Breeders' Cup Classic favorite Sovereignty treated for a fever, may be scratched

DEL MAR, Calif. - Sovereignty, the Kentucky Derby and Belmont Stakes winner, spiked a fever overnight and his status for Saturday’s $7 million Breeders’ Cup Classic at Del Mar is very much in doubt, trainer Bill Mott said Tuesday.

Sovereignty, the 6-5 morning-line favorite for the Classic, had a fever as high as 103 degrees - two degrees above normal - Tuesday morning but was treated with anti-inflammatories around 6 a.m., and his temperature returned to normal, Mott said.

But, “if re-spikes another fever between now and whenever we’re done,” Mott said. “We’ll be scratched. I guess there’s an outside possibility we’ll be okay. Is it 10 percent is it 50 percent, it just depends on the horse. But unless we think he’s himself or 100 percent we’re not going to run.”

Mott said Sovereignty has been eating normally and on Tuesday morning he was standing at the head of stall, munching on hay. Mott said he has had bloodwork taken on Sovereignty and will continue to take more and monitor his temperature throughout the coming days.

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“Sometimes horses have little issues and people try to sugarcoat it, I’m not trying to sugarcoat anything,” Mott said. “This is what we got, don’t be surprised if we scratch. If we don’t run, don’t be surprised. If we do run, if things look good, I hope I’ve made the right decision.”

Sovereignty, owned by Godolphin, worked a half-mile on Monday. Mott said had this issue not come up, he likely would have brought him to the track for a jog on Tuesday morning. Sovereignty did not train Tuesday.

“I don’t want to do anything to tarnish this horse’s record foolishly,” Mott said. “If there is something wrong come race day I don’t want to pretend he’s okay and the have him run badly and say shit, we shouldn’t have run. Even if I think he’s good and we run and he gets beat I’m going to be second-guessed particularly because I’m coming forward with all this.

“I think I’m sticking my head on the chopping block a little bit. I would like everybody to know if I didn’t think he's right he’s not going to run.”

Sovereignty’s future beyond the Breeders’ Cup has not been announced. With his victories in the Derby, Belmont, Jim Dandy, and Travers, he is virtually certain to be named 3-year-old champion. In the Classic, he would be taking on a stellar field that includes fellow 3-year-olds Journalism and Baeza as well as the top three finishers from last year’s Classic - Sierra Leone, Fierceness, and Forever Young.

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