Sovereignty closes fast to win Fountain of Youth comebacker; The Queens M G rules Davona Dale

Mar 01, 2025 James Scully

Unraced since a convincing win in October’s Street Sense (G3) at Churchill Downs, Sovereignty came charging off the far turn and rallied powerfully to prevail in Saturday’s $401,650 Fountain of Youth (G2) at Gulfstream Park, getting up by a neck in the short stretch. Junior Alvarado was up for Bill Mott on the Godolphin homebred son of Street Sense, and Sovereignty completed 1 1/16 miles in 1:43.12.

The encouraging performance bodes well for the confirmed late runner; Sovereignty figured to be a bit rusty off the layoff and took a while to get in gear from the back of the six-horse field. And River Thames, the 2-1 second choice after opening his racing career with a pair of well-regarded wins, looked home free after driving to a clear lead in upper stretch.

Sovereignty lengthened his stride and gallantly caught River Thames in the final strides, confirming himself as a serious Kentucky Derby contender. He’s certainly a candidate to keep improving off the strong comebacker.

From the female family of Grade 1 winners Lakeway and Mushka, the Kentucky-bred colt hails from regal bloodlines with stamina influences, and Sovereignty appears built to relish longer distances this spring. He left the Fountain of Youth starting gate as the 3-1 third choice.

The Road to the Kentucky Derby Challenge series qualifier awarded the top five finishers points on a 50-25-15-10-5 scale, and Sovereignty moved into a prominent position on the leaderboard with 60 total points. After opening his racing career with a fourth and a close second versus maiden special weight rivals, the son of Into Mischief earned 10 points for his five-length victory in the Street Sense.

River Thames held second by 2 1/2 lengths over pacesetter Neoequos. It was another neck to Holy Bull (G3) winner Burnham Square, who lacked the necessary rally as the 1.90-1 favorite. Gate to Wire came next in fifth and Keep It Easy was eased.

Earlier on the program, The Queens M G drove to the lead in upper stretch and powered clear to a 2 3/4-length decision in the $200,000 Davona Dale (G2) for three-year-old fillies. The two-time juvenile stakes winner snapped a three-race losing stretch, rebounding nicely from a weakening third in her seasonal opener, the Forward Gal (G3) on Feb. 1, and the Saffie Joseph Jr. trainee completed a one-turn mile in 1:37.85 with Irad Ortiz Jr.

The Queens M G also put herself into the Kentucky Oaks (G1) picture, easily defeating recent Suncoast winner La Cara and Demoiselle (G2) runner-up Ballerina d’Oro. The Davona Dale field was reduced to five due to a pair of scratches, reducing the point values in the Road to the Kentucky Derby Challenge series.

The Queens M G, who closely tracked the early pace as the 1.90-1 second choice, received 37.5 points toward a Kentucky Oaks bid. La Cara, the even-money favorite, took the lead between calls on the far turn but proved no match for the winner after straightening for home, adding 18.75 points to her ledger. Ballerina d’Oro raced closer than expected but lacked the necessary finishing kick, making up ground belatedly to miss second by a nose and picked up 11.25 points.
It was more than five lengths back pacesetter Madeline’s Promise in fourth and Frida trailed.

From the first cop of Thousand Words, The Queens M G recorded back-to-back wins in the Schuylerville and Adirondack (G3) at Saratoga last summer, but the dark bay dropped her final two starts as a two-year-old, finishing fifth in the Spinaway (G1) and third in the Tempted. The first stakes winner out of the Birdstone mare Show Queen, The Queens M G is from the immediate female family of Grade 1 winner Bodemeister, runner-up in the 2012 Kentucky Derby and Preakness (G1).

The Kentucky-bred initially sold for $3,500 as a weanling, and The Queens M G was acquired privately by the partnership of C2 Racing Stable and Mathis Stable after winning her career debut at Keeneland in April 2024. She’s now bankrolled $422,480 from an 8-5-0-2 record.