A King is Crowned in Absentia
The Breeders’ Cup is over, and I don’t know how much of it will be discussed in years to come and what kind of impact it will leave. We had some big-time performances, a rousing Classic, and several surprises. But to me, the 2025 Breeders’ Cup will always be about one particular horse who didn’t run and the reaction to his shocking withdrawal. This column is mainly about that horse and the impact he has had on me, and hopefully my grandchildren in years to come. So call this my final tribute to Sovereignty. ~ Steve Haskin
A King is Crowned in Absentia
By Steve Haskin
When you run 14 Grade 1 international races there is always something to write about. With the 2025 Breeders’ Cup we could write about Forever Young’s well deserved Classic victory and how he has become America’s adopted son with the largest fan base here of any foreign horse before him. We could write about his remarkable world-wide travels that will pass 50,000 miles when he returns home to Japan to hero’s welcome.
But I have been writing about him since the spring of last year when I had him ranked as high as No. 3 in the Derby Rankings and have since quoted every statistic about him, praised him in every way possible, and even devoted a column to the evolution of Japanese racing and how dominant it has become. In short, removing the betting aspect of it, I don’t believe there were many people who weren’t happy to see him win considering how reliable and resilient he’s been, with a great many believing he would have won the Kentucky Derby had Sierra Leone not leaned all over him the entire length of the stretch.
I could even accompany that with a tribute to Sierra Leone and Fierceness, who along with Forever Young, finished first, second, and third in back-to-back Breeders’ Cup Classics; an amazing accomplishment. These three horses, so different from each other in so many ways, while competing in 25 Grade 1 stakes, finished in the money in 37 of their 40 starts, with Forever Young and Sierra Leone never finishing out of the money. We must single out Sierra Leone, who with his mostly disadvantageous running style of coming from far back and being pace dependant, put in his big late run every time. And with the exception of one freakish race coming off an almost five-month layoff and being uncharacteristically anxious before the race, he was never beaten more than 1 3/4 lengths, with nine of his defeats being by 1 1/2 lengths or less.
I could also write about the improbable victory in the Turf of Ethical Diamond, who defeated the pride of Godolphin and Coolmore after having won a maiden hurdle race at Punchestown in Ireland this past February and finished seventh over the jumps at Ayr in Scotland in April, a week after his trainer Willie Mullins won England’s Grand National Steeplechase. Now that is something you can’t make up. He even left the European experts who were anticipating a Minnie Hauk—Rebel’s Romance showdown with their jaws dropped.
I could write about the undefeated Ted Noffey becoming the early hot favorite for the Kentucky Derby with his Juvenile victory, following runaway scores in the Hopeful and Breeders’ Futurity, But I suspect he will occupy this space many times and in great depth over the next few months.
I could even write about Nysos, who most people expected to win the Dirt Mile, but found himself in an all-out drive to nail his stablemate Citizen Bull by a head in the final jump. Over a track favoring speed on Friday and Saturday, it took a huge effort effort for the 3-5 favorite to run down last year’s Breeders’ Cup Juvenile winner who was loose on the lead from the start. The win gave Bob Baffert 21 Breeders’ Cup victories, tying Aidan O’Brien and passing Wayne Lukas.
And of course I could write about the racing gods redirecting their energy from Sovereignty and Bill Mott to Mott and his other Breeders’ Cup hoperful Scylla, installing some jet engines in the 5-year-old mare and supplying Mott with a bountiful amount of karma. The result was an out of character eye-catching victory that, for those who believe in kismet, perhaps was originally intended for Sovereignty. No matter how you look at it, Scylla was coming off eight straight defeats and here she is at odds of 7-1 rattling off swift fractions of :22 1/5 and :45 3/5 and drawing off to a stunning 5 1/2-length victory.
Finally, I could have written about the conquering, combative cousins Sierra Leone and Forever Young, who have confronted each other three times, finishing first and second in the 2025 Breeders’ Cup Classic, first and third in the 2024 Breeders’ Cup Classic, and second and third in the 2024 Kentucky Derby, a race in which many felt they would have been first and second had they not been shoving, leaning on, and bumping each other the entire length of the stretch, ending in a three-horse blanket finish. Yes, they are cousins, with their dams being half-sisters. It was odd that these two antagonists’ dams were named Heavenly Love and Forever Darling, both out of Darling My Darling.
I’m sure there were other races that deserved to be mentioned, as well as the number of top-class horses who failed to escape the watchful eye of the veterinarians. But I am going personal on this column and devoting it to Sovereignty, and not just because of the huge void created by his gut-wrenching scratch from the Classic due to a fever, and also locking up Horse of the Year honors without running. Most of all it is because of having the privilege to get close to him at Saratoga and more importantly sharing him with my grandkids. This was a rare moment with a rare individual who left you in awe just watching him do mundane things such as walking, galloping, and grazing. But more on that later.
To give you an example of the effect he had even on those who are supposed to be impartial in their observations, I will actually go back to the Breeders’ Cup and the morning Sovereignty galloped and schooled in the paddock. The reaction of the FanDuel crew hosting the Breakfast at the Breeders’ Cup show, who were situated in a tent alongside the paddock was unlike anything I had ever heard. Here were racetrack veterans Mike Joyce, former jockey Joe Talamo, and former trainer Simon Bray gushing over him as if in the presence of pure greatness and witnessing something they had never seen. In the span of some seven minutes, viewers heard the following from these knowledgeable men who have been around great horses most of their lives:
“For people who aren’t in horse racing this is watching LeBron James and Michael Jordan walk in the room or the greatest player in any sport walk in the room. He has that regal air about him. He does feel like royalty.”
“He really takes your breath away. He’s a monster, just a monster.”
“You don’t need to be a trainer or a horseman. Anyone can look at him and understand that is just magic; that is absolute poetry in motion.”
