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Preakness Entries Thorncliffe Stakes Kentucky Derby Results Kentucky Oaks Resullts Thurby Results |
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Jockey Junior Alvarado celebrates aboard Sovereignty after winning the Kentucky Derby | |
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The 151st running of the $5 million Kentucky Derby (G1) Presented by Woodford Reserve was contested on the first Saturday in May over the classic trip of 1 1/4 miles around the historic oval in Louisville, kicking off the Triple Crown series. Conditions were damp and cool for the 147,406 fans in attendance, with overcast skies, rain earlier in the card, a sloppy main track, and a race time temperature of 55 degrees.
All-sources wagering on the Kentucky Derby race was a new record of $234.4 million, beating last year's record of $210.7 million. TwinSpires' handle on the Kentucky Derby race was a new record of $73.0 million, beating last year's record of $60.9 million, including all settled future wagers and affiliate wagering. Bill Carstanjen, CEO of CDI. "We are thrilled with our performance following the 150th milestone year in 2024 and we will grow the Kentucky Derby in the years to come."
 Sovereignty leads down the stretch |
 Sovereignty winning the Kentucky Derby |
Pgm Horse Jockey Win Place Show 18 Sovereignty Alvarado 17.96 7.50 5.58 8 Journalism Rispoli 4.94 3.70 21 Baeza Prat 8.38 Winning Time: 2:02.31 $2 Exacta 18-8 48.32 $1 Trifecta 18-8-21 231.12 $1 Superfecta 18-8-21-3 1,682.27 $1 Super Hi-5 18-8-21-3-20 38,405.96 $1 Oaks-Derby Double 11-18 18.78 |
Left: Sovereignty in the winner's circle. Winning trainer Bill Mott, celebrating his second Derby win said, "I was lucky enough to do this with my family. We had quite the celebration. It's such a great feeling. I'm so proud of the horse. I'm so proud of everyone who had anything to do with the horse to get him to this point. It takes a family and takes a community to get him ready. From the matings, to raising them as babies, to breaking them as 2-year-olds, we were so lucky to get him in the barn. It's just a special feeling to have it happen for the team. For my regular rider Junior Alvarado, it made it so special. I've had quite a long relationship with the Godolphin team and the man behind the Godolphin operation Sheikh Mohammed – I'm just honored."
Right: Sovereignty gets hosed off before heading back to the barn. Winning jockey Junior Alvarado, celebrating his first Derby win said, "He broke good. Probably the third or fourth jump after the break, the horse next to me cut in front of me. So I had to check a little bit. I just hoped he didn't lose a shoe with the way the track is. Going to the first turn I tried to save ground in the first turn. When I turned to the backside, he was traveling beautifully. When we hit the 5/8 pole he said he was ready. I didn't want to get too excited. When we turned for home, I got him in the clear and showed his stuff. I knew what he was capable of."
Left: Jockey Junior Alvarado celebrates with the trophy. Michael Banahan, director of bloodstock for winning owner-breeder Godolphin said, "It's been a long time in the coming. We've had a few good chances in the past. We had Essential Quality, it just wasn't his day on the day. To be able to win the Oaks yesterday and back it up with the Derby today . . . for our boss, the founder of Godolphin Sheikh Mohammed, is so, so special."
Right: Trainer Bill Mott celebrates with the trophy. Mott's first Derby win was by disqualification in 2019 when first place finisher Maximum Security was taken down for interference moving Country House up to the win spot. He said, "This is better. I said afterwards I want to cross the line first. They were both exciting. We were thrilled with the last one and this one was equally or more special. I think we'd beat a group of horses that was talented and doing quite well. And obviously (Journalism) the horse from California that finished second is well thought of and it makes you feel pretty good when your horse can outrun a horse like that."
Left: Sovereignty in the post parade. Alvarado added, "When we hit the three-eighths pole I'm right behind Journalism and I knew I probably would be able to move next to him and I'm just like waiting, I knew I got him," Alvarado said. "Right when we turned for home, I put him in the clear and I just tried to get there little by little. We hit the 1/8 pole I said there's no way somebody's going to be coming and beat me. He was still running pretty hard at that point."
Right: Sovereignty returns after the race. Banahan, asked about going on to the Preakness in 2 weeks added, "He ran really hard today. Especially when you get a closer from off the pace, they have to lay their body on the line a little bit. We'll see how he comes out of it. If he responds well, maybe we look at that."
Left: Sovereignty heads to the winner's circle. Mott added, "Churchill has really been special for me and my growth as a trainer. I've trained for so many really good people from Kentucky that have supported me, and it carried over to today. This is the icing on the cake, but I still want to win more."
Right: Waiting for the call to the post for the Derby. Alvarado added, "Every move I was making, that horse was just there for me every single time. I made probably six to seven, eight little moves, and he was there for me each time. I don't think I'm going to be able to find the right word to describe this feeling right now." The race footage showed Alvarado likely exceeded the number of times he used the crop, and could face fines and a suspension by the Kentucky stewards. "I couldn't keep track of that," Alvarado said. "It's such a big race, there's so much that you've got on your mind. I wasn't galloping by 10 (lengths). When the extra whip happened, I was right next to the favorite and I needed to do what I needed to do at the time. After (watching a replay), I saw I went over, but I had no time to think about that (in the moment). I just wanted to win the biggest race in America."
Left: Second place finisher Journalism at the finish. Trainer Mike McCarthy said, "He broke well. But at the 1/8 pole the first time by he got shuffled by a horse just to our outside over toward the rail. But Umberto (Rispoli) got him in the clear and he was in a good spot all the way through the backside. He made a nice middle move, then on the turn for home he opened up but I saw the blue (Godolphin) silks coming at us and I knew that was the one we were going to have to be concerned about." Jockey Umberto Rispoli added, "I had the trip I wanted and saved ground into the first turn. On the backside, I had a lot of horses in front of me that didn't appear to have a chance. So, I knew I had enough horse still and waited for the right time. Past the half-mile pole he started running for me. I wanted to turn for home with just a couple of horses ahead of me. Junior's horse handled the slop better today."
Right: Third place finisher Baeza in the stretch run. Jockey Flavien Prat said, "From the outside, I thought the pace would be a bit stronger. I wasn't able to get myself inside. I didn't like the horse I was following in the first turn. Down the backside I got a better position to try and get a breather. He made a really good run." Trainer John Shirreffs added, "I could only see the race on TV so I really didn't get to watch it the way I wanted to. (Flavien) Prat said afterward he didn't want to take him inside but he had. When he got him out, he said he made a really good run. All things considered, the fact that he shipped for the time and ran on a wet track for the first time, we think he ran a fine, fine race. We are very proud of him."
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