If Sovereignty were to miss the Preakness, he would become the fourth Derby winner in the past seven Triple Crown seasons to do so (with a technicality in one of those cases). Mott’s own Country House missed out when a respiratory infection turned up the Tuesday morning after the Derby, but he already seemed a bit circumspect that year.

Kentucky Derby has come and gone, giving fans another exciting finish. Sovereignty defeated Journalism down the stretch to win the 151st Kentucky Derby. Baeza finished third in the race, while Final Gambit came in fourth.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller celebrated Sovereignty's Kentucky Derby win over its rival, Journalism.