SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Sovereignty took control of the 3-year-old division with his authoritative victory in the Belmont Stakes last Saturday at Saratoga and it’s fair to wonder which horses and how many will be game to take him on during the summer stakes at Saratoga.
The top three finishers from the Kentucky Derby finished in the same order in the Belmont. In the Kentucky Derby, Sovereignty beat Journalism by 1 1/2 lengths with Baeza a neck back in third. In the Belmont, Sovereignty defeated Journalism by three lengths with Baeza finishing 6 1/2 lengths behind Sovereignty.
So, did Sovereignty separate himself even more from this seemingly talented 3-year-old crop?
“It’s only natural to believe that,” said Bill Mott, Sovereignty’s trainer. “I saw it with my own eyes. He drew away from them in the Derby and he drew away from them in the Belmont on two different track surfaces. It was a smaller field [Saturday] but there were still some good horses in there.”
The two main good horses, Journalism, who won the Preakness in between his two defeats to Sovereignty, and Baeza, were headed back to Southern California. Without a true 3-year-old stakes program out West in the summer, their choices for races would be to stay home and run against older horses or ship again for races like the Haskell, at Monmouth Park on July 19, the Jim Dandy, at Saratoga on July 26, and/or the Travers at Saratoga on Aug. 23.
The key to those decisions could actually be what Bob Baffert does with the 4-year-old Nysos. Despite not having raced around two turns this year, Nysos could be a serious player in races like the San Diego Handicap and/or Pacific Classic at Del Mar on July 26 and Aug. 30, respectively. If he doesn’t run there, that could make those races a bit easier for Journalism and Baeza.
The fact Journalism was the only horse to run in all three Triple Crown races demonstrated his connections are not afraid of a challenge. But trainer Michael McCarthy did feel Journalism thrived at Del Mar last summer and obviously with the Breeders’ Cup being held at Del Mar on Oct. 31-Nov. 1 racing there would be logical.
“I think he deserves to be in one place for an extended period of time,” McCarthy said. “Del Mar is just around the corner. He seemed to thrive there last summer. Everything about Del Mar [is good], the climate, the surface, the Breeders’ Cup.”
Despite a résumé that includes Grade 1 stakes placings in the Santa Anita Derby, Kentucky Derby, and Belmont, Baeza remains eligible for a first-level allowance race.
Rodriguez, fourth in the Belmont, was another who is expected to return to California. His speed makes him a natural fit for the Haskell, a race trainer Bob Baffert has won nine times.
Chad Brown, the trainer of Belmont fifth-place finisher Hill Road, said he might end up running against Sovereignty again, but it wouldn’t be his first choice.
“The only reason I would run against him is lack of options,” Brown said. “I think anybody that’s wanting a rematch with this horse is foolish, if they’re looking for him. I’m not looking for the horse. I could end up running against him; there’s a difference.”
Mott mentioned the Grade 2, $500,000 Jim Dandy Stakes at Saratoga on July 26 as Sovereignty’s next start. Sandman, who finished seventh in the Kentucky Derby and third in the Preakness, is pointing to the Jim Dandy. He returned to the work tab on Sunday at Saratoga, going an easy half-mile in 50.80 seconds.
Sunday’s Grade 3 Matt Winn Stakes at Churchill Downs was won by East Avenue, who, like Sovereignty, is owned by Godolphin Racing. East Avenue, trained by Brendan Walsh, is more likely for the Haskell or even a cutback in distance in the Grade 1 H. Allen Jerkens on the Travers Day undercard.
Walsh is pointing Preakness runner-up and Lexington Stakes winner Gosger to the Haskell.
Burnham Square, who was fourth behind Sovereignty in the Fountain of Youth and sixth behind him in the Kentucky Derby, finished second to East Avenue in the Matt Winn. Trainer Ian Wilkes said Burnham Square would point to the Haskell. A good performance there would earn him a spot in the Travers, Wilkes said.
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Wilkes said while he was impressed with Sovereignty in the Belmont, he won’t “duck away” from him in the Travers.
“As long as we run good in the Haskell, I’m going to the Travers,” Wilkes said. “[Burnham Square is] bred for the grass too. We’ll look at that later. It’s not often you have a 3-year-old to run in these races, you really want to go for these races.”
Mott believes regardless when Sovereignty runs he’ll have ample competition in the starting gate.
“There’ll probably be somebody come down the road late in the season,” Mott said. “There could be somebody shows up that’s a late developer. The year’s not over and that’s what keeps it interesting.”
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