When the 4-year-old colt Baeza, among the handful of best 3-year-old dirt-route horses during his 2025 campaign, was moved into Bill Mott’s stable early this year, Mott figured the day would come when Baeza would square off with his stable’s star, Sovereignty, the very best 3-year-old dirt route horse of 2025. That day will come sooner rather than later with Baeza, Mott confirmed Thursday, a likely runner in the Stephen Foster Stakes on June 27 at Churchill Downs. “That’s the plan. That’s what I’ve been told,” said Mott, who took over Baeza’s trainer for C R K Stable and Grandview Equine after the colt’s former trainer, John Shirreffs, died this winter. “We knew that could happen, yeah. I don’t like to run against myself, but by the same token, if both horses have earned the opportunity to run, they need to run.” Baeza’s first start for Mott came May 1 in the Alysheba Stakes at Churchill. Baeza badly missed the break and spotted his rivals many lengths, roaring home to finish third, beaten less than one length. “It appeared to me he was much the best horse,” Mott reasonably averred. :: Access the most trusted data and information in horse racing! DRF Past Performances and Picks are available now. Baeza, like Sovereignty, shipped to Saratoga earlier this month and will do all his major work there for the 1 1/8-mile Stephen Foster. Sovereignty, looking every bit the supreme animal he is, trained Kentucky Derby week during the special slot reserved for this year’s Derby runners, but, as planned, went to Saratoga without posting a timed workout. Mott said Thursday that he had Sovereignty penciled in to breeze Saturday, his first work since making his 4-year-old debut April 18 in the Oaklawn Handicap. Sovereignty finished second there after hooking into a speed duel, run down late by White Abarrio, another likely runner in the Stephen Foster, along with Dubai World Cup winner Magnitude. While Baeza lost a Churchill Grade 2 on a tough trip, the 5-year-old mare Grand Job lost a Grade 1 at Keeneland, the April 4 Madison, in an extremely tough beat. Running the best race of her life, Grand Job was beaten a nose by the 4-year-old filly Eclatant, who also hit a career peak. “That was a killer, naturally. The goal is to win a Grade 1 with those horses you think are capable, and we thought that was a great opportunity to get the Grade 1,” Mott said. Grand Job worked April 20 and April 30 at Churchill, but she, too, has moved to Saratoga, and Mott said he’s aiming the mare at the Grade 2, $300,000 Bed o’ Roses on June 5 at Saratoga. The Brad Cox-trained Eclatant will remain in Kentucky to start in the Chicago Stakes on June 20 at Churchill. :: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.