“People always ask me how can you tell the difference in horses, they all look the same. That’s not the case with this horse. He’s the poster child of what the perfect racehorse looks like.”
“If you’ve never seen a horse before or if you grew up herding horses on the prairie, you would look at this horse and say ‘Oh my goodness!’ Sovereignty blows your mind just looking at him.”
“He was the star of the show at Churchill Downs and he’s been the star of the show so far here. He is really all the hype. I can’t quantify just how good this horse really is.”
“Three guys who talk for a living and we’re all speechless watching him walk by.”
That is hardly speechless, but you get the reference. Joyce finally admitted when it was over, “We acted like we’ve never been to a racetrack before.”
And that is what the racing world might have missed out on. And it is not meant to denegrate Forever Young in any way. No one knows for sure what would have happened if Sovereignty had been able to run. But as the French artist George Seurat is quoted in the play Sunday in the Park With George, “A blank canvas — so many possibilities.” To many people, myself included, the 2025 Breeders’ Cup will always be a blank canvas and we can only imagine the masterpiece it might have become.
It is hoped we will at least get to see the final strokes in what already has been a great work of art in the Dubai World Cup with a prep race beforehand. But that is beyond our control. The images that I will always cherish are those on those cool crisp mornings at Saratoga watching Sovereignty peering out of his stall with that familiar thin white stripe down his face, walking past our friends Avi and Rhoda’s house every morning around 6:30 just feet from their back porch, and even just watching him graze and occasionally look out at the Oklahoma training track.
But you knew he was the star and something special by the barricade set up outside the barn in front of his stall, keeping visitors at a distrance and leaving all good head shots to telephoto lens.’ I have known Bill for some 35 years going back before Cigar, with whom my then 12-year-old daughter visited many times. He was even kind enough to “hotwalk” her on his pony around the shed and outside the barn, and insisted on taking a photo of me and her with Cigar.
So it was that I asked him and he allowed my 7-year-old grandson Theo and 3-year-old granddaughter Lily, along with my daughter Mandy and her husband, to meet Sovereignty close up. What I wasn’t expecting was Bill coming to the colt’s stall with carrots and helping Theo feed Sovereignty. Needless to say it was a moment to cherish and one they certainly won’t forget. At least I’ll make sure they won’t.
For me, in addition to all the photos, I have back columns I wrote on the story of Sovereignty and Journalism being broken and receiving their early training at Bridlewood Farm in Ocala, Florida and their storybook one-two finishes in the Kentucky Derby and Belmont Stakes. In my first column I compared it to the granddaddy of horseracing movies, Kentucky, from back in the 1930s. This was as close to life imitating art and it gets.
While on the subject of Journalism, some may be disappointed with his fourth-place finish, but unlike the first three finishers, who are the best older dirt horses in the world all and with limited campaigns, he has run hard in the best races all year, including all three Triple Crown races, and always has been right there at the finish. It is understandable that he was unable to outclose these horses in a :24 2/5 final quarter, but with it all, including a new jockey, a four-wide run into the far turn, drifting out in the stretch after being hit left-handed, and then having Sierra Leone come in on him and giving him a bit of a shove late, he still was beaten only 3 3/4 lengths and finished 3 1/2 lengths ahead of Mindframe.
I understand this normally would be a full recap of the Breeders’ Cup with the focus on the Classic. But in many ways Sovereignty, at least in the short time he was on everyone’s mind and considered the likely winner, was a major part of the Classic. And now not knowing his future, this seemed to be the best time to reflect on him from a personal point of view and turn the disappointment of his defection into a cathartic experience. We will soon return to the reality of racing coverage, both current and past.
But for now this is Sovereignty’s time. It’s been an unforgettable year and Derby trail, going back to last year when Bill Mott decided to run his maiden named Sovereignty in the Grade 3 Street Sense Stakes at Churchill Downs. It’s been quite a journey since.
Revolutionary War hero Marquis de Lafayette once referred to “the sovereignty of the people.” Despite his regal name, regal air, and regal ownership, Sovereignty has been about the people, as we saw and heard that morning from the Del Mar paddock, as well as from analysts around the country on their podcasts.
And I know two people, ages 7 and 3, who will be getting an 8 x 10 photo of them and Sovereignty in the hope they will come to appreciate that moment when they get older and discover the magic of horses, as their grandfather did at a crucial time in his life, as their grandmother did while working as public relations director for the New York Racing Association, and has her mother did from the time she met her first horse, a stallion named Northern Dancer, at the age of 11 months.
Since then, my daughter has met and been photographed with many of the greatest horses of all time. She would later write about her childhood experiences with these horses, which I published in one of my columns, titled “All the Pretty Horses,” beginning with the quote, “When you wake you shall have all the pretty horses. Blacks and bays, dapple grays.”
As Mandy ended her story with, “I suppose childhood memories can only be fully embraced in retrospection. Only then do we grieve over their transience and celebrate their sublime purity. That’s why we take photos. So that those moments will one day be suspended in time and bound by gilded picture frames. Untouchable. A brief glimpse into who we were and the experiences that made us who we are today. I am the person I am today because of years of green pastures, white fences, shaded stables, the soft purring of barn cats, the crinkling of peppermint wrappers, and of course the blacks and bays and dapple grays. Thanks to my dad and a library full of photo albums, I will always have cloudless memories of all those pretty horses.”
I can only hope that Sovereignty will one day be Theo’s and Lily’s Northern Dancer, as they look at the above photo and appreciate the fact that they once fed carrots to the greatest horse in the world, who took people’s breath away.
Photos courtesy of Steve Haskin.
Racing historian, author, and award-winning retired journalist for the Daily Racing Form and The Blood-Horse, Steve Haskin was inducted into the National Museum of Racing Hall of Fame’s Media Roll of Honor in 2016. Known for his racing knowledge and insightful prose, he has been an exclusive contributor to Secretariat.com since 2020.
