Saratoga Notebook, Presented by NYRA Bets: Sovereignty’s Star Continues to Shine

Wandering Eyes · 2025-07-27T20:23:55Z

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – It was a low-key celebration for Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott Saturday night after Sovereignty (Into Mischief) continued his stampede through the 3-year-old male division.

“Put a couple hamburgers on the grill,” Mott said, sitting at his desk in his office at the Oklahoma Training Track on a soggy Sunday morning at Saratoga. “Good hamburgers, by the way. They were from Fresh Market. That was it. Then early to bed.”

When Mott got his barn Sunday morning, he looked down his shedrow and saw the best 3-year-old in the country in Sovereignty, who won his third straight race the day before. His one-length win over Baeza (McKinzie) reinforced what everyone seems to know.

Right now, Sovereignty, owned by Godolphin LLC, has no equal in the division.

With the GI Kentucky Derby and GI Belmont Stakes already on his 2025 resume, the next target will be the $1.25-million GI Travers Stakes at Saratoga on Aug. 23.

Sovereignty, the 1-2 favorite, and jockey Junior Alvarado conquered the Jim Dandy by holding off Baeza, a horse that finished third to him in the Kentucky Derby and Belmont. The Derby and Belmont were both run at 1 1/4 miles; the Jim Dandy was contested at 1 1/8 miles.

Sovereignty had only tried that distance once before, finishing second in the GI Curlin Florida Derby at Gulfstream on Mar. 29. That is his only loss this season in five starts.

“I looked at that, but, no, that wasn't really my biggest concern,” Mott said about the distance. “Now, you're going to ask what was your biggest concern. I don't know if I am going to reveal that. I was not panicking over the 1 1/8 [miles].”

The journey will continue to the Travers. The endgame goal for the season is the GI Breeders' Cup Classic at Del Mar on Nov. 1.

Mott has not yet thought about whether there will be another race on the schedule between the Travers and the Classic.

“I would not think there would be,” Mott said. “If we make the Travers and the plan then is the Breeders' Cup, I would not think there would be another race, at least not in my mind.”

McCarthy Will Wait Before Deciding What's Next for Journalism

Trainer Michael McCarthy was an interested spectator of Saratoga races over the weekend.

He watched as Sovereignty (Into Mischief) won the GII Jim Dandy Stakes on Saturday. The day before, he tuned in to see Chancer McPatrick (McKinzie) win the Curlin Stakes.

“From what I saw of the two 3-year-old races at Saratoga and the Haskell the week before, it's the strongest 3-year-old crop I have seen in recent memory,” McCarthy said by phone from his California base at Del Mar Sunday. “I was very impressed [with Sovereignty].”

McCarthy trains Journalism (Curlin), the GI Haskell Stakes winner, who won the GI Preakness Stakes and was second as the favorite in the GI Kentucky Derby and GI Belmont Stakes. Sovereignty beat him in those two starts.

The question begging for an answer is whether there will be a rematch in the $1.25-million GI Travers Stakes.

“You mean between Sovereignty and Baeza?” McCarthy said, tongue firmly in cheek.

Baeza (McKinzie) finished second in the Jim Dandy; he was also third in the Kentucky Derby and Belmont Stakes.

McCarthy said he will keep all options open for Journalism, who has won four of six starts this season, three of them Grade I events. He could ship Journalism back to the East Coast for the third time this season for a date in the Travers or he could stay home and try older horses for the first time in the $1-million GI Pacific Classic at Del Mar on Aug. 30.

“Anytime you put a horse on a plane, you are always worried it might take something out of them,” McCarthy said.

If he stays home, he would likely face the imposing Nysos (Nyquist), who won the GII San Diego Handicap by 2 3/4 lengths for Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert Saturday.

“Everything is up in the air,” McCarthy said. “Honestly, I am just going to watch my horse, see where we are at and go from there. It's a long year and we've got a long second half of the year. We want to be at our best for the Breeders' Cup Classic no matter what way we go.”

McCarthy said that Journalism, owned by Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners, Bridlewood Farm, Don Alberto Stable, Robert LaPenta, Elayne Stables 5, Mrs. John Magnier, Michael Tabor and Derrick Smith, has returned to the track and will have his first work since the Haskell next week or the week after.

Baeza Might Return for Travers, Sandman Will Not

Baeza (McKinzie), the runner-up in the GII Jim Dandy Stakes, might come back to take on Sovereignty (Into Mischief) in the $1.25-million GI Travers Stakes. Sandman (Tapit), who finished last in the field of five, will not.

John Shirreffs, Baeza's trainer, flew back to California Saturday night and the colt was scheduled to follow early this week. Before he left, he said he would not be able to make the decision to return on his own.

“I have to talk to [owners] Robert Clay [Grandview Equine] and Lee Searing [C R K Stable LLC],” Shirreffs said.

Sovereignty-Baeza-Jim-Dandy-remote-SKA_1

Sovereignty leads home Baeza in Jim Dandy | Sarah Andrew

Baeza finished third behind Sovereignty in the GI Kentucky Derby and GI Belmont Stakes and got closer in the Jim Dandy, losing by a length.

In the days leading up to the race, Shirreffs thought he would get a better effort from Baeza than he got in the Belmont, when he was defeated by 6 1/2 lengths. And he got it.

“One hundred percent better than the Belmont,” Shirreffs said. “I thought we had him for a second, but Sovereignty had a little more at the end.”

If Baeza were to return, Shirreffs said the 1 1/4 miles would benefit him. It would also not bother Sovereignty, who won the Derby and Belmont at those distances.

“I think [Baeza] can do the 1 1/4 miles easily,” Shirreffs said. “We got within a length of [Sovereignty] and I can see my horse improving more and running better than he did [in the Jim Dandy]. I am not losing confidence at all.”

Hall of Fame trainer Mark Casse said that the popular gray Sandman won't go in the Midsummer Derby. His next start could be in the $1-million GI Pennsylvania Derby at Parx on Sept. 20 or he could run on the grass at Saratoga.

“I have to talk to everyone, but I would say it's one of those two,” Casse said Sunday morning.

Sandman, owned by D J Stable LLC, St. Elias Stable and West Point Thoroughbreds and CJ Stables, finished nearly 11 lengths behind Sovereignty in the Jim Dandy.

Sandman was wearing blinkers in the Jim Dandy for the first time. Casse said they did not have any effect.

“Bill's horse and John's horse are a cut above the rest,” Casse said. “Our horse needs some pace to run at and there was not a whole lot of pace. We were closer than normal, but I'm not going to use it as an excuse. Yesterday was not his day.”