Sovereignty aces G2 Jim Dandy test to tee up Travers Stakes bid

Sovereignty passed his Travers Stakes prep with flying colours as he overcame a wide trip to readily win the G2 Jim Dandy Stakes at Saratoga, USA, on Saturday, 26 July.

This year’s Kentucky Derby and Belmont Stakes winner was quickly into his stride and settled in a length-and-a-half second on the outside of Mo Plex, with Baeza in close attendance down the inside rail.

Mo Plex extended his lead to two lengths as Baeza took second from Sovereignty with six furlongs to race. Baeza appeared to drift out leaving the back, with Sovereignty also shifting wide, allowing Sandman and Hill Road to sneak up the inside of the Godolphin colt.

Junior Alvarado galvanised Sovereignty and made a significant move around his rivals three furlongs out, producing the Bill Mott-trained runner towards the centre of the track to challenge Baeza and Mo Plex for the lead at the top of the straight.

Sovereignty took up the running soon after and comfortably saw off a rallying Baeza approaching the final half-furlong before cruising home to score by a cosy length, with the first two pulling nine lengths clear of Hill Road.

Bill Mott said: “We were coming in as a very short price in a very short field, and we all know how tricky races can be. Sovereignty showed up – he had a good break and a good trip. Junior was pretty pleased with the way it went.

“He was a little sharp going into the first turn and settled on his own down the back side. Junior said that, when he asked Sovereignty to pick it up, he was there for him. He engaged at the quarter-mile and pretty much hand rode him to the wire.

“We have to come back in four weeks for the Travers, but he should be fit coming into the race. He has had two races over the track so far, and that’s all gone pretty well. I just hope everything goes as smoothly between now and the Travers as it has during the first half of the year.”