I love this column. Sometimes I catch myself missing what racing was like in the past. Your writing this piece is a reminder to me to appreciate what we have in the present. I have underappreciated the accomplishments of some horses in the last 10 years and that is unfair. Sovereignty deserves the respect of anyone who loves horse racing. Thank you.
Thank you Mary Lou. Sometimes I have to remind myself.
Thanks for such an inciteful article about the new King of the Turf: Sovereignty. He is also going to be the King at Darley. I am so glad that they have Sovereignty to take over the position that Bernardini held at Darley. I wonder if he will run prior to his going over to Dubai. The only race he was second in was The Florida Derby; Junior Alvarado was injured and could not ride. He is such a classy and loyal guy, he could not produce his best effort for another jockey. Sheikh Mo has been trying to win the Kentucky Derby for years and I am happy for him that he owns such a talented horse.
Just a beautiful recap. Thank you. I was of course disappointed that he didn’t race, but all thanks to Bill Mott and his team to err on the side of caution. Scylla took the sting away I’m sure!
Love her! And adored her Mom Close Hatches.
How fortunate to have these memories with your grandchildren.
It seems strange for the Mother Goose to be in November, when for many years it was the second jewel of the filly Triple Crown, won by great fillies like Dark Mirage, Shuvee, and Chris Evert.
This was not a good year for three-year-old fillies. Several won a big race or even two, and then injury took them off the track. Nitrogen will be a deserving Eclipse winner, and it will be interesting to see if her connections run her on dirt or grass next year.
The wildest overlay at the Breeders Cup had to be Formidable Man, six for six at Del Mar and 18-1. His good second in the Mile put smiles on some California faces.
Amazing, a chronic troll on another site habitually trashing Mandella. SMH.
Thank you sir, I needed this column after a rough three days. What a wonderful life you have led and thank you so much for sharing it with us.
I appreciate it Sharon. Hope things go smoother for you
Beautiful and poignant. Thank you, Steve, for bringing so many horses, including the great Sovereignty, closer to us!
Opening Day Thursday, at Del Mar—there was one vet scratch….the Sunday after the Breeders Cup there were two vet scratches….on the two Breeders cup days there were TEN vet scratches, and Scott Chaney said they did NOTHING DIFFERENT—but they DID do something different—they had vets from all over the world—10 regulatory vet scratches, from 14 races….
Beautiful article and memories recorded for perpetuity, Steve.
I am so glad that Bill Mott took such great care of Cody’s Wish. I think that partnership with Godolphin might have been instrumental in Sovereignty ending up in the Mott barn. They knew they could trust Bill with a seriously special colt. I think he has been looked after as an individual horse first, then as a racehorse.
I hope they race him next year and keep him fit while it’s easier to do that. His distaff pedigree indicates that he is a horse who won’t actually thrive when turned out to pasture, so they’ll have a balancing act of insane proportions cut out for them at the farm. I hope that he has inherited some metabolic traits from Into Mischief, who is showing longevity – and that he tolerates KY grass and fructan sugars, unlike the Bernardini family.
Katy, WinStar and Godolphin exercise their breeding stallions. Japan does too.
Do not know about Ashford other than Coolmore in Ireland hand walks their stallions several miles daily.
Type of exercise varies based on each individual stallions needs. Old injuries prevents riding some, alternatives are Aquatreads, swimming pools and hot walkers.
In addition to sugar content in hay and spring and fall pasture horse feeds have to customized for horses that have metabolic issues.
Not too long ago there was a discovery of a genetic link in some horses to developing laminitis. It is hoped that this will eventually lead to an effective treatment, cure or even possibly a vaccine.
I think we have to keep in mind that there are multiple causes for laminitis and different types of laminitis.
It is something that all horse owners regardless of breed need to be concerned about.
Last day of the Melbourne Spring Carnival today, Champion Stakes Day, we have three Group 1 races.
3 million VRC Champions Sprint at 6f.
3 million Champions Mile.
3 million Champions Stakes at 2,000m.
The highlight of the day is whether Via Sistina can complete the Cox Plate – Champions Stakes double. For those interested on a wager the track will be heavy to soft it’s been raining for hours here and it rained yesterday as well. Enjoy the races.
Giga Kicks wins his third Group 1 in the VRC Champion Sprint, absolutely thrilling finish. In rather atrocious conditions.
Davids I played Giga Kick and Zambardo, also a Vua Sustina to Zambardo which paid nearly $13 for a buck—small wagers, that moved my kitty from $28 to $72, allowing me to play a few today….with leftover moolah for next Sat—starting Down Under!….
Arctic Glamour by Frosted wins the Group 2 Hot Danish Stakes at Rosehill. Lynda, the trainer has been using the hurdles to reignite the mare’s desire to win.
Very interesting Davids.
Thank you for sharing.
Vivy Air beats the boys in the 2,000,000 Five Diamonds. Vivy Air was second in the 2,000,000 The Big Dance only 4 days ago…
Via Sistina, the absolute star of Australian racing wins the 3 million Champions Stakes for her 12th Group 1 win.
James McDonald cements his position as the Longines World’s Best Jockey again in winning the Champions Stakes. Glamour jockey J-Mac has too many points now for him to be toppled.
Only 2 weeks ago Via Sistina won the prestigious Cox Plate, Via Sistina has now raced 5 times in 5 Group 1 races over a period of 11 weeks. If you want to see racehorses run like they used to…
Thanks for the excellent summary of Champions Stakes Day, Davids! Via Sistina must be truly special. Wish we had horses like her up here!
Very cool article. Thanks! Love the site. Love Sovereignty.
