Sovereignty works five furlongs in Stephen Foster prep
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SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - On Sunday in Saratoga, Sovereignty turned in his penultimate work for the $2 million Stephen Foster on June 27 at Churchill Downs, breezing an easy five furlongs in 1:02.61 over a fast but rather cuppy Oklahoma training track.
Sovereignty broke off about 1 1/2 lengths behind workmate Thunder Roll at the five-furlong pole, joined his target nearing midstretch, and then readily held a similar advantage of his own at the wire. The reigning Horse of the Year posted early splits of 25.25 seconds and 37.24 before being allowed by regular exercise rider Neil Poznansky to ease up three-quarters into the turn in 1:17.38.
Trainer Bill Mott was more than pleased when asked to comment on the work a short while later.
“We talked about the type of work we wanted and thought 1:02 would be enough on this racetrack,” Mott said. “It’s kind of all he wants to do anyway. We know him. I don’t think he has to go fast to prove to me he can run. When he goes by his company, he just shuts down anyway.”
Mott noted a similarity in Sovereignty’s workout routines and those of the legendary Cigar.
“Cigar won 16 in a row and he never worked faster than 1:02 and change,” Mott recalled. “Other than the one time, before we went to Dubai. I put him in company in his last work and he went in 1:10 and change”
Sovereignty had his four-race winning streak snapped in his 2026 debut when finishing second, beaten two lengths by White Abarrio, in the Grade 2 Oaklawn Handicap on April 18. He will have an opportunity to avenge that defeat with White Abarrio among a stellar field pointing to the Foster. The group also includes Sovereignty’s stablemate Baeza, who breezed five furlongs in 1:02.82 from the half-mile pole into the turn over the Oklahoma track the previous morning.
“I thought he [Baeza] also went well, I think he went in 1:02 and change also,” Mott commented. “Both their works were about the same. So maybe we’ll have a photo.”
Mott said Sovereignty and Baeza would both have one more local breeze, likely next Monday, over their home base at the Oklahoma training track before shipping to Louisville later that week.
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