Sovereignty rules in Street Sense at Churchill Downs

Oct 27, 2024 Darren Rogers/Churchill Downs Racetrack

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (Sunday, Oct. 27, 2024) – Godolphin’s homebred colt Sovereignty, winless in two New York starts around one turn, invaded Kentucky and relished the added distance to dominate Sunday’s 12th running of the $200,000 Street Sense (Grade III) – the featured event on opening day of Churchill Downs’ 135th Fall Meet and 20th annual Stars of Tomorrow I program for juveniles.

Sovereignty clocked 1 1/16 miles over a “fast track” in 1:43.86, which dismantled King Fury’s 2020 stakes record of 1:44.30, and defeated Tiztastic by five widening lengths. Junior Alvarado rode the Kentucky-bred son of Into Mischief for Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott.

Sovereignty completed a stakes sweep for owner/breeder Godolphin LLC led by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum. In the previous race, Good Cheer easily won the $200,000 Rags to Riches (Listed).

Breaking from post No. 9 on the far outside, Sovereignty was last in the early stages as Forged Steel led the way with fractions of :23.57, :48 and 1:12.52. Sovereignty remained in last midway around the final turn but was tipped out with 2 1/2 furlongs to go and was asked for his best run. Widest of all at the top of the stretch, Sovereignty circled the field and shot past the tiring Forged Steel and Dapper Moon at the eighth pole and drew away for the comfortable win.

🌹 Sovereignty goes from last to first in the G3 Street Sense and picks up 10 #KentuckyDerby points! pic.twitter.com/gQVsGcm2Uh

— TwinSpires Racing 🏇 (@TwinSpires) October 27, 2024

“This is rare to see a horse break their maiden in a two-turn stakes race like today,” Alvarado said. “We knew that this horse had a lot of talent. He broke great today. When I turned for home I just showed him the road and he took off. Things are coming together with his development I think as the distances get longer they will not be a problem for him.”

Sovereignty paid $4.86, $3.06 and $2.46 as the 7-5 favorite. Tiztastic, under Cristian Torres, returned $5.86 and $3.74. Sandman, with Brian Hernandez Jr. up, was another neck back in third and paid $3.76.

Dapper Moon was fourth and was followed by Bracket Buster, Forged Steel, Reach for the Rose, Comes a Time and Baby Boat. Big Much was scratched.

Sovereignty earned $119,280 for his first career win and improved his record to 3-1-1-0—$143,280. He also earned 10 points on the Road to the Kentucky Derby series that will determine the preference list for the 20-horse 151st Kentucky Derby presented by Woodford Reserve (GI) on May 3. Points were awarded on a scale of 10-5-3-2-1 to the top five finishers.

“It’s a true honor and testament to (Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum) to let us develop these horses as 2-year-olds and get them ready to go in even bigger races as 3-year-olds,” said Michael Banahan, Director of Bloodstock for Godolphin.

“He trained very impressively in New York and it’s not the easiest thing to bring a horse into a stakes race to break their maiden. But we had the confidence from how he ran in the two maiden races that he’d run a top effort here. It’s very special for us all to win a race like this and hopefully get him some experience for some even bigger races as a 3-year-old next year here at Churchill Downs.”

Prior to the Street Sense, Sovereignty finished fourth in his Aug. 24 debut over six furlongs at Saratoga behind Tip Top Thomas, Rookie Card and Keewaydin. In his next start over a mile at Aqueduct on Sept. 27, he was a neck back of front-running winner Praetor.

The bay colt is out of the Bernardini mare Crowned.

The Street Sense is named in honor of 2007 Kentucky Derby winner Street Sense who became the first horse to win the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (GI) as a 2-year-old and the Run for the Roses at age 3. He also was the first Champion Two-Year-Old Colt to win the Kentucky Derby since Spectacular Bid who won the Kentucky Derby in 1979.