I love how New York Racing honors it’s past heros, wheras Santa Anita removed Lady’s Secret and Ancient Title, from grade one stakes—New York has stayed with The Hill Prince…who was 6 for 7 as a two year old…and 8 for 15 as a 3yo champion, one of his wins by 7 lengths, over Noor…..15 starts and they ducked NOBODY…they weren’t afraid to get beat, not back then…..they competed….after that 7 length drubbi g of Noor—both horses got on a train and met at Golden DmGate, if memory serves correct—Noor won that one…he had a terrific year, Noor held a Santa Anita track record for 30 years….I think Spectacular Bid broke that record….Hill Prince was a seriously good horse, to defeat Noor like he did….
Steve, great job of giving Sovereignty the recognition that he well deserves. I, also, am a big fan of Sovereignty and enjoy watching him race. He is a powerfully built racehorse and I hope that we can see him back next year to provide us with more thrilling performances. Alas, if he is retired to stud, I’ll be eagerly waiting to follow his progeny in the years to come.
In closing, I just want to say that some of your best columns are when you get down and personal with your stories that include you and your family. The regulars on this site regard you as an “old friend”, one who invites us in to sit around the table to share horse tales. We feel connected to you because you display a touch of openness allowing us to share the up close and personal experiences that you and your family have had with some of the more notable stars of our sport. From my perspective, it’s been a privilege to walk down shed row with you. Thank you, Steve.
Thank you so much Dewey. I really appreciate that. I hope others feel the same way. I have always loved telling stories especially about historic events and make it sound current and have people people feel as if they are there. As for the personal stories I feel so blessed to have experienced so much in racing and been close to all th.e greats, I want to share those experiences, as I loved hearing them when I was younger and heard personal stories of Man o War or Citation. I know there aren’t many younger fans here but hopefully a few will trickle in occasionally and enjoy reading the stories.
Just fabulous, Steve.
Thanks Larry.
Fantastic Steve! You and your family are truly blessed.
Best,
Hammer
Thank you Hammer. I agree and am grateful every day.
I just adored this piece Steve. You were the one who put me on to Sovereignty early, and he lived up to everything you said he would be. When he won the Jim Dandy and the Belmont, I finally knew what you were talking about.
Some horses may have run faster. Some have won by larger margins. Others have gone undefeated. But Sovereignty has that rare high-class extra gear (and likely more that we haven’t seen yet) that shows up in a horse at the highest levels only once or twice in a lifetime. Along with so many other characteristics that only the truly great ones possess.
I’ve seen a lot of good horses, but he’s the best I’ve seen since Secretariat. Thank goodness he had Bill Mott as his trainer, for so many reasons. And for the first time, in this case, I have to say, the horse is better than the writer, by a nose 🙂 You’re in classy company Steve. “Poetry in motion.” Thank you and well done!
Thank you so much George. I appreciate it. Great words about Sovereignty. You nailed it. Hope youre doing well.
Beautifully written and a fitting tribute to a great horse and to the reason so many of us love horses and horse racing. I could barely keep from tearing up as I read it especially as the first ‘big’ horse I ever fell in love with (as a young child) was Northern Dancer and Sovereignty seems cut from the same cloth. Thank you so much Steve for your eloquent and evocative writing. I can only echo your hope that one day Sovereignty will indeed by Theo and Lily’s Northern Dancer.
Dawn
I appreciate the kind words Dawn. Thank you very much. Hopefully I can give them a foundation and their parents help them build on it.
Because of their previous stakes wins, my focus on Fountain of Youth day at Gulfstream was on Burnham Square and Sovereignty. A silly thing I do at the beautiful walking ring is to see if I can make eye contact with any of the horses as come around. That day, just prior to the start of Race 13, one horse looked my way. Yes, it was Sovereignty. I know I’m likely exaggerating, but he seemed to lock in on me for a couple of seconds. That was the moment I fell in love with him.
I hope he returns next year, but whatever he does I wish him well.
Beautiful read 🥰
Forever Young, Journalism, Splendora,Seismic Beauty, Imagination, Nysos—all racing, in 2026…
Perhaps Sovereignty will join them as well…the more the bettrr for horse racing
Steve,
Nice column on your close relationship with Sovereignty. You are fortunate to have had a close friendship with Bill Mott and him allowing you close access to his horses. Sovereignty would have made the Classic very interesting and whether he could have beaten Forever Young or Sierra Young will be debated for years to come.
My thoughts on the Breeders Cup (Friday and Saturday)
I did not go hog wild on betting on either day and in fact Friday I only bet the Juvenile Dirt. And as I stated earlier I was not a winner as I “keyed” Brant on top with in a trifecta bet with Ted Noffey and Intrepido ( would have also had Blackout Time but for his scratch earlier in the day) and the rest of the field for third which also included Ted Noffey. Also included an Exacta box of Brant Ted Noffey and Intrepido who unfortunately ran a dismal race. The race did not set up the way I was expecting as I did not expect Brant to be setting the early fractions ( I was expecting Litmus Test to be doing that) .
On Saturday again I did not bet heavily in fact my first bet came in the Dirt Sprint. Played Imagination across the board .
I was going to bet the classic but in the end just sat it out and watched it. I just could not determined who would win this race. I ruled out only 2 horses Contrary Thinking and Nevada Beach. Imagine that me ruling out a Baffert horse. I just did not like the way Baffert was bringing him up for the race and was not impressed by his workouts. Thought about boxing all the other horses but did not feel the value was there. Steve, I am going to disagree with you on the fast track hurt Sierra Leone (SL) race. As Matthew W pointed out he ran his usual closing from the outside race and in the stretch he was gaining with every stride just ran out of real estate. Forever Young(FY) just ran a huge race. Some feel that Contrary Thinking hurt his chances of winning the race but I actually think it was hurt more by Irad on Mindframe moving up next to FY on backstretch cutting off an opportunity of Johnny V to move Fierceness to the outside of FY. Irad thought he had more horse underneath him (he didn’t) but with that 5 month layoff I felt his only chance was to get a ride similar (closer) to SL. Journalism I felt had no excuses and Baeza ran dismal. I don’t believe the start was that bad for him as he is more of a closer he just showed no punch on Saturday in his run. Fierceness had and opportunity at the top of the stretch but he was no match for FY. Antiquarian did not show up on Saturday
My next be was the dirt mile. Originally was betting a Trifecta key with Nysos and Citizen Bull on top, and for second had both of them along with First Serrano and Mystik Dan and everybody for third. When Mystik Dan was scratched I substituted him with White Abarrio (We all know what happen there). I set up my bet about 15 minutes before the race but before hitting the submit button I made a last minute decision to add Full Serrano to my #1 key ( bad decision on my part) as I actually ended up losing money on the race.
