns in 151st Kentucky Derby, outdueling favorite Journalism in the slop, AP News](https://apnews.com/article/6f1267fe0d38d2817d7685b4eaeb0e79)
7. [Godolphin's Sovereignty Rules Kentucky Derby, KentuckyDerby.com](https://www.kentuckyderby.com/horses/news/godolphins-sovereignty-rules-kentucky-derby/)
8. [Kentucky Derby: Sovereignty beats favourite Journalism to win 151st race, BBC Sport](https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/horse-racing/articles/c0qnk21ljl3o)
9. [Journalism comes from behind to win the Preakness, AP News](https://apnews.com/article/5a130162f0c35b78c6f0d93e1279fb34)
10. [Sovereignty beats Journalism to win the Belmont Stakes at Saratoga, AP News](https://apnews.com/article/a8ece90db80a3aaabb4227dd168c2a0d)
11. [Sovereignty decisively wins Belmont Stakes over Journalism, KentuckyDerby.com](https://www.kentuckyderby.com/horses/news/sovereignty-decisively-wins-belmont-stakes-over-journalism/)
12. [Sovereignty storms home a winner in Belmont Stakes, Kentucky Thoroughbred Association](https://www.kentuckybred.org/resources/news/sovereignty-storms-home-a-winner-in-belmont-stakes/)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Sports, games, and recreation › Individual sports and outdoor recreation › Equestrian and animal sports › Horse racing › Horse races and classifications › Flat races › Flat races of the United States*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 30, 2026; Oct 21, 2026 · Edited: Sep 30, 2026; Oct 21, 2026 · Last review: Oct 21, 2026*
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License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license