Derby victor Sovereignty returns to win Belmont

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. -- Sovereignty bested Journalism connected Saturday successful a Kentucky Derby rematch to triumph the 157th Belmont Stakes, and the 2nd hosted astatine Saratoga.

Sovereignty and jockey Junior Alvarado traversed the tract of 8 connected a accelerated Saratoga way aft downpours passim the greeting and aboriginal day dried up earlier station time.

Journalism was 2nd and Baeza was 3rd -- the aforesaid 1-2-3 arsenic the Kentucky Derby.

Sovereignty led disconnected the archetypal limb of the Triple Crown by winning the Derby successful aboriginal May. The Bill Mott-trained colt besides edged Journalism successful that race.

After the Derby win, the Godolphin-owned 3-year-old opted retired of the Preakness Stakes to absorption connected the Belmont, forfeiting a changeable astatine past to triumph the Triple Crown. The Triple Crown hasn't been won since 2018, erstwhile Bob Baffert's Justify won the 105th Belmont Stakes to unafraid the 3rd jewel.

Journalism was the lone equine to tally successful each 3 legs, winning the Preakness.