The 151st Kentucky Derby: No Asterisk This Time
Pour rain on Louisville if you want — it never stops the party at Churchill Downs. By the time the bugler played Call to the Post on May 3, more than 147,000 fans had packed Churchill Downs, ducking under ponchos, umbrellas, and anything they could use to stay dry.
Despite the muck, Sovereignty showed up when it counted. As we mentioned in the preview to the Derby, his outside starting position mixed with empty posts allowed him to wait patiently behind the early chaos, make his move when the time was right, and then he just flat-out outran Journalism down the stretch. It was the kind of no-nonsense, hard-earned win that made you forget about the rain for a second — and finally gave Bill Mott and Godolphin the Derby moment they’d been chasing for years.
Sovereignty Steals the Roses
Sovereignty’s win wasn’t some fluke or chaos-fueled longshot story. He ran a smart, measured race and kicked it into gear at just the right time. His final time — 2:02.31 for a mile and a quarter — was really impressive given the slop he had to fight through. That outside post draw ended up working in his favor, letting him settle in behind the early speed and avoid traffic.
And if you’re into bloodlines, this one’s pretty loaded. Sovereignty’s by Into Mischief — who now has three Derby winners under his belt — and his mom, Crowned, is a Bernardini mare. That’s basically the horse racing version of growing up in the Manning family. You’re just expected to show up and be good at this stuff. But all the breeding in the world doesn’t matter if the horse can’t deliver, and Sovereignty absolutely did.
This win also meant a lot for the people around him. Trainer Bill Mott had technically won a Derby before, but it came via disqualification. This one he earned the old-fashioned way, and you could see how much it meant to him. Godolphin, one of the biggest names in the game with deep pockets and global success, had never won the Kentucky Derby until now. It wasn’t for lack of trying — this was their 13th attempt. Finally, they got to taste roses.
Jockey Junior Alvarado was emotional in the post-race interview, and rightfully so. It was his sixth shot at the Derby and his first win. Coming off an injury just weeks ago, he kept his cool and rode like a guy who’d been in that spot a dozen times. Everyone involved poured a lot into this one, and it showed.
Mud, Money, and Millions – The Derby by the Numbers
Attendance: 147,406 (down about 6 % from last year — rain’ll do that).
Handle: A record $234.4 million bet on the Derby itself, $349 million on the full card. Shout‑out to the die‑hards who treat sloppy tracks like an ATM.
Television: NBC pulled a 17.7 million average, peaking at 21.8 million as Sovereignty hit the wire — best since 1989.
Purse: $5 million, $3.1 million to the winner. Sovereignty’s career bankroll tripled in two minutes.
When Everything Started to Shift
The Break & First Turn
Citizen Bull came out like he was shot out of a cannon. Baffert’s return to the Derby after three years off had people talking, and his horse wasted no time grabbing the attention. Breaking from the rail, Citizen Bull tore to the front and dragged the rest of the field into a blistering :22.81 opening quarter. It was fast — too fast, especially on that wet track.
He wasn’t alone up there, either. Neoequos, Owen Almighty, and American Promise were right in the mix early. But as anyone who’s watched this race a few times knows, burning it up early in the slop almost never ends well.
Backstretch Grind
By the time they hit the half-mile mark in :46.23, the leaders were already feeling it — hooves slipping, legs tiring, and any early confidence fading fast.
Back in the middle of the pack, Junior Alvarado was playing it cool. You could tell he wasn’t going to make a move until he absolutely had to. It was the kind of ride that didn’t look flashy in the moment, but it set up everything that happened later.
The Far Turn
Owen Almighty made his move heading into the far turn and briefly took the lead — just long enough for people to start wondering if he had enough left in the tank. Spoiler alert: he didn’t. The pace up front had been hot all the way, and that mid-race push took a toll. Just as he started to slow, you could feel the whole thing shift.
That’s when Journalism made his move, swinging out wide for a clear shot, and Sovereignty wasn’t far behind — he had to go even wider, but it didn’t seem to matter. Both horses started gaining ground quickly, and it was clear they were the only two with much gas left. While the early speed horses were running on fumes, these two were just getting started.
The Stretch
Journalism pulled even with a fading Owen Almighty in the stretch and looked like he might just finish the job. For a few seconds, it felt like the favorite was about to deliver, and you could almost hear bettors starting to celebrate a little early. But Sovereignty had other plans.
Just as Journalism hit the front, Sovereignty kicked it into another gear — like he’d been waiting for that exact moment. Alvarado guided him to the outside and let him roll. It was smooth, confident, and brutally effective. Sovereignty blew right past and left no doubt, crossing the line a length and a half in front with Alvarado giving a quick fist pump a few strides before the wire.
The Super Five
Sovereignty – Closed like a freight train.
Journalism – Good trip, just beaten by a better horse.
Baeza – Sneaky good rally, a neck behind Journalism.
Final Gambit – From dead last to fourth; watch him at Belmont distances.
Owen Almighty – Paid the price for that mid‑race move but hung on.
Bob Baffert’s Citizen Bull faded to 15th, showing us all that mud and rust make a tough combo.
Off‑Track Buzz
NBC’s Mike Tirico had to step away from Derby coverage early after dealing with a serious nut allergy reaction. Viewers noticed something was off with his voice early in the broadcast, and it wasn’t long before Ahmed Fareed took over hosting duties.
Turns out Tirico had unknowingly eaten something with nuts in it — despite being extremely careful — and had to use an EpiPen while getting quick treatment from EMTs on site.
He later said he was doing okay, but it was definitely a scary moment for him and everyone involved. Tirico even made a light-hearted social media post calling himself a Derby Day “scratch,” but also used it as a reminder of how serious food allergies can be.
Secretariat’s Shadow
Every single horse in this year’s Derby field could trace their bloodlines back to Secretariat. Not one or two — all of them. That might not surprise folks who follow racing closely, but it’s still wild to think about. The horse who set the gold standard more than 50 years ago still has his stamp all over the sport today, generation after generation.
Sovereignty connects to Big Red through his dam line, while Journalism’s connection runs a bit deeper in the family tree. It just goes to show how dominant Secretariat was not just on the track, but at the breeding shed too. You don’t have to be a pedigree junkie to appreciate that kind of staying power.
Roses, Rain, and a Re‑Written Storyline
For a race that looked like it might be a total washout early in the day, the 151st Kentucky Derby ended up delivering something a little more meaningful — a reminder of why we keep watching. Sure, it had the big names, the chaos, and all the usual buzz, but it also gave us a win that felt earned. No controversy, no asterisks, just a strong horse, a smart ride, and a long-overdue celebration.
Not every Derby needs to reinvent the wheel. Sometimes, it’s just about watching the right horse show up at the right time — and this year, that horse was Sovereignty.