Sovereignty, ridden by jockey Junior Alvarado and running in the mud following daylong showers at Churchill Downs, won over the 19-horse field in 2 minutes 2.31 seconds in horse racing’s 2025 Triple Crown opener.
Sovereignty came off the 18th gate and, as the race began, left with the fourth-best odds at 7-1. Journalism, the 3-1 favourite, was second with Baeza (13-1) finishing third.
Bob Baffert, making his first Kentucky Derby appearance since 2021 because of suspension, missed his chance to become the winningest trainer in Kentucky Derby history as Citizen Bull finished 15th. Baffert’s sixth Kentucky Derby victory matched Ben Jones.
Sovereignty trainer Bill Mott had one previous win in the Kentucky Derby heading into Saturday, but it came with an asterisk, after Country House was elevated to first place, from second, following the disqualification of Maximum Security in 2019.
Saturday Mott was questioned about his second Derby winner.
“This one got here the right way,” Mott said. “I mean, he’s done well. He’s a great horse. He is from a great organization.”
The Preakness, the second race in the Triple Crown Series, will be held at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore on May 17.
Kentucky Derby Finish
1. Sovereignty
2. Journalism
3. Baeza
4. Final Gambit
5. Owen Almighty
6. Citizen Bull
7. Neoequos
8. American Promise
9. Admire Daytona
10. Luxor Cafe
11. Burnham Square
12. Flying Mohawk
13. East Avenue
14. Publisher
15. Tiztastic
16. Render Judgment
17. Coal Battle
18. Sandman
19. Chunk of Gold
20. Rodriguez — SCRATCHED
21. Grande — SCRATCHED
5 Kentucky Derby 1-5 Finishers, by Earnings
- First: The Sovereignty, $3.1 million
- Second place: Journalism, $1 million
- Third: Baeza, $500,000
- Fourth: Final Gambit, $250,000
- Fifth: Owen Almighty, $150,000
Kentucky Derby Payouts
Sovereignty payout
Odds: 5/1
- Win: $17.96
- Place: $7.50
- Show: $5.58
Journalism payout
Odds: 3/1
- Place: $4.94
- Show: $3.70
- Baeza payout
Odds: 13/1
- Show: $8.38
Kentucky Derby Odds
Here are the odds as of 7 p.m. Eastern for each horse in the 2025 Kentucky Derby, in order of post position.
Final odds, via KentuckyDerby. com
- No. 1: Citizen Bull | Odds: 13-1
- No. 2: Neoequos | Odds: 42-1
- No. 3: Final Gambit | Odds: 17-1
- No. 4: Rodriguez | SCRATCHED
- No. 5: American Promise | Odds: 12-1
- No. 6: Admire Daytona | Odds: 42-1
- No. 7: Luxor Cafe | Odds: 8-1
- No. 8: Journalism | Odds: 3-1
- No. 9: Burnham Square | Odds: 19-1
- No. 10: Grande | SCRATCHED
- No. 11: Flying Mohawk | Odds: 28-1
- No. 12: East Avenue | Odds: 41-1
- No. 13 | Publisher | 33-1
- No. 14th: Tiztastic 24-1
- No. 15. Render Judgment | 20-1 When last seen, did not fare well against Shoddycast, but resume-wise, has a fair chance.
- No. 16: Coal Battle | Odds: 28-1
- No. 17: Sandman | Odds: 5-1
- No. 18: Sovereignty | Odds: 7-1
- No. 19: Chunk of Gold | Odds: 29-1
- No. 20: Owen Almighty | Odds: 40-1
- No. 21:Baeza | Odds: 13-1
Sovereignty payout
Sovereignty pays $17.96 to win, $7.50 to place and $5.58 to show.
Where to Watch the Kentucky Derby Today
Date: Saturday, May 3, 2025
Time: 7:02 p.m. ET (race start) | 2:30 p.m. ET (TV coverage) TV:
NBCStream: Peacock, Fubo