The numbers say one thing, but the people watching say another. Sovereignty, Godolphin’s brilliant 3-year-old colt, is back this Saturday in the Grade II Jim Dandy Stakes at Saratoga, fresh off Kentucky Derby and Belmont Stakes victories that lit up the spring. On paper, he’s the clear favorite. In spirit, he’s a star. But in the days leading up to his return, not everyone’s buying the hype, and it’s not just about who he’s facing. It’s about what some fans think he hasn’t done yet. And just like that, the debate began to sizzle.
It started with a single post on X that caught traction fast. “Sovereignty has exactly ZERO G1 wins over a track labeled ‘fast,’” wrote one user, Steve. Technically, he’s right. That small stat, tossed out casually, quickly became ammunition. Critics wondered if Sovereignty’s shine was situational. Could he handle Saratoga’s clean, dry summer strip? Would this be where the magic ran out? Suddenly, the undefeated colt wasn’t just racing; he was defending his crown.
NathanTheCaller, a veteran race announcer with a sharp voice and sharper instincts. He didn’t waste time. Replying to the tweet of Steve, he hit back hard. “Ok, he can’t exactly control the weather and the Jim Dandy isn’t a grade 1 race,” he said. “All 5 of his races before the Kentucky Derby were fast tracks, including the Street Sense and Fountain Of Youth. If you want to find a reason he’d lose today, there is one, just not the track.” His defense wasn’t statistical; it was human, and exactly what fans needed to hear. Dozens chimed in, and Sovereignty now had a voice riding with him.
Ok, he can’t exactly control the weather and the Jim Dandy isn’t a grade 1 race. All 5 of his races before the Kentucky Derby were fast tracks including the Street Sense and Fountain Of Youth. If you want to actually find a reason he’d lose today there is one just not the track.
— Nathan Klein (@NathanTheCaller) July 26, 2025
But the track won’t be any easier than the timeline. Four horses stand ready to challenge him. There’s Baeza, trained by John Shirreffs and third in the Belmont. Sandman, a Tapit colt with a solid third-place Preakness finish. Mo Plex, the Ohio Derby winner who’s been improving with every start. And Hill Road, a Quality Road colt trained by Chad Brown, who quietly finished fourth behind Sovereignty in the Belmont. All are entered in the Aug. 23 Travers Stakes, but a win in the Jim Dandy would change everything. And none of them are coming just to run second.
Still, Sovereignty goes in as the 2-5 morning line favorite. Saturday’s Jim Dandy won’t decide the Eclipse Award, but it will reveal what the Triple Crown campaign left behind or what it may have unlocked. With race caller NathanTheCaller firmly in his corner, and the pressure of a nation watching, Sovereignty isn’t just racing four rivals on July 26 in the $500,000 Grade II Jim Dandy Stakes at Saratoga. He’s racing the noise, the doubt, and every what-if floating in the air. And from the way he’s training, the way his team believes, and the way he’s wired, he just might silence it all.
He slipped at Churchill, then soared. Can Sovereignty do it again at Saratoga?
There’s a reason Sovereignty isn’t just seen as a star but as a statement. The Godolphin homebred colt, trained by Hall of Famer Bill Mott and ridden by Junior Alvarado, is ready to show his strength in the Grade II Jim Dandy Stakes at Saratoga. It will be his first start since storming through the Kentucky Derby and Belmont Stakes. He’s already 4-for-7 with $4,874,800 in earnings, and his bloodlines (Into Mischief × Crowned by Bernardini) scream stamina and style. But it’s not just the numbers that define him; it’s the way he’s won. Do you remember his Kentucky Derby? Because if you saw that race, you know why he’s not just a contender, he’s a force.
It was May 3rd at Churchill Downs, and the track was sloppy after steady rain, a surface most runners struggle on. Sovereignty stumbled right out of the gate, dropped to the very back of the field, and still delivered a thunderous rally. Swinging wide on the final turn, he surged past Journalism and crossed the wire in 2:02.31, sealing Godolphin’s first-ever Kentucky Derby win and posting a career-best Beyer of 104. That wasn’t just a win, it was a war cry. And now, after weeks off since the Belmont, Sovereignty is back with a plan. “He’s doing very well. He had a useful work Saturday,” said Mott. “He’s a little more relaxed going into this one… but he’s also been strong on the bridle.” He’s calm, he’s fit, and he’s dangerous.
Mott had the option to skip this race and go straight to the Travers, but that didn’t feel right. “We counted it up. It’s been seven weeks since the Belmont,” Mott said. “He’s not that heavily raced this year. We spaced him out a bit. So this seems right for him.” But Saratoga won’t just hand him the trophy. And while Sovereignty is the 2-5 favorite, odds never tell the full story. Because on Saturday, we don’t just find out if Sovereignty is still the one to beat, we find out if he’s ready to make another statement.
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