My last bet was the last race on the turf. I thought I had played all the European horses to win but some how missed Gezora. Oh well such is life !!!
My choice for HOY would be between Forever Young or Sierra Leone but if Sovereignty wins it won’t be the end of he world and life will go on. I think he would have won the Triple Crown if given the chance but he did not have that opportunity. He would have been part of the Immortal 14.
Sovereignty wins HOY, no doubt fast track in Classic.
Never denied that the track was fast I just did not feel it affected SL performance. What I do think affected his chances was the length of stretch. 919ft Del Mar. Vs 1234 ft Churchill downs plus slower early fractions from previous year. Again he is gaining with each stride.
One other thing… Honorable mention for HOY: Fierceness
And big shout out to Mike Repole , owners for SL and FY for gamemanship and sportsmanship on bringing the their horses back for their 4yr old season. For putting the good of the sport ahead of profits.
I just finished reading your article aloud to my daughter, Emma, over FaceTime. She is very tired after a long day of work at Gainsborough Farm where Sovereignty’s story began. Bundled in a cozy Godolphin sweatshirt, she listened intently, your words clearly unfolding in her mind as she contemplated the year of Sovereignty and what he has meant to her. Last Thursday, I flew with Emma to Del Mar. While it was a quick trip, squeezed in-between work and school, we reasoned witnessing Sovereignty’s take on California and taking on of 4 years olds and Classic rivals, was well worth it. But then again, we had history with this freak. While our trip to Saratoga for the Belmont Stakes was anything but smooth (lost luggage, unexpected rental cars, bus travel and an emergency landing) what we had witnessed then in Sovereignty’s laser focused, fearless command, sent us packing once again. Then came the scratch. Knowing that the fine people of Godolphin and trainer, Bill Mott, would provide Sovereignty with the highest level of care possible, was very reassuring. For this magnificent colt, who finishes first, his well being comes first. The lost opportunity, however, was very disappointing. Yet, tonight, while reading Emma your tribute which resonates with affection and appreciation for Sovereignty and the importance of making family memories, I watched her pondering our own collective mom, dad, daughter memories. As gratitude washed over her, I sensed how thankful she was that we were all able to share in wholehearted admiration for such an extraordinary creature of GOD.
Wow Michele that was so wonderful and so beautifully written. I am thrilled my words were able to stir up so many memories that you could share as a family. That’s what makes writing so gratifying, and I thank you for sharing that and remnding us how deeply horses, especially the special ones, affect us. I wish Emma all the best at Gainesborough. If you or she ever wishes to contact me to talk about him or anything you can reach me at sehaskin@aol.com.
What a true horseman you are:). Thank you for so many things:)
In my opinion, the two best dirt races in the world this year were The Saudi Cup—and The Classic—both were won by Forever Young, I think the 2025 Classic goes down as one of the best Classics ever…and the 2025 Saidi Cup goes down as one of the best races of all time, Romantic Warrior having never tried dirt—yet going off favored, and Forever Young got up in the shadow of the wire…then beating his crop rivals, at Del Mar, two horses we knew were good rivals…Sovereignty will be Horse of the Year, and Forever Young is Horse of the World, in 2025….two years of terrific racing—I can only hope, next year will have siuch quality….
I can’t agree about one of the best Classics ever. I can name a number of better Classics than that. As .much as I admire Forever Young this was a ridiculously speed biased track and I felt Sierra Leone, badly hampered by it, ran the best race, as Indicated by him getting better speed figures on both Ragozin and Thoro-graph.
I thought SL was race ridden by Berrios on Baeza on a few occasions until he didn’t have enough horse to hold him in any more early in the stretch.
I also thought it speed biased, but changed my mind a bit, when I looked at the speed winners….Bentordato, Nulysos, Scylla–Ted Noffey—all looked best, to me…..Slenf9ra rallied from 4th. Of seven, won by five….Sierra Leone? He ran the same race he runs eblverywhere, so…WHAT horses that won with speed should have not won? Super Coredora? Should she have not won? The more I looked, the more Im not so certain speed was king, the Sprint? Favorite won, beating 7-1 & 39-1 CLOSERS….Splendira/ Haha one/two CLOSERS….WHO should have won, and who should have not won?…
(Vahva)…
I totally agree Steve.
Besides, the 1989 BC Classic was better as was Tiznows 2 wins.
Flightlines & American Pharoahs win was also a great. Only Triple Crown winner to also win the Classic. I am sure there are other great Classics as well.
I am very adamnet on this, Del Mar should not hold the Breeders Cup races.
That track with its sharp turns & speed bias never favors the closers.
All it is a pretty little racetrack by the sea. Keep the Breeders Cup at either Keeneland, Santa Anita & Belmont Park once it is completed.
Maybe I am just getting old but other then a couple races most of the races were ho-hum to me.
So many races where the closers were compromized.
Plus Torpedo Anna getting scratched along with many others horses.
Sierra Leone was the best horse in the race. Fierceness usually doesn’t run 2 great races in a row, Mindframe may not be a 10 furlong horse. Bawza, who knows he swldom wins but gets bet a lot.
