Sovereignty '95 percent' confirmed for Florida Derby

Sovereignty, neck winner of the Grade 2 Fountain of Youth on March 1, is virtually certain to make his next start in the Grade 1 Florida Derby on March 29, trainer Bill Mott said Sunday.

“We’re 95 percent sure we’re going to the Florida Derby as long as he’s okay,” Mott said.

There also was the option of waiting a week and running in the Grade 1, $1.25 million Blue Grass on April 5 at Keeneland.

Sovereignty’s Fountain of Youth win came in his first start off an 18-week layoff, or since he won the Street Sense Stakes as a maiden at Churchill Downs on Oct. 27. Prior to that, he had lost two maiden races, one by a neck to Praetor, who came off a layoff to win a first-level allowance by 7 1/2 lengths on Sunday at Gulfstream.

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