Trainer listens to Derby winner Sovereignty, opts to skip Preakness

Preakness Stakes officials confirmed on Tuesday that Kentucky Derby winner Sovereignty will not compete in the second leg of the Triple Crown.

"We received a call today from trainer Bill Mott that Sovereignty will not be competing in the Preakness," said Mike Rogers, executive vice president of 1/ST, which operates Pimlico. "We extend our congratulations to the connections of Sovereignty and respect their decision. We continue to see the excitement building toward the milestone celebration of the 150th Preakness Stakes, and we look forward to an incredible weekend of world-class racing and entertainment."

The decision means there won't be a Triple Crown winner, which last occurred when Justify claimed all three races in 2018. Justify is also the most recent Kentucky Derby champion to win the Preakness, the middle leg of the three-race gauntlet.

Mott said after the call from Preakness officials on Sunday that the decision wouldn't be taken lightly, ultimately following their perception of Sovereignty's form and health in post-Derby sessions.

"We've got to consider all options with him. We certainly respect the Triple Crown and what it means," Mott said, "but we're not dead set on it. We'll have to let the horse tell us how he's doing in the next little while and then we'll go from there."

Second-place Derby finisher Journalism, who entered the 2025 Triple Crown as the favorite, and third-place Derby horse Baeza are not officially entered in the Preakness.

The Preakness is scheduled for May 17 at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore.

Sovereignty is expected to return for the Belmont Stakes on June 7 at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, N.Y.

Ridden by Junior Alvarado and owned by Godolphin, Sovereignty won the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs last Saturday by 1 1/2 lengths over Journalism on a sloppy track.

--Field Level Media