At least the weather was nice. I don’t care for NBC’s coverage of these races either. ABC did a much better job. You should be on TV Steve giving your assesments. Those 2 clowns making their oicks before is beyond boring. Eddie & the other dude.
Next, on to the Derby RaNKINGS, i CAN’T WAIT FOR THAT.
Looks like we have several promising 2 year olds. No mystery who will be ranked No. 1.
I think, when we debate about the “best” of anything, we need to be very clear about what we are considering. Prior to Sovereignty’s scratch, I thought this Classic was the best in terms of how many runners were in top form. I may have mentioned before that there were eight runners that had won a G1 route in one of their last two races. Even with Sovereignty out, I couldn’t find a previous Classic to match that criterion.
There are many other ways to judge the “best” ever: the 2 minutes of racing action (particularly the stretch run to the wire), the final time, speed figures. But this one stood out to me because six horses had a legitimate chance to win, and the race WAS exciting.
Great, great column, Steve. I enjoyed it very much. You and your family are very fortunate to have been in the company of so many greats over the years, and I’m glad Mandy appreciates it. Many peoples’ kids wouldn’t.
Thanks very .much Beth. Her childhood was quite unique because of my obsession of photographing her with every all-time great and even the top horses at the time. She put up with me and always had a smile and was never afraid to get oae up and pet the horses after I told her all the signs to look for. I never put her in harms way. We always knew which ones you could approach and pet.
Just officially announced, Journalism will race in 2026. First goal is the Peagsus in January. Will race under the Coolmore colors.
Yes!
Just announced Nysos, Splendora, and Seismic Beauty (who was sold at the Nov sales) will all return in 2026.
Nysos is poss8bke for Saudi Cup per Mr Baffert.
Shisospicy will also return next year.
Good to see the ones returning.
Excellent! I was hoping for that.
Lynda, if you scroll down my morning post indicated Journalism was racing at four.
Sorry Mike I did not see that.
The official announcement just popped up in my alerts
I was told last night.
What a poignant article. My 10 year old son and I have been huge Sovereignty fans all year. To say it was a gut punch when he was scratched from the Classic would be an understatement. The Breeders Cup seems to have had a way of breaking my heart over the years. Zenyatta, California Chrome, Tiz the Law, Jack Christopher, Epicenter, and now Sovereignty – all heartbreakers in their various ways, whether due to losing the race, injury, or untimely scratches. They all provided the highest of the highs and the lowest of the lows during their campaigns. But, the love of the horses – that’s what makes me keep following this sport despite the emotional rollercoaster.
Very well said Liz.
Steve, I never quite realized how enamoured you were with Sovereignty, I knew you adored Journalism for the Kentucky Derby. Bad luck with Sovereignty being scratched but that’s how cruel racing can be.
Bill Mott did get some conciliation with the brilliant performance by Scylla in the Distaff, my highlight for the Breeders’ Cup meet by the way. All the stars appeared to align so we invested. Ha ha
Did anyone else get a chuckle over the FanDuel commentators gushing over Sovereignty the same way they were gushing over Journalism prior to the Kentucky Derby. What a difference 6 months makes. Ha ha
I went over the Kentucky Derby and Belmont Stakes charts and Sovereignty was the third choice in the Kentucky Derby behind Journalism and Sandman and second choice in the Belmont Stakes behind Journalism.
I hope Sovereignty races next year as we are already losing 4, possibly 5, out of the top five finishers of the Breeders’ Cup Classic. Speaking of the Breeders’ Cup Classic what a performance by Foreover Young for 2025.
Who would have thought the top dirt horse in the world for 2025 would end up being a Japanese runner. Let alone that the same three finishers in the Breeders’ Cup Classic of 2024 would repeat in 2025.
In Melbourne, we’ve had over 86,000 last Saturday on Derby Day and over 84,000 on a cold wet day for the Melbourne Cup. Tomorrow, Thursday here, is always quieter on Oaks Day but Saturday with the return of Via Sistina for the Champions Stakes could be in the 80,000s again. What’s even better is that the crowd is mainly young. Enjoy the races.
How is that any different commentators gushing over Barnes or Patch Adams?
Were they? Now that I didn’t see. I did see FanDuel interview Gai Waterhouse and later on one of the Coolmore lads asking their opinion of Journalism who were no doubt discussing the possibility of shuttling Journalism to Australia on his retirement. Moreover, whole show every morning seemed centred around Journalism about him being the best racehorse in the world.
Flip the 6 months and Journalism had been spurned for Sovereignty. As a matter of fact, I got more information about more information from Mike Welsch’s 10 minute Clocker Reports than the hours FanDuel provided.
Nonetheless, if you like that stuff go for it. We don’t all have to have the same opinion or do we?
I’m certain you would do cartwheels if owning Journalism or Sov.
I didn’t adore Journalism in the Derby. I had them both ranked No. 1 for weeks and bet them equally in the Derby giving Sovereignty the edge on Thoro-graph numbers.And as I said in the column I became enamored with Sovereignty at Saratoga for the reasons mentioned in the column.
I wonder what Godolphin have in mind for Sovereignty, racing hopefully.
Davids, someone on the Godolphin team said they’d probably make a decision about Sovereignty’s future by midweek. Now that it’s Wednesday, I’m going to check the racing websites with trepidation.
Journalism is racing next year.
Davids, unlike other ownerships who rush the horses off to lucrative stud deals, Godolphin typically races their horses to age 4, often age 5. Shiek Mo makes all the decisions.
What a wonderful column and tribute. Thank you. It was beautiful to read.
Thank you Jerre.
Mr. Haskin, wonderful read. Thanks!
