Sovereignty exceptional in Travers

When only four others were entered to face Sovereignty in Saturday's $1,212,500 Travers (G1), it was basically a nod to the connections of the dual classic winner that they had an exceptional colt unlikely to lose, at least on paper.

Not only did Sovereignty live up to those lofty expectations in the 1 1/4-mile "Midsummer Derby" at Saratoga, but he won it in an exceptional manner, by 10 lengths, while giving Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott a belated first win in America's oldest stakes for three-year-olds.

"I don't know how much bigger it gets than this," Mott said. "It's something I've been waiting on. I had two or three races on my bucket list, and one was the Met Mile (G1), which we got that done with Cody's Wish, and the one that was left was the Travers."

Pouncing in upper stretch on Bracket Buster, who had pressed long-time leader Magnitude into submission on the far turn, Sovereignty strolled home to a dynamic victory under Junior Alvarado. He returned $2.60 after completing the 10-furlong test in 2:00.84 over a fast track.

"When he left the three-eighths pole, he just cruised up to the leaders and took over," Mott said. "Our horse just proved how good he was when he pulled away in the last eighth of a mile. He's pretty special."

The Travers quintet was strung out at the finish. Bracket Buster himself was 10 3/4 lengths ahead of Magnitude, the second choice who dominated the Risen Star (G2) and Iowa Derby earlier in the season. McAfee was more than a dozen lengths behind Magnitude in fourth, while Strategic Force was basically eased when hopelessly beaten.

Sovereignty is the first horse in 30 years, since Thunder Gulch in 1995, to win the Kentucky Derby (G1), Belmont (G1), and Travers in the same year. Sovereignty also captured the Fountain of Youth (G2) and Jim Dandy (G2) this season, with a second in the Florida Derby (G1) his only setback.

The Godolphin homebred is now likely headed to the Breeders' Cup Classic (G1) at Del Mar, where he will face older horses for the first time. Pending the results of next weekend's Pacific Classic (G1) and Jockey Club Gold Cup (G1), it seems likely that Sovereignty will be favored to win the Classic and with it the Horse of the Year title.

"The fact that he can get a mile and a quarter is very important," Mott said. "We've won three races now at a mile and a quarter...the 10 furlongs, mile and a quarter, is the classic distance in America, and that's really what we're looking for."

A homebred racing for Godolphin, the Kentucky-bred Sovereignty is a son of Into Mischief and Crowned, a daughter of Bernardini and the Grade 1-winning Mushka.