Sovereignty Ranked 125 for the Belmont Stakes

With the Irish Derby set for Sunday, and Europe still to run their St Legers, it’s the American’s who have staged their classics with Sovereignty ranked 125 for The Belmont.

Following victory in the Belmont Stakes, a Grade 1 for 3yo’s run on dirt at Saratoga, Sovereignty was awarded a 125 Longines World’s Best Racehorse Rankings and joins the Top-5.

Now as the world’s highest rated 3YO, Sovereignty won the Belmont Stakes by 3 lengths over Journalism, and having been a last-start ranking of 121 with victory in the Kentucky Derby.

In defeating Journalism by 1½ lengths in the Kentucky Derby, Journalism next won the Preakness Stakes, before being second in the Belmont, and his rating has increased to 120 from 119.

Winning in 2m 0.69s for the shorter distance of 1m2f as Saratoga didn’t have a 1m4f dirt track start, he was ridden by Junior Alvarado for William Mott and owner-breeders Godolphin.

In running, Sovereignty raced close to the speed from Gate 2, and being prominent on the inner in the back-stretch, he made ground at the 2f, and leading at the final furlong to win easily.

“I feel we beat a good field of horses,” said Bill Mott who had won the Belmont in 2010 with Drosselmeyer. “When Junior cut Sovereignty loose, the horse responded and got the job done.”

“The horse was good, and Junior rode him with a lot of confidence. It was a repeat with Junior ducking behind Journalism from the half-mile to the wire, a replay of the Kentucky Derby.”

“I’m sure we would have taken some criticism today if he had been beaten and we didn’t run in the Preakness,” as Sovereignty is the first horse to win two legs of the Triple Crown since 2018.

With Sovereignly again defeating Journalism, who he had beaten in the Kentucky Derby, and Journalism with the Preakness, it was Kentucky and Santa Anita Derby placed Baeza in third.

And with Belmont Stakes being run at Saratoga, and the New Belmont Park to open in 2026, it’s the Breeders’ Cup World Championships that will return to Belmont in 2027 after 22 years.

However, with this year’s Longines Breeders’ Cup Classic set for Del Mar on 2 November, it’s Sovereignty who’s the $4.20 race favourite, and Journalism $11 with Australian wide agencies.

In having won the Fountain of Youth Stakes first-up this season, and then second to Tappan Street in the Florida Derby, at two Sovereignly won the Street Sense Stakes at Churchill Downs.

Now the winner of 4 of his 7 starts and $4.87m in stakes, he’s by 6-times champion US sire Into Mischief, and third foal of the Berderani mare Crowned, from the Grade 1 winner Mushaka.

Last year’s St Leger winner Jan Brueghel, 124, joins the WBR Rankings in the co-sixth position, following his victory in the Coronation Cup having defeated Calandagan, 123, by a half-length.

Field of God and Los Angeles, both on 123, are also in the co-eighth position, with Field of Gold winning the Irish 2,000 Guineas by 3¾ lengths to have his rating improve to 123 from 120.

Previously second in the 2000 Guineas Stakes at Newmarket by half-length from Ruling Court, 121, it was owners Juddmonte announcing that Colin Keane was to be their retained jockey.

Los Angeles won the Tattersalls Gold Cup by a half-length over Anmaat, 122, to earn his rating, and was coming off victory in the Mooresbridge Stakes where he defeated White Birch.

In Hong Kong, Voyage Bubble, 121, won the Champions & Chater Cup to become the first Triple Crown winner in over 30 years, while the Doomben Cup winner Antino heads a host of winners rated on 120.