Godolphin’s Grade 1 Kentucky Derby-winning homebred Sovereignty posted his second work over Saratoga Race Course’s Oklahoma training track since capturing the “Run for the Roses” on May 3, covering five furlongs in 1:02.54 in company with last year’s Grade 1 Whitney-winner Arthur’s Ride [1:02.94] on Saturday.
Sovereignty, with Eclipse Award-winning rider Neil Poznansky up, first galloped almost a complete lap of the oval in usual fashion for Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott. He and Arthur’s Ride stood near the gap on the first turn for a short while before they broke off for their work, Sovereignty beginning about two lengths behind and to the outside of Arthur’s Ride. NYRA clockers caught him through splits of 12 and 2/5 seconds, 25 and 1/5, and 37 and 4/5 before Sovereignty gained on his company into the turn and inched ahead of him through five furlongs in 1:02.54, galloping out in 1:17 flat and 1:33.10.
“I thought it was good,” Mott said back at his barn. “He was a little strong in the warm-up. When he [Poznansky] tipped him out, he kind of went right to the other horse. He had him in behind to begin, and he went well.”
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Sovereignty returned to the work tab last week over the Oklahoma with a solo half-mile in 49.76 seconds under Poznansky. The Into Mischief bay is pointing to the Grade 1, $2 million Belmont Stakes on June 7 at the Spa as he looks to add to a 1 1/2-length triumph in the Kentucky Derby.
Sovereignty has won three of his last four starts, scoring in the Grade 3 Street Sense as a juvenile and the Grade 2 Fountain of Youth as a sophomore, in addition to his Derby coup.
Mott Happy with Demeanor
Mott said he has noticed a change in the talented colt’s overall demeanor on the track since the First Saturday in May.
“He’s almost a little more aggressive,” Mott said. “It [the Derby] hasn’t set him back. He’s just getting a little stronger than he was. He wasn’t quite that strong [before the Derby].”
Mott said he expects Sovereignty to have another breeze before the Belmont.
“You just hope he trains well up until the next race, for a fair track, and you go from there,” Mott said.
Hill Road breezes for G1 Belmont Stakes
Amo Racing USA’s Hill Road completed his first work on Saturday towards the Grade 1, $2 million Belmont Stakes, a 10-furlong test for sophomores, on June 7 at Saratoga Race Course.
Trained by five-time Eclipse Award-winner Chad Brown, the Quality Road bay covered a half-mile in 48.75 seconds to the inside of Lordship over the Belmont Park dirt training track. It was Hill Road’s first breeze back since a closing three-quarter-length score in the nine-furlong Grade 3 Peter Pan on May 10 at Belmont at the Big A.
“He worked super, I’m really pleased with him,” said Brown. “He had a nice gallop-out. He is coming along really well. He came out of his last race really well. I put this horse Lordship on the outside of him, they were a good match, they galloped out strong. They are two endurance type horses that are kind of stayers.
“I just wanted a steady work but with a strong gallop-out. These are staying horses that the best part of their works and races will be the late stages, I liked what I saw around the turn galloping out. He is very fit now, Hill Road,” Brown continued. “He is in a good part of his form cycle. I’m just looking to maintain where I’m at with that horse.”
Hill Road improved from a pair of thirds in his two previous stateside outings, finishing 4 3/4 lengths back of Citizen Bull in the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile in November at Del Mar for trainer Adrian Murray before being transferred to Brown and finishing 6 1/4 lengths behind Owen Almighty in the Grade 3 Tampa Bay Derby on March 8.
Hill Road looks to join Counterpoint [1951], High Gun [1954], Gallant Man [1957], Cavan [1958], Coastal [1979], Danzig Connection [1986], A.P. Indy [1992], Tonalist [2014], and Arcangelo [2023] as Peter Pan winners to subsequently score in the Belmont Stakes.