They was beautiful, thank you for writing that 🥰
Steve, nice tribute to Sovereignty. I have a hunch that FY will be at stud here in the USA. His sire is young and a purchaser is more likely here. Time will tell how Sovereignty, FY, and Sierra Leone do at the breeding shed. Maybe SL will be a continuation of GR, but for sure FY will bring back Sunday Silence genes to the USA if he stands here. Sovereignty will have a tough time surpassing Into Mischief, but time will tell.
I wish….Sovereignty had faced the likes of Fierceness, Sierra Leone, Forever Young….or even ONE of the three—I also just wish…they had tried for the Triple Crown….there’s a “What If”, factor, in Sovereignty… now he can go to Dubai…and beat up on Journalism, who looks like maybe 10 furlongs doesn’t float his boat—Mott skipped The Preakness, saying he was saving him for…..what? For two more races? He stayed home and fasted on small fields of the same horses—if that were a west coast horse, winning at home……you think he’d be talked about like some all time great? What if he ran in The 2025 Classic….What if he ran in the 2025 Preakness? What if……
I wish those things too, but this isn’t about judging his place in history. Its fine to look at all those what ifs but sometimes if you’ve been in the game for a while its good to look at things with your eyes. I judge Sovereignty not only by his races but .mostly by what my eyes tell me. And this column is about that and what he means to me personally. How he will be judged in the history books has no bearing on the purpose of this column. I have seen the all-time greats of the past 60 years and no horse today, or very few, matches them in accomplishments. This column goes way beyond that…on a personal level.
I just saw tbe latest NTRA poll. What I find sad is that of the top 5 rated horses, Sovereignty has the most starts this year…6. There is no gauge to judge true greatness anymore. That is why my eyes are my only gauge.
I was slow to come around to Sovereignty, partially because of his running style and partially due to skipping the Preakness. But he is the first horse since Flightline to possibly be something special. Those horses are getting discouragingly rare. Unfortunately, like Flightline, his racing career is being orchestrated for a breeding career. If he runs next year, and i hope he does, he won’t start more than 5 times, which tempers the enthusiasm.
Bingo!
It would have been 3 counting classic which I think was their goal for the second half. I’m as dissappointed as anybody that he was scratched for the reasons you mention but I can’t agree with blaming Mott/Godolpin. They did what they thought was best.
Despite the fact he never faced older horses, I cant remember any 3 yo winning the Kentucky Derby, Belmont, Jim Dandy and the Travers in the manner he did….lrt’s hope they all come back next year….wouldnt that be something!
I’m as disappojnted as anybody…I think he would have won, though some like Fierceness or Forever Young even more. Mott/Godolphin skipped the preakness because they felt it was best in The overall plan. Had he run in the Preakness he might not have won and same goes for the Belmont Stakes.
What he DID do is win the Kentucky Derby, the Belmont Stakes, the Jim Dandy and the Travers in 4 consecutive starts….Fierceness and Forever Young are both nice horses, but Sovereignty is a “must see” racehorse…I hopell three are bck next year along with a few others…
What a beautiful essay, Steve. You’ve made sure that your grandchildren have a memory of an exceptional horse to treasure.
Thanks. I sure hope so. Theo has already been told the story of Canonero and he seemed to love it. When I played them a video of him on YouTube when they showed the Derby and Preakness 3 year old Lily shouted Kentucky Derbee!!
Aw, I love that! When I visited the Kentucky Derby Museum in 2019, I bought a great kids’ book called “D Is for Derby.” “A is for Aristides, B is for Bluegrass,” etc., all accompanied by gorgeous illustrations. Sounds like a book Lily would love!
I think they both would love it.
I bought the similar book “J is for Justify” for my children! They love it!
Oh that is cute (Lily).
Quick story, my daughter’ first word was “horse”.
I used to sit her bareback on a little black pony I bought for her and lead her around.
Her favorite toy was her rocking horse. Sometimes she would fall asleep on it.
I know you are so enjoying living close to them and being a big part of their lives.
That is awesome. We gave Mandy a beautiful homemade rocking horse for Christmas when she was 3. I’ve been trying to get them to bring it up from the basement .
Lily’s a quick learner!
Excellent summation as usual, sir. “For of all sad words of tongue or pen, The saddest are these: It might have been.”
Without a doubt HOY.
Agreed!
I always enjoy your columns, and when you add the personal touch …
I hope your grandkids experience the joy of horses
I so hope he will return next Summer to Saratoga. Tonight, we discussed going to Keeneland next year for The Breeders Cup, The Night of Stars sale, but reading your words about Sovereignty, I feel it’s best to go to Saratoga. If you love horses, racing and history, I feel you must go if you can. To walk those grounds that so many of the legendary horses have walked, watch a race on the track that the great horses have run on, some have become almost mythical , and maybe see Sovereignty back there, as the living legend he’s become
A lovely column and beautiful photographs. Theo’s expression tells me that he does appreciate the importance of that moment and that he’s going to remember it for a long time.
There is nothing I can add or would subtract from Steve’s heartfelt words.
The scratch of Sovereignty really put a damper on the BC for me. I was so looking forward to another stellar race from him. Though the cousins did put on a good show in his absence.
Thank you for the story on Sovereignty and the pictures. Theo and Lily are very lucky!
Watched all FanDuel coverage of the Derby this year and picked Sovereignty, Journalism & Baeza based on their appearances in the morning works. Got to know what they normally look like. You know how they finished in the Derby …and beyond. After watching the works at the Breeders Cup on FanDuel, I knew we would have seen something incredible by Sovereignty, even though I really liked Journalism. The Classic was a great race, but Sovereignty would have shown us something truly historic! But we’ll never know now.
Anne, based on the outcome and who Sovereignty had competed against this year, it is unlikely that Sovereignty would have been more than third. Journalism came in 4th and Baeza in 6th. If his owners want to improve his history, then he should run against older horses next year. It just looks to me like the class of 2024 was a step above the class of 2025. Forever Young and Japan had a lot on the line, and they stepped up and won and made history in doing it. How silly for American breeders to have believed that SS was not an asset to their breeding programs.
