Report: Sovereignty Will Not Be Ready For The Dubai World Cup

[Wandering Eyes]

According to a story by David Grening in the Daily Racing Form, according to trainer Bill Mott, the main goal in 2026 for the newly minted Horse of the Year Sovereignty (Into Mischief) will be the GI Breeders' Cup Classic. Mott said that while he has not yet mapped out a schedule for Sovereignty, he has already ruled out a start in the March 28 GI Dubai World Cup.

That news came as somewhat of a surprise considering that Sovereignty's owner, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, is Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai and often targets the $12 million race run in his home country. Sheik Mohammed's Godolphin Racing has won the race nine times.

Mott told the DRF that Sovereignty, who is stabled at his winter base at Payson Park in Florida is “a couple of weeks away” from his first workout on the year and that he is not sure where or when his champion colt will make his 4-year-old debut.

“I'd like to make the Breeders' Cup Classic at the end of the year and whatever makes any kind of sense in between,” Mott said.

Sovereignty was on target to make the 2025 Breeders' Cup Classic but missed the race after spiking a temperature three days before the big event. Mott acknowledged that missing the Breeders' Cup may have led to the decision to race Sovereignty as a 4-year-old as the Godolphin teams knows that a Breeders' Cup Classic win would only enhance his value as a stallion,.

“If he would have won the Breeders' Cup it would have been more difficult to bring him back for a lot of different reasons,” said Mott.

Grening also reported that Mott was contacted by NYRA racing officials about the idea of moving the date of the GI Jockey Club Gold Cup. The idea that was floated was to return the race to Belmont Park and run when the track re-opens in mid-September. That would mean it would be held about six weeks prior to the Breeders' Cup.

“Funny enough, I gave them my opinion without even thinking I had a horse for it,” Mott told the DRF. “I mean, he was asking about the placement of races and I said it makes perfect sense.”

Mott also mentioned the GI Whitney as a possible target for Sovereignty.

He also acknowledged the challenges that come with bringing a Horse of the Year back to the races. Mott won back-to-back Horse of the Year titles with Cigar in 1995 and 1996.

“It means you don't want to make any mistakes,” Mott said. “That they've made the decision and they're taking the gamble of putting him back into training, there's a little more pressure, a responsibility, a feeling that you want to come back and be able to perform well. I just don't want to mess anything up.”

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