Sovereignty, Baeza return to work for Whitney showdown
:quality(75))
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Baeza and Sovereignty, the second- and third-place finishers, respectively, behind Magnitude last month at Churchill Downs in the Grade 1 Stephen Foster, were back on the work tab Thursday at Saratoga. The Bill Mott-trained duo began preparations for their next meeting scheduled to come in the Grade 1, $1 million Whitney here Aug. 8.
Baeza, who finished four lengths in front of Sovereignty when second best in the Foster despite a slow start, was the first of the pair to breeze. Last year’s Pennsylvania Derby winner went four furlongs in 49.80 seconds, getting his final quarter in 24 flat, per Daily Racing Form.
Sovereignty worked several hours later, shortly after the second renovation break, going the same distance in 50.58, off a 25.53 opening quarter-mile split, galloping out five furlongs in 1:04.75.
“Sovereignty’s work was good, by himself, that’s all he’s doing, and Baeza had a similar work earlier this morning,” Mott said minutes after Sovereignty had completed his breeze. “It’s the first works for both. They’re just starting back.”
Mott also worked his Metropolitan Handicap runner-up Knightsbridge on Thursday on the Oklahoma track, sending him five furlongs in 37.20 and 1:00.80, galloping out six furlongs in 1:14.60. Knightsbridge is scheduled to stretch out around two turns for his next start in the 1 1/8-mile, Grade 3 Monmouth Cup on July 18.
“He left the five [-eighths pole] this morning and was very good. He’s always a good work horse,” Mott said. “We’re going to test him this next time.”
:: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.