The Melbourne Cup day of racing is about to start in about 10 minutes time. The Melbourne Cup is worth 10 million this year along with another 9 other listed and Group races worth around 250,000 each. The roses should look stunning.
The track will be heavy as it rained all yesterday and more rain is expected today. Last Saturday the crowd was 83,300 and they are expecting more today. Fingers crossed for Bill Mott and Parchment Party.
At Randwick they have the 3 million Big Dance as the main highlight. The prize money in Australian racing is just phenomenal with large crowds attending. Enjoy the races.
If you want to watch the Flemington Races live just create a 9now account it’s free. You can be as anonymous as you like. Ha ha
I’ll be watching, Davids. Thanks for the weather report. I have based all my choices on the track condition being wet. My wagers will be on the following:
$10 to win on…..
AL RIFFA
PRESAGE NOCTURNE
HALF YOURS
$5 to win on……
ABSURDE
PARCHMENT PARTY
$2 Exacta Box on the above five.
Total wagers: $80
Allez Parchment Party (currently 99-1)
Best of luck to you, Dewey. Al Riffa is the quality of the field and the track should suit. I’m on the two US breds Parchment Party and Onesmoothoperator but Al Riffa by Wooten Bassett would bring a smile as well.
The quality of the Melbourne Cup fields have improved significantly over the past 20 years. There has been no rain since about 4 am this morning.
Allez, Parchment Party!!
Davids;
Good luck today on your wagers. Originally coming from California before moving to Las Vegas, I am really enjoying seeing a such large number of entries in each race! I threw an exacta box and am very much looking forward to watching…
Oops, hit wrong ‘reply’ button: Good luck to you too Dewey!
Thank you, biggy312. Parchment Party is now the 7/2 favorite down from 99/1. Is this a comingled pool or are these the odds of my betting platform, Twin Spires? I’m astonished if the Aussies are making Parchment Party the Cup favorite.
Well done Dewey, you picked the winner in the Melbourne Cup I hope you won a packet. Ha ha Good for you.
Thank you, Davids. I was just shy of breaking even, ha, ha. Nevertheless, I thoroughly enjoyed watching the Cup. I must say that I was very impressed with Kensington. It’s a beautiful racing venue. And, you were right about the crowds….. the Aussies certainly love their horseracing. Jolly good show!
As for Parchment Party, he looked gassed coming home. Sleep well, PP, you’ve got a long flight home. P.s., we still love you.
Dewey, when it rained again just before the start I didn’t think Parchment Party would accelerate in those conditions and John Velazquez rode accordingly. I was a bit underwhelmed that John Velazquez didn’t get the recognition he deserved.
Dewey, Parchment Party’s was never favorite he was 70 – 1 just before the start of the race here.
Dewey, on Saturday with perfect weather for Derby Day, around 90 degrees and no wind, over 86,000 attended. Today in cold, wet, windy weather over 84,000 attended. Those poor young ladies on TV commenting must have been frozen in their beautiful summer dresses.
The maximum crowd for Derby Day was just over 129,000 in 2006 and the Melbourne Cup over 122,000 in 2003. However, with the new grandstands completed as late as 2018 these new structures have reduced the capacity of Flemington considerably.
The anti-racing humbugs are always trying to imply that racing is on the decline but it’s weather that determines crowd sizes. Glad you enjoyed the racing. There is nothing like being in Melbourne around Cup time, everybody is talking racing. Melbourne’s population is around 5.5 million and growing+.
It’s the same as when I first arrived in Melbourne at the end of 1969. Horse racing rules Spring in a city that devours sport.
Nice hit Dewey!
Thanks biggy312, I hope you won.
Hit exacta; very happy; my first Aussie horseracing win!!
Hope you did well!
That’s brilliant biggy312, it isn’t easy in a field of 24. I didn’t actually have a bet, I thought I might jinx Parchment Party’s chances.
If you can, on Thursday here there is Oaks Day while on Saturday there is Champions Stakes Day which has Via Sistina the Australian Horse of the Year in the field.
Trying to win the Cox Plate – Champions Stakes double.
Congrats, biggy312. I had $10 win on Half Yours, collecting $79.50. My winnings were just shy of my $80 total investment, so I came out of the race a 50 cent loser. The Cup was a fun event neverless. Like you, it was my first Aussie win.
biggy312, the best racing days are actually Thursday, Oaks Day, which is quieter and this Saturday which is Champions Stakes Day so tune in if you can. Good luck, same big fields.
Davids:
Thank you very much for the information. I plan to handicap abd watch. Love those large fields!!
Same here.
PP finished number 20.
Valiant effort, read course very heavy and more rain expected before the race.
Woke up in time to see interview of winner.
Not a good look, Half Yours was bleeding from mouth.
Evidently bit side of mouth per a vet.
Still the activists will have a field day with those photos and video.
Congratulations to the winning connections.
What an exciting finish! And man, those Aussies love their racing!
Steve, this is beautiful and so enjoyed reading the excerpts from Mandy’s “All The Pretty Horses”. She too is a gifted wordsmith.
And the photo, Mandy and her family! Theo and Lily are adorable and I know they bring great joy to both of you.
Sovereignty had this same effect on many of us. As I watched his works I kept thinking, few are the Thorougbreds that are worthy of the accolades he has been given, only one comes to mind, Secretariat.
Over the years I truly loved many horses including California Chrome, Rachel and Zenyatta, Cody’s Wish just to name very few but not in the same way as Sovereignty and Secretariat.
I was just crushed when he was withdrawn. Only Forever Young’s win eased that disappointment.
Surely he will receive HOY and Three Year Old Male honors!
Thanks so much Lynda. Some horses become special to you and he sure has to me.
Mr. Haskin, do you think Sovereignty will race next year?