Back in May, Godolphin had a rare magical 48 hours when they won the Group I Newmarket 1000 and 2000 Guineas, plus the Kentucky Derby and Kentucky Oaks with all four of those star three year-olds scheduled to race over the last 48 hours – so how did they fare?
Previously unbeaten fillies Desert Flower (Night of Thunder) and Good Cheer (Medaglia D'Oro) both lost their flawless records, Good Cheer bogged down in the mud of the Group I Acorn Stakes at Saratoga to finished out of the placings , while Desert Flower just didn’t stay the trip in the Epsom Oaks and was beaten into third.
Ruling Court (Justify) was the pre-post favourite in the Group I Epsom Derby, but his trainer Charlie Appleby took the decision to scratch in the last few hours before the race due to the deteriorating track condition leaving only Kentucky Derby winner Sovereignty to keep the dream alive for the superstar quartet.
Sovereignty's trainer Bill Mott bypassed the Group I Preakness Stakes (second leg of the Triple Crown) which was won in amazing fashion by Kentucky Derby runner up Journalism, so the Group I Belmont Stakes (1 1/4m, reduced distance due to the race being run at Saratoga)) always loomed as the decider for these two terrific colts.
The race delivered exactly that with Journalism taking the lead after turning for home and he put up a good fight, but was ultimately no match for Junior Alvarado and Sovereignty, who powered clear to win by three lengths.
Bill Mott made the right call to sidestep the Preakness and got the magic result for Godolphin in the Belmont.
Bred and raced by Godolphin, Sovereignty is by Spendthrift Farm’s champion sire Into Mischief and has the overall record of four wins and two seconds from seven starts with US$4.8million in prizemoney.
A six time Champion US Sire, Into Mischief stands at a fee of US$250,000 and has just turned 20.
Sovereignty is the best of two winners from unraced Bernardini mare Crowned, a daughter of Group I winner Mushka with his next two dams Sluice a stakes-winner and Lakeway a Group I winner.
