As the Kentucky sky began to turn dark over Keenland Race Course early Saturday evening, the festivities of Halloween were afoot. And, in the overstuffed winner’s circle after the final race of the 43rd Breeders’ Cup, Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott morphed into his costume.
Thanks to a scintillating performance by his star 4-year-old colt Sovereignty, Mott was now officially a rock star. Following Sovereignty’s decisive 1 ¾-length race win in the $7 million Longines Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1), it seemed like everyone wanted a piece of him.
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People he didn’t know wanted a picture. A hug. A smile. A high-five. A couple of kisses on the cheek.
Mott accepted them all as he waded through the crowd with his wife Tina on his way to a post-race press conference.
As he walked, Mott, who was winning his third Breeders’ Cup Classic following Cigar (1995) and Drosselmeyer (2010), talked as if the weight of the world was finally lifted off his shoulders. For the last 43 days, ever since Sovereignty had to miss the Jockey Club Gold Cup (G1) at Belmont Park, there had been whispers. The big horse wasn’t as good as he used to be because a foot abscess had slowed him down,
He might not even make the Longines Classic, the disbelievers said.
“You know what? This is a relief because I know how good the horse is,” Mott said as he plowed his way up the Keeneland tunnel, stopping to pose for another snapshot. “This was big today because there were some doubters. I think we proved our position. We proved what we needed to prove.”
Then, when asked about his confidence level going in – which he held close to the vest – he gave his new favorite response, which was a nod to former New York Yankee Yogi Berra
“I had confidence the horses were doing good,” Mott said with a smile, “But I don’t make predications. It’s very difficult to predict, you know, when it’s about the future,”
Alvarado With a Picture Perfect Ride
Ridden by his regular jockey Junior Alvarado, Sovereignty, owned and bred by Godolphin, LLC took over with his trademark sweeping move into the stretch and went past the pacesetter – and stablemate – Knightsbridge, and got stronger with each step.
At the end, with the crowd howling, Sovereignty, who went off at 9-5, was not going to be threatened. The Puma, one of three 3-year-olds in the seven-horse field, rallied for second and was a half-length in front of Knightsbridge.
Sovereignty completed the 1 ¼-miles in 2:00.36 and paid $5.94, $4.16 and $2.94.
“We had a plan of being in front of Sovereignty, but at the break, when I saw him in front (of The Puma), I said, ‘Oh, he’s feeling good, he’s going to run,” The Puma’s Gustavo Delgado Jr,, assistant to his father, Gustavo Sr., said. “That one (Sovereignty) is a true champion and he proved it today.”
The Longines Classic was billed as a showdown between 2025 Horse of the Year and Kentucky Derby winner Sovereignty and Forever Young, last year’s winner and globetrotting superstar from Japan. Forever Young also went off at 9-5 and was a slight favorite over Sovereignty.
A year ago, the racing world was salivating over a Forever Young-Sovereignty matchup, in the Longines Classic but it was not to be as Sovereignty came down with a fever and had to scratch.
Forever Young Disapoints
The heavyweight matchup was a knockout for Sovereignty, last year’s Horse of the Year and likely to get it again.
Forever Young, prominent early, faded late and could only manage a fifth-place finish, three lengths away from Sovereignty. He was attempting to become the second horse to win the Classic, the other being Tiznow in 2000-01.
“We got exactly the position we had hoped for,” Forever Young’s trainer Yoshito Yahagi said. “And, at that point, I really didn’t think we would get beaten. When it mattered, the horse just didn’t respond, I don’t know why. I feel terribly for all the fans who supported us. He’s never run this poorly before.”
The 5-yeaer-old Forever Young, whose future has not been disclosed, had won 12 of 16 starts coming into the Longines Classic.
Sovereignty is officially retired. Godolphin had announced that Sovereignty’s career is over with eight wins in 13 starts. He is scheduled to ship to Darley America (Jonabell Farm) – which is 3.4 miles from Keeneland – on Sunday.
“Bittersweet,” Alvarado said with a laugh. “I can’t believe they’re going to retire him afvter this performance. He doesn’t owe us anything and he’s got his next career. I’m very glad we ended his carer the way